Chapter 14

Chapter

Fourteen

ALYX

I ’ll hand it to the king—he knows how to get the room’s attention.

I don’t just mean the elaborate robe and headdress he wears, nor the throne he was perched on.

My entrance worked just as I planned it, my timing impeccable. The throne room is in the centre of the palace and has a large stretch of open space on either side. Thanks to the early hour, I was able to time the opening of the doors just as the sun rose over the top of the palace walls, gleaming down on me. I am here to play the game, after all, and nobody plays as well as I do.

Angelic. Mysterious. Beautiful.

Those were the words I heard whispered as I slowly made my way through the hall, and it makes me smile. Do I flourish under their praise? Yes. Am I vain? Also yes, but I own it, knowing my pride is one of my downfalls.

Keeping my head up, I ensure my steps are small and measured. Don’t slouch, head up, glide like a butterfly—the words chime through my mind, triggering a feeling in my chest that is familiar. A frown tries to mar my brow, so I focus on keeping my face smooth with a small, almost shy smile on my lips. Keep them guessing, keep them wondering , the same voice reminds me. All that training is coming in handy now, even though I despised it at the time. Every now and again, I flick my eyes up and look at the king demurely through my lashes. The expression on his face fills me with a feeling that surprises me. He’s either a very good actor or he can’t believe my transformation. When I look up at the brute of a guard dog who hovers around him, I’m also struck by his shock.

Typical. I wear a pretty dress and put my hair up and the males lose their senses. All men are the same.

Except, that doesn’t ring true, not anymore. Shoving those thoughts deep down, I focus on why I’m here. I don’t have time to get caught up in thoughts like that because it will only get me killed. No, I’m here for my revenge and to get paid.

It took me hours to get ready, and I had to sacrifice sleep to make sure everything was perfect. There’s a dressmaker in the city who owes me a life debt after I saved her from some rogue bandits. She couldn’t pay me in coins, so she creates clothes for me when I need them. I knew she would be awake, and she has several gowns in stock that are my size for emergencies such as this. When my eyes locked on the floaty cream dress, I knew that was the one I needed. It was regal yet slightly different from the stiff style the court ladies currently wear and fitted the image I want to portray perfectly. The only thing it needed was something to link it to Joha while still keeping it feminine. Embroidered flowers were already part of the dress; we just added the purple to the petals. It took her and three of her assistants to finish in time.

I kept out of sight, the lower part of my face covered and my hood up so if they did spot me, they wouldn’t recognise me. Thankfully, they were too busy working, and I had to pop out to pick up several other items to make my grand entrance perfect. Once I returned to the shop and had the dress, I raced back to the palace and made it to the concubine’s room in record time. Long ago, I’d been taught how to care for and present my hair properly, and as I sat in front of the mirror and wove pearls amongst the ginger strands, I could almost feel the soft touch of the one who instructed me.

I creamed, painted, tucked, pinned, and slicked, so I drink in their looks, knowing it was all worth it.

The lords quickly move out of my path, seeming to know that I’m walking to the front, their expressions confused yet appreciative. I doubt that will last for long. Does it make me a bad person that I can’t wait for their outrage once they hear why I’m here? Probably, but I’m an assassin, the villain of most peoples’ stories.

I’m almost at the dais where the king and his advisors stand when my eyes lock on an elegant older woman. She can’t be that much older than Joha, but the way she carries herself gives away her position. She watches me with horror, her gaze shifting between Joha and me.

Her formal gown almost matches Joha’s, and I have no doubt that was on purpose. She is beautiful, if ageing despite the ways she tries to hide it. From the gossip mill, I know she married young, and it is clear from the jealousy in her eyes that she is used to being the centre of attention, wielding her beauty like a weapon—one I have now stolen.

The Queen Mother is the one behind all the assassination attempts and wants to rule. I just do not know how far the rot spreads. Someone in the Lowers once told me that when a house’s wood begins to rot and break, the only thing you can do is tear the whole structure down. That is exactly what I will do. I will burn the palace to the ground, and Joha can remake it in his image. The archaic rule about women not taking the throne is absurd, but in this case, I believe it’s a blessing. Having someone as power hungry as her in command would only end in disaster. We all noticed the difference in the state of the city when the old king died, and it wasn’t changed for the better. If Joha was telling the truth and this is all Queen Mother’s doing, then we would be better off without her.

I could kill her , I think idly .

No. That’s not what I’m here for, and if she has everyone wrapped around her fingers like I think she does, then it would only start a rebellion within the palace.

However, I plaster a smile on my face, beaming as though my every wish is coming true. There’s a heavy beat of silence as I climb up the dais steps with the help of the king’s proffered hand. Usually, I would slap it away, offended that he would even offer because it implies that I need help, but here, it’s expected, so I take his hand and use my free one to hold my skirts as I step onto the dais. Smiling up at him prettily, I make sure to keep my eyes only on him, since we’re supposed to be madly in love.

“Lords and ladies, please welcome my betrothed, Lady Alyx.”

