Page 10 of The Forgotten Queen
Where else would I go?
Otis barked out a laugh. “We didn’t save her from dying so that she could be a working-class girl here withyou.”
Sydria couldn’t see Aunt Edmay’s expression, but she could imagine her sinking into herself the way she always did when Otis visited them.
“Make sure you don’t lose the girl between now and when I come back tomorrow.” The front door creaked as it opened. “We’re so close to finishing this.” The door slammed shut, and the room went silent.
Sydria slowly retreated to her room. She was so confused by what she’d just heard. Heavy questions raced in her mind and there was no way she could get the answers she needed. Nothing was as it seemed or as she’d been told. There wasn’t anyone she could trust. She felt trapped by the strict rules Von and Edmay imposed and by her unfamiliarity with the land surrounding her. But right then, she was held captive by her lack of knowledge. She wasn’t like the beautiful fish she’d seen at the beach. No one was going to free her from her miserable life.
Commander Stoddard
Stoddard leaned his back against the jagged cave wall. Outside, waves thrashed against the rocks; their loud thundering blended with his beating heart. He looked to the cave’s opening, hoping King Marx McKane would arrive soon. His eyes blinked rapidly several times, as if he could make the man appear.
Where was he?
Reaching out to the Cristole royalty had been a risky move, but for the last nine months, ever since he’d been driven out of Tolsten, there’d been a massive target on Stoddard’s back. Everywhere he went, he was constantly looking over his shoulder. In each crowd, he saw the faces of King Adler and his persistent daughter, Princess Myka. Their blue eyes taunted him, telling him they were coming to get him, shouting at him that he needed to pay for what he’d done. He couldn’t sleep at night. When he closed his eyes, Adler stood above him with a pillow, waiting in the shadows to suffocate him with it…like Stoddard had done to him.
He needed to remove the target and place it on someone else’s back. That’s where King Marx came in. It was Stoddard’s last chance. His other plans had blown up in his face. He had to salvage the situation now, pivot so it all wasn’t for naught.
Stoddard wiped his sweaty palms on his pant leg. Once he revealed his cards—gave up the identity of his hidden weapon—it wouldn’t be a secret anymore. There was always the chance that King Marx would turn him in to the Council of Essentials, but if he did, Seran would die. Stoddard had already given Doctor Von the order. If he didn’t return from this meeting, Von was to kill the girl.
The muscles on his face ticked, and his lips crept into a crooked smile. That would be an ironic outcome for the girl who was already considered dead.
But Stoddard was confident Cristole would want what he had to offer. Now that Princess Myka had become the queen of Tolsten and had married Commander Drake Vestry from Albion, the bond between New Hope, Tolsten, and Albion was unbreakable. Their iron clad friendship created the strongest three-way alliance since Desolation. Their kingdoms’ relationships ran deeper than the usual stuff alliances were made of. Drake Vestry was King Ezra Trevenna’s best friend, and because of everything that had happened at Ezra and Seran’s wedding a year and a half ago, Ezra had become like a son to King Bryant. Where did that unbreakable alliance leave the other four kingdoms? And what could the other kingdoms do to make sure they retained some of the power?
Stoddard had the answer.
He always had the answer.
“Show me your hands!” a voice called out, causing Stoddard to jerk his head to the entrance. A Cristole soldier dressed in a navy-blue uniform stood with his arms stretched out in front of him. The barrel of the soldier’s gun was pointed right at Stoddard.
He could easily pull out his own gun hidden in his gray jacket, but that wasn’t why he was here. Slowly, he raised his hands, keeping his voice calm even though his skin crawled with nerves and excitement. “I’m alone and unarmed,” he said.
The soldier stepped inside the cave with his gun outstretched. Two other guards followed behind, shining hand lights deep into the darkness.
Stoddard knew the protocol. After all, he’d been the commander of the Tolsten army for the last twenty years—the highest military position there was. With his knowledge, he could run circles around these less-experienced soldiers. It was laughable that they had their guns pointed athim. But King Marx would never enter the cave until his guards made sure everything was safe.
He straightened and lifted his chin as the first soldier stepped in front of him. The guard flipped Stoddard’s jacket open and grabbed the gun that was hidden inside.
“You won’t be needing this,” the soldier said as he tossed the gun to the man behind him.
Stoddard shrugged, placing a confident smile on his lips. “No, I’m sure I won’t. In fact, I’m sure King Marx and I are going to become good friends after this meeting.”
The guard lowered his brows. “I doubt that.” He turned over his shoulder, speaking to the men behind him. “Tell the king everything’s clear.”
One of the men nodded and left. It would only be a moment before King Marx was there. Stoddard puffed out his chest as his anticipation grew. It felt good to be in control again, to be planning something that would change the course of the Council of Essentials.
The light at the opening of the cave dimmed as a group of men passed through. In the middle of the pack stood King Meldrum McKane, the former king of Cristole and Marx’s father. Stoddard scanned the other faces, searching for King Marx, but he wasn’t there.
Was this some kind of trap?
The letter he’d received confirming their meeting had been signed by King Marx. Stoddard still had it. He’d read it again earlier that morning.
He licked his lips nervously. “Where’s King Marx?”
“Marx won’t be joining us today,” McKane said as he walked toward him. With each step, his features became more visible. He was a tall and skinny man with an angular nose. The remaining few strands of his light hair were combed over on top of his scalp, attempting to hide the baldness that increased with his age.
Stoddard flicked his eyes around the cave to the soldiers. “The information I’m offering is for the king.”
