Page 75 of Fae Champion

The queen frowned, the expression odd on her otherwise perfectly immaculate face. Her lips were painted—what else?—a blood red. “Then you’re either stupider than you look or you still believe you’ll get away with your little plot against me.”

Again, Rush’s stare flicked toward me.

The queen noticed. “She’s not the only one who’s betrayed me,Rush. At least she’s new to court. She was raised by beasts and savages. I don’t expect much from her. But you? You and I’ve been friends for years.”

I snorted before remembering Rush was right, I shouldn’t enrage the psycho dragon lady.

Her eyes already narrowed accusingly, the queen whirled on me.

Thoughts tumbled through my mind. How should Ibehave? Should I pretend not to hate her? Was there reason to play along with her farce?

Would it save me?

Could it spare Rush?

Hastily, I landed on neutrality, of a sort. “You aren’t friends with him. You might not be friends with anybody. You’re a mighty ruler in these lands. You aren’t considered for your friendships, but for your power.”

She smirked at me. “Ha, true.”

Dismissing me, she again faced Rush. “Did you really think I wouldn’t uncover the plot against me? How couldyouhave been that stupid?”

“I’m sorry, Your Majesty, but I’m not sure what you’re speaking of.”

She tsked. “Don’t play games with me. I’m not in the mood.”

“I assure you, I’m not playing.” His silver eyes were earnest. He understood all too well what was at risk.

“Sandor admitted to plotting with you and your little friends. All vipers in my midst, competing to become the next heir to my throne while planning my assassination in secret.”

Rush brought a horrified hand to his chest, his face a matching mask. “I assure you, Your Majesty, I havenever, ever, spoken with Sandor of any such thing.He lied.”

She stared at him, then me. “She’s here to try to take me down. The king, apparently, believes she’sstrong enough to do so.” She chortled darkly. “As if that were even possible.”

“Again, Your Majesty,” Rush implored, “Sandor lied. His Majesty the King, Lady Elowyn, and my friends … we’ve not all plotted together against you.”

No … but only because the king wasn’t involved in our discussions.

The queen studied him some more, me, then him again.

“Your Majesty,” Rush went on, “I swear to you, what Sandor said is a lie. I have every intention—and hope—to become your heir to protect the fae of Embermere and the entire mirror world. I want only to help, not harm.”

“You’d swear on Larissa’s life?”

He gulped visibly, throat bobbing, but nodded anyway. “Yes, I swear on Larissa’s life that Sandor lied, and His Majesty, Elowyn, my friends, and I are not meeting behind your back to plot your death.”

Thatandwas essential to the fine line he was skirting between truth and untruth.

Rush scoffed but nerves made his eyes jittery. “What Sandor suggested is insane.”

Only because we could never trust the king to join our goal of murdering the beautiful woman before us who was so horribly hideous on the inside.

“You’re willing to repeat that with Azariah here?” the queen asked.

“I am.” Everything about Rush’s stance spoke of his earnestness, his trustworthiness.

Which told me just how good at lying he was. How little I could trust him.

“I’ve long been honored you’d choose me as a successor to your throne,” Rush said. “You’re the most exceptional and powerful leader the mirror world has ever had.”

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