Page 110 of Once Upon a Crown
“You and I want the same things, after all.”
“Oh, do we now?”
Aries looked at me with a devilish smirk and I remembered how Cai told me he’d killed his own father. He was enjoying this, toying with me.
“Of course,” he said after a moment. “We both want our kingdoms to thrive. And we want those we’d cared about avenged.” Cai had killed Aries’ younger brother on the battlefield and Aries was never going to forgive him for it. Although we both knew this was about so much more than avenging his brother. This was about Aries’ unending greed for power.
“Which is why I would like you to reconsider my offer of marriage. Together we could rule Everness, Norrandale and Argon. You’d be one of the most powerful queens on the continent.”
The mere thought of being wed to a man like him sent shivers up my spine.
“Thank you for your proposal but I’d rather be impaled on a pike.”
That devilish smirk fell away. He didn’t take kindly to being insulted.
“That is not entirely out of the question.”
“Well, go on, then.” I placed my hands on the arms of the chair. “If that’s what you plan to do, then why don’t you just kill me now?”
It was a risk to call his bluff, but I figured if he wanted me dead, then Aries’ guards would have killed me. This served some other purpose.
“I don’t want to kill you, Elara.” Aries relaxed back into his chair, still eyeing me. “The way I see it, you have two choices.”
I had a bad feeling about where this was going.
“First, you align yourself and your kingdom with Argon and help me find the Myrgonite objects, and then you and I can rule together, and our kingdoms can flourish.”
That was what this was about. Aries rightfully suspected I knew where the Myrgonite mines were, along with the magical objects.
“And my second option?”
“Your second option is that you help me find the Myrgonite stones anyway and then you get to sit and watch as I kill everyone you love.”
I leaned forward, laying my arms on the table. “And why the hell would I help you find a single damn stone?”
“You wouldn’t,” he replied curtly. “Which is why I’ve taken measures to ensure your cooperation.”
My stomach dropped.
“What did you do?”
“Just a little bit of insurance is all.” He casually flicked his hand in a gesture to one of the guards, who bowed his head before disappearing out of the tent.
“What did you do?” I asked again, my voice laced with more panic this time. Whatever it was, Aries knew it would be enough to get me to cave and give up the biggest secret in the kingdom.
“Now, don’t think I take any pleasure in doing this. But seeing as you refuse to listen to reason, I’m afraid more drastic measures must be taken.”
My hands clenched the arms of the chair.
There was a sound behind me and I looked towards the opening of the tent.
No.
Not this.
Cordelia’s face was streaked with tears and a cloth had been tied around her mouth to prevent her from letting out anythingbut small cries. The Argonian guard held her firmly despite her hands being tied behind her back. Her expression was filled with terror.
I shot out of the chair.