Hearing the king’s voice echo through the throne room causes nerves to twinge inside me. Nervousness isn’t an emotion I feel often anymore, so it reminds me of the risks I face by surrounding myself with these people.

Lady Alyx. That’s something I’m not used to hearing.

The lords seem to realise that this isn’t a joke, and pandemonium ensues. Shouts and calls of outrage all blur together, and Joha blinks slowly, as though realising that his people aren’t as happy for him as he expected. The lords crowd around the base of the dais, all shouting to have their voices heard. Orion seems to take this as a threat and moves forward, stepping in front of us. His silent warning seems to remind them whom they are shouting at, the noise lowering slightly and their anger stuttering.

Shaking his head, the king faces his people, his fingers still threaded with mine. “As a king, I am expected to take a wife and to have a family and heirs,” he explains, and although I know he’s putting on an act, I don’t believe that all of this confusion is faked. He genuinely seems shocked by the reaction to this announcement. I want to shake my head at his privileged and sheltered life showing through. He must know that every single person in this room is here because they want something. Daughters in high society are only useful to their families if they are traded to the highest bidder. There is no one with higher status than the king, so of course they wanted him to pick their daughters as his bride. If he’s betrothed to me, then that option is gone.

He glances at Queen Mother. “I thought you would be pleased, Queen Mother. You’ve been trying to find me a wife for years.”

Her lips are pinched, giving her the appearance of having just sucked on a lemon. She is not happy with this news or finding out in front of everyone else, where her hands are tied. “Yes, Your Majesty. A wife who has been approved by us, not some stranger you’ve plucked out of the woodwork.”

I’ve been called much worse things in my life, so this barely registers on my radar. Lady Alyx would feel differently though. Pressing a hand against my breast, I gasp quietly, widening my eyes as though I’m offended at Queen Mother’s comment.

Orion must hear it because he glances over his shoulder with a concerned frown. He doesn’t want to care, but he can’t seem to stop himself from checking, something that I know is annoying him based on the tick in his jaw.

“If you’re going to take anyone as a wife, it should be from one of the founding families!” someone shouts from below, and several other male voices chime in their agreement.

“Screw the founding families! Anyone from the noble families would do,” another voice calls out from the other side of the room. There is much more support for this comment, the room echoing with the sound.

I almost chuckle at them walking right into my plan. Joha might not have expected this, but I did.

Stumblers and Lowers might divide our society, but even within the nobility, there seems to be a hierarchy. Apparently, even money and privilege can’t take that away.

“Who is this stranger?”

“The council needs to agree on this! Why is this the first we’re hearing of this?”

The voices keep coming, each sounding angrier than the last, and I’m starting to realise that this is going to be much harder than I expected. This is going to take every scrap of my training and knowledge to make it seem like I belong here. Keeping my eyes wide, I pull a fan from a small pocket in my dress and begin to move it near my face, needing the movement of air to keep me calm. It fits with the role I’m playing, but also, this damn dress is hot. I have no idea how the ladies wear these every day.

My breasts have also never been pushed so high either. They nearly hit my fucking chin. Curse the bastard who invented corsets.

One of the men on the stage steps forward, an advisor I’m guessing from his uniform, and the crowd falls silent, all turning to listen to him. “The council will convene on this matter. Please wait here, and we shall return once this has been sorted.” He speaks as though he believes this will be quickly resolved, clapping his hands together and gesturing for everyone to leave the stage before offering his arm to Queen Mother.

Who is that man? He just made an announcement without checking with the king and dismissed him like a child before flouncing off without waiting for his ruler to go ahead of him, as is protocol. It’s clear where his loyalties lie, and if all of Joha’s council is the same, then it’s no wonder he asked for my help. Things are worse here than I thought.

Orion sighs gruffly and barks orders at the king’s guards, and we start moving to the back of the hall and out a small doorway I hadn’t noticed previously. The sound of many voices starts up as soon as we leave the dais, everyone speculating about who I am and what’s about to happen. Stepping through the doorway, I blink at the sudden darkness that surrounds us, but my eyes quickly adjust as a large set of curtains are pulled back, exposing massive glass windows overlooking the palace grounds.

This room has another exit, as I expected, but the rest of the space is taken up with a large table and walls full of books, indicating this space is used as a meeting room of some sort. The Queen Mother is standing up by the head of the table, resting her hand on the back of the chair that is obviously meant for the king, with Joha’s advisors gathered behind her. I guess that answers my earlier question about their loyalties.

“Joha,” she announces as the door shuts behind Orion, “the court will not accept your choice of bride. You owe it to your people.” The condescending tone makes me want to grit my teeth, and I don’t even know the king well, but I can feel his anger and embarrassment at how she treats him.

Part of me wants to slap her for him, while another part wants to see him do it. I have a feeling seeing Joha unleashed would be a sight to behold.

“But she is one of my people!” Releasing my hand, he walks over to the table and braces his palms against it, staring at his stepmother. “They were just surprised. Once they have time to mull over the news, they will accept it. There are families in our land other than those here who would make perfect allies.” He actually makes sense, surprising me, but I keep my face the blank, pretty mask it’s expected to be.

