Page 52 of Chaos and Destiny
“Do you understand that you nearly made hundreds of fae watch the death of a boy for entertainment? Did that feel entertaining to you?”
“I’ll admit, I should have used more restraint with Lere. He showed great potential with the mace, and I thought he could win.”
“Did you starve the hounds as well?” I clasped the edge of my seat to push back the fury.
“I did.”
“And do you believe you are above punishment?”
“I do not.” He shook his head.
“You will be allowed to keep your position for now, Muth. Not because you deserve it, but because I do not have time to deal with you right now. Your recruits may fight in the Trials but heed my warning. I will be watching you closer than you ever imagined possible and, if for one second, I think you are doing something you shouldn't be, I'll kill you. I’ll put your head on a stake and display it in the middle of your beloved pit so your crowds are reminded who is really in charge. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Your Grace,” he answered solemnly.
“As for your punishment, you will report every morning to the lists here at the castle. You will check in with Brax, and you will do whatever he tells you to do until further notice. If he needs the soldier’s weapons sharpened, you will do it. If he needs the stalls cleaned in the stable, you will do it. If he needs you to remain on your hands and knees for an entire day, just to show your humility, you will do it. Am I understood?” He nodded but said nothing. “You are dismissed.” As his footsteps echoed through the room and he reached the door, I stopped him. “One more thing, Muth.” He spun back to face me. “Your announcer will fight the first battle in the Trials against Brax.”
He bowed and walked out.
“Brax will kill him,” Inok said from my side.
“If only,” I answered.
“The lords are beginning to fill Halemi, and I imagine the city will be buzzing tonight, my king.”
“I’m counting on it. We are going hunting. Ready your weapons.”
“You’re going out again?”
“Weare. I have a selkie to catch, and I’m going to need your help. It’s time to put the puzzle pieces together.”
He nodded and joined me as we walked into the bustling hallway.
“Your Grace.” A messenger handed me a sealed letter. “Someone left this for you.”
I looked down at the familiar phoenix imprinted on the wax seal, thanked him, and tucked it into my robes. I would open it into the solitude of my rooms.
We had to weave through the people in the castle. Some curtsied, some bowed, several gave me looks of concern and derision. Even in my own palace they had brought hatred. In all my years of ruling, I had never felt the abhorrence of my fae as much as I did now. That worried me. It was like a poison spreading through them.
I halted my steps and sucked in a breath. Exactly.
“Good gods, Inok. Get to the stables and tell Rah we need the three fastest fae horses ready immediately. We have to get to the dunes right away.”
“If we go there, we will never be back by tonight.”
“I guess we are just going to have to ride fast then,” I answered, hurrying to find the healer.
Look at her and think of me, she had said in my dream.
I slammed the apothecary door open and likely startled the poor male half to death.
Chapter 17
ARA
Prick. Prick. Prick.
I wasn’t sure why they called him a prince when prick was so much more appropriate. We had been walking for hours. Hours. All six of us. Barely a word had been spoken, and the southerners were doing their weird hand signal thing again. I found it so difficult to concentrate with the wrath boiling me from the inside. Every time I looked at him and tried to let it go, I saw myself trapped in that room. And maybe that wasn’t the biggest issue. Maybe it was my own fear of being trapped by my prophecy while he got to make his choices and call the shots on everything up to this point, and that just didn’t work for me. So, be it his mistakes or my own fears, I kept my distance.
