Page 78 of Three Scorched Kingdoms

Instead, a table has been brought in at the base of the steps.

Esma is already seated at the head, a predatory smile curling at the corners of her lips as we enter. Porthew and the other council members are seated around her, their expressions ranging from smug to indifferent.

There’s no reason to have this meeting here in this too-large room. Other than rubbing their coup in our faces, of course, which they’ve cleared deemed a worthy enough cause.

“Good morning, citizens,” Esma purrs, her tone dripping with false warmth. “I’m so pleased you could join us. I trust you slept well?”

Thorne snorts at that, but I keep my face impassive as I take a seat across from the flamingo shifter.

“We’re here, Esma. Let’s get on with it.”

Her smile widens, and she leans forward slightly, her eyes gleaming with a mix of anticipation and triumph. “Straight to the point as always, Aries. I do like that about you. Very well.” She flicks her gaze to the other council members before settling back on me. “The council has discussed your... unique situation, and we’ve come to a decision.”

“And what might that be?” Leo asks.

Esma’s gaze flickers to Leo then back to me. “Our scouts brought word of some changes along our borders.”

“What changes are those?” I ask, trying and failing to keep the concern out of my voice.

Esma’s expression is tight as she says, “The wastelands have spread farther into Astronia.” Her confidence slips for a moment. She glances at Porthew then back to me, raising her chin. “It seems the goddess knows your mother has been removed, and the land is reacting.”

The blight.

It had nothing to do with Constantine after all.

Leo curses viciously enough that Esma flinches.

I look out over the faces of the others. None of them meet my eyes. Pathetic.

Esma clears her throat. “It’s clear that Astronia needs a dragon shifter on the throne to maintain the land’s magic. Without one, the kingdom will suffer—something we all want to avoid.” She pauses, letting the words hang in the air for a moment. “However, we also recognize that the crown is a heavy burden, one that perhaps neither of you is fit to carry on your own.”

Leo huffs, but I catch his eye, silently telling him to stay calm. We need them to keep talking.

Esma continues, clearly enjoying herself. “The solution is simple. One of you will retain the crown, but only if you agree to marry me and allow the council to govern in your stead. You will be king in name only while the real decisions are made by those of us more... suited to the task.”

Leo bristles, but I force myself to remain composed. “So that’s your offer? A marriage of convenience, where I or Leo would become nothing more than a figurehead while you and the council rule behind the scenes?”

Esma’s smile is cold, her eyes calculating. “Precisely. It’s the only way to ensure stability and prosperity for Astronia. And it’s a generous offer, considering the circumstances.”

“Generous,” I repeat, my voice flat. “You mean generous to you and your fellow council members, who stand to gain everything while we lose what the goddess bestowed on us.”

Porthew, who has been silent until now, clears his throat. “This is for the good of the kingdom. Surely you understand that.”

I lean back in my chair, crossing my arms over my chest. “What I understand is that you’ve manipulated your way into power, lied to the people, and now you expect us to simply hand over the crown in exchange for... what? A meaningless title?”

“None of this would have been necessary if you’d been willing to cooperate from the start,” Porthew snaps, his calm demeanor slipping. “We did what needed to be done.”

“Aries kept up his end of the deal,” Leo says. “He fought the horde and won by the strength of our army alone. No royal lineage magic. No crown atop his head. And still, you’ve found a way to steal his birthright.”

Thorne glares, but none of them argue Leo’s claims.

Good.

“You have lost the confidence of the people,” Esma says. “You left them when they needed you most?—”

“Liar.” I lock eyes with Esma, my gaze unwavering. “Admit it. This is something you’d already begun to plan long before I conveniently went away. This isn’t about protecting Astronia—it’s about your own greed and ambition. And you know it.”

For a moment, the room is silent, the tension so thick it’s almost suffocating. Then, Esma’s smile returns, but it’s more strained now, the cracks beginning to show. “Believe what you want, Aries. But the fact remains that, without the council’s leadership, Astronia will fall. The people will suffer. Is that what you want?”

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