Page 76 of Tortured Royals

“This is what Ivar intended for you.Thisis your reward for your loyalty,” I say, my voice hard and unforgiving. “Death by witch poison, and a future where your clans will be enslaved by the witches or dead.”

“He’s a bastard!” Another clan leader yells, but the moment my gaze goes to him, he silences.

“I know what Ivar offered you,” I continue. “A say in the matters regarding the ruling of the kingdom, and a chance to be part of the royal council. The clans were createdforthe demons, but when I’m queen, I invite you all to say your peace on how you believe our realm should change. But first, we need to defeat the witches. We need to protect what’s ours and band together or the demons will fall. As clan leaders, you need to rally your soldiers so we can face this war as one. I heard your scheming. This is your one chance to redeem yourselves, or deny me, and face the consequences.”

“We barely survived a war with the witches the last time, and rumor has it that King Dalton isn’t the demon he used to be,” Gloria says. “You weren’t alive during the great war, but I was. What makes you so sure we can win this time?”

“I’m not,” I admit. “But if we do nothing then we know what the outcome will be. And if it weren’t for me and my mates, you’d be dead right now. I’m not prepared to go down without a fight, and I’m hoping you aren’t either.” I look at them hard. “Or was I wrong to spare you? Are you ready to end it now?”

The clan leaders are silent for a moment, but Gloria is the first to rise to her feet. She straightens her spine, and the other clan leaders follow her.

“My clan will answer your call, your highness,” Gloria tells me.

A few of the other clan leaders send furtive glances in Ivar’s direction, but soon, all of the clan leaders are pledging their allegiance to me as well. Everyone, that is, except Ivar.

“You’re fools,” Ivar growls, no longer muttering to himself. “We won’t be able to defeat the witches this time. By allying with them, the witches had agreed to spare the demons.”

“What demons?” I say, jerking my head toward Ivar. “The clan leaders you tried to poison in this room, or the ones who are yet to die on the battlefield?”

“Sometimes you have to sacrifice a few to save the many,” Ivar says coldly. “Of all demons, I thought you would understand that.”

“Except you weren’t plannin’ to save anythin’ except your own ass,” Nate comments.

“Return to your clans,” I command the clan leaders. “And prepare your soldiers. The witches may attack any day now. You’ll hear the war siren when the time has come.”

“Yes, your highness,” the clan leaders chant in unison, sparing Ivar a last glance and filing out of the room, heading into the upper part of the house.

When the last clan leader is gone, my mates and I move closer to Ivar.

“You think this means something, half-blood?” Ivar snarls, still pinned to the wall. Blood trails from his head, dripping past his right eye. “Those demons turned on you the moment you were out of the realm. I was the demons only chance to avoid annihilation.”

I snort. “Even I know you’re not stupid enough to believe that, Ivar. It starts with the witches ordering you to kill the clan leaders, and it ends with all of us turned to ash.”

“You’re wrong,” Ivar rasps.

“The witches only wanted you to help them locate the power in the castle,” I tell him. “And for you to cripple the demon clans so we’re weakened and easier to defeat. Did you really think they’d let you take the throne and rule?”

“They don’t want this land,” Ivar replies. “All they want is what’s theirs. What the king took from them.”

“And did it even occur to you, that once they have it, they may simply lay waste to the rest of us? That whatever King Dalton took, he probably did so for a reason. That it might be a weapon, or a power that may make them unstoppable?”

“We would be allies,” Ivar says.

I scoff. “You’re not that naive. And what do you think will happen when the witches discover you’ve failed to kill the clan leaders?”

There’s a flicker of fear in Ivar’s eyes, but he blinks, and it’s gone again.

“Tell us everything you know about the witches, and the demons might actually survive what’s to come,” I say.

“I have nothing for a bastard princess,” Ivar snarls, and he spits at me. I dodge to the side, avoiding his spit, and Alaric slams his fist into the demon’s gut with his free hand. Ivar coughs, blood trailing from the corner of his mouth.

“Have it your way, then,” I tell Ivar.

“Shade, are you guys outside?”I send to my crow.“We’re in a private dining hall down a series of steps. Nate will meet you at the top of the stairs.”

There’s a pause before she answers.“Got it. We’ll be there soon.”

I share a look with Nate, and he nods, bounding from the room.

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