Chapter 25

Three months later

I run my hands over my protruding stomach, overly aware of how every Roth’s gaze is firmly fixed on me.

Roghat, who’s sitting on Lyko’s throne, looks especially furious.

Ha.

“I am so glad to see you have stepped up to run things in our absence,” I tell him smoothly. Lyko glowers next to me, fire running up and down his arms.

Hot. Literally.

“You abdicated,” Roghat says, brushing something off his arm, refusing to look me in the eye.

“We were abducted, actually, but as those words are extremely close in my language, I’ll just assume that my translator failed.” I flutter my eyelashes at him.

“Get off my throne,” Lyko growls.

“You left the Roth,” Roghat roars, standing up. “Your failure to prevent your own abduction is proof you are not fit to rule the Roth.”

The heads of the Roths lining the walls of the throne room swivel like they’re watching a tennis match.

Drama kings.

“Oh, fuck off,” I say, inspecting my nails. I’ve decided to hell with any persona that isn’t mine.

And my real personality?

Fuck the sweet princess shit.

I’m in my bitch queen era.

“You dare to speak to me like that?—”

Roghat falls quiet as I raise my hand, a ball of fire swirling in my palm.

The room is deadly silent, and I tilt my head, studying him like I might a particularly poisonous wasp before stomping it under my boot.

“I dare,” I tell him, and my voice sounds dangerous, even to me.

The baby aims a kick at my bladder, and I grimace slightly. Lyko wraps his arm around my waist, and I smile up at him, the ball in my hand burning ever hotter.

“Leave, before I decide to roast your ass.” I try not to cringe, because that didn’t sound as badass as I wanted it to. In fact, now I just want a rotisserie chicken. God, I miss chicken.

“This is a trick,” Roghat cries out, pointing to me. “The human female cannot command fire. She is deceiving all of us!”

I throw the ball at him, and it slams into the spot just before his feet, causing him to dance backward.

I know it’s wrong, but I can’t help the gleeful laugh that comes out of me.

“That was satisfying,” I tell Lyko.

“Queen Piper,” a familiar voice rings out from the crowd. “All hail Queen Piper!”

Roghat’s face pinches, but he knows the tide is turning against him.

Sure enough, the crowd takes up the chant, Lyko’s name echoing through the huge room alongside mine, right where it belongs.

I smile at Roghat, daring him to try anything.

A shudder racks me, and in the next moment, flame coats every inch of my body, and Lyko’s as well. Hand in hand, we cross the room, until Roghat finally kneels before us, a mutinous expression on his stupid face.

“Try anything,” I tell him in a low tone, “and I will fucking burn you alive. You will kneel to us, and you will go back to our settlement, and if there are any rumors of dissent, you can count your days in this life. Got it?”

Lyko chuckles, a lick of flame slicing across Roghat’s cheek.

“Ooh, that’s going to leave a scar.” I tsk. “Not nice.”

“Neither is treason,” Lyko growls. “He’s lucky I’m not eviscerating him.”

“Be grateful for your king’s mercy,” I hiss at him.

I know I look crazy.

It’s all part of the plan.

He presses his forehead against the floor, and I smile. Good. Phew. I don’t really want to roast the asshole alive.

“Leave. Guards, escort this man to his ship. If he returns to Roth without an invitation, shoot his ship down in atmosphere,” Lyko’s voice booms out.

We had three months to cook up our grand entrance to the chaotic rule of Roghat on Roth. Billie and Ayro acted as our inside eyes and ears, relaying everything that had happened in our half a year’s absence.

And agreeing to begin fomenting a rebellion against Roghat, as we all aimed for the most bloodless coup possible.

Though is it a coup if you’re taking your throne back? I squint, trying to remember the definitions as I watch Roghat leave the ceremonial chamber, flanked by a battalion of guards.

The rest of the Roth are still cheering for Lyko and me, so I wave one hand, giving them my best theme park princess wave, my other hand on my heavily pregnant stomach.

“That couldn’t have gone better,” I tell Lyko, relieved as hell.

“Of course not,” he says, squeezing me close. “My clever queen had thought of everything.”

I grin up at him, and the crowd goes absolutely wild as his mouth slides over me, hot and insistent.

Of course I thought of everything. It’s what I do.

But it’s a hell of a lot more fun with Lyko at my side.

***

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