Snorting, the older woman looks offended at the suggestion of other noble families being welcomed in the palace. Raising a well-sculpted brow, she looks me over and returns her gaze to Joha. “She is very pretty, and I’m sure she’s lovely, but you should return her to where you found her. We won’t have harlots here.”

Honestly, the insult makes me want to laugh, and from the stifled laughter coming from behind Queen Mother, the advisors obviously think she’s hilarious. However, in high society, I’m pretty sure I’ve just been gravely insulted. I move my fan a little faster, hoping I give off the impression that I’m offended and not that I’m trying to hide a smile.

Joha seems to take it to heart, though, and instantly jumps to my defence, raising my estimation of him—I still think he’s an idiot, but a polite one.

“How dare you?—”

Before he can dig us into a deeper hole than we’re already in, I clear my throat and step forward, gently resting my hand on the small of his back.

“Your Majesty, may I speak?” I ask demurely. Several of the advisors look over at me in approval, and I know I can win them over.

Joha turns his head to glance at me, surprise in his eyes. He’s questioning if this is a good idea, but I told him to trust me, and for some reason, he does. “Of course, Alyx.”

Smiling at him sweetly in thanks, I turn to face the rest of the room. “Queen Mother,” I greet, dropping into a shallow curtsy, offering respect even though I wish to carve that knowing smirk from her face and wear it as a hat. “It’s an honour to meet you.” Standing upright, I lift my head and clasp my hands in front of myself. “My name is Princess Alyx of Jade Empire.”

The whole room seems to hold its breath at my declaration. Jade Empire is one of the closest neighbouring bodies of land that we do not own or rule over. While we’re not actively at war with the empire nor hold any ill will towards it, we certainly don’t have a friendly relationship with the country. Trade routes have always been argued over, and they have stood firmly as our kingdom has grown, refusing to give land to us.

By choosing to act as a royal from Jade Empire, not only am I giving myself a status that they have to respect, but I am also of high enough rank for the king that no one could argue against me. Not to mention, the council would be terrified of upsetting my “father” and starting a war.

My choice seems to have worked, as both surprise and understanding flash across their faces, but they still wait for more information, unconvinced.

“I am the youngest of two daughters. My sister will one day rule our kingdom. This means that I have more freedom and have been able to travel my land and see all the sights it has to offer. Being able to spend time with my people has been such a blessing.” I chuckle lightly, letting excitement shine on my face as I glance back at the king. To anyone else watching, we’re just a happy, young couple, and that’s what I need them to believe about us.

“How did you two even meet?” the advisor from before asks curtly. He looks at me with a little more respect now, but it’s clear he doesn’t trust me. “The king doesn’t leave the palace, and I’ve never heard of a Princess Alyx before.”

Joha’s smile seems tense. He’s probably worried that he’s not thought this far ahead. I have though. I never would have accepted a job without fully preparing first.

“My father is very protective of me, and I have a different mother than my sister. My father truly loved my mother. Apparently, I look just like her, so when she died, he clung onto me, terrified of losing me too. Because of that, my existence wasn’t common knowledge,” I explain with a muted smile, dulling my eyes as I speak of my fictional mother. Another benefit of my story is the fact that they can’t easily check to discover if I’m telling the truth.

Blinking rapidly as if to hold back tears, I clear my throat and continue. “The king and I started writing to one another. He sent a letter to a friend, and it was accidentally delivered to me. I replied, explaining the mishap, not realising he was the king. He certainly didn’t know I was a princess. We continued to write to each other, and we fell in love. We met in person for the first time last night when my carriage arrived. I had to see him before I went to my accommodations for the night.”

It sounds ridiculous, like something out of a fairy tale, but if they believe the king is just a puppet and don’t see his true strength, then they are going to think even less of me. Playing to this stereotype is what’s going to make this work for us. Can two idiots fall in love after accidentally writing to each other? It seems his advisors think so.

I notice how several of them roll their eyes, while the one standing closest to Queen Mother actually sighs aloud and shakes his head. “Your Majesty, you can’t marry someone you just met, especially one from a land we have no control over. You don’t know her. If you really want to wed, we will find you a suitable bride.” He seems to have made up his mind and is already turning to the other advisors, pleased with himself.

I’ll hand it to the little man. He has balls for talking about a princess like that, especially right in front of her. In fact, he’s talking as though I’m not even in the room. Oh boy, this guy is going to get what’s coming to him, and I’m going to be the one to deliver it.

“No.”

The king’s voice seems very loud in the room, and everyone else falls silent and stares in surprise, clearly not used to hearing him disagree.

“I do know her, and she is my choice. This will be good for our lands. Besides, I get to choose whom I marry.” He looks at me and takes my hand in his once more, threading our fingers together, a tiny smile pulling at his lips. “I choose whom I love.”

My stomach flips, and I have to remind myself who this is and exactly what I’m doing here. Nothing he says is true—it’s all part of our ruse. Thankfully, I don’t have long to dwell on this, as several of the advisors start talking over each other, and I can sense that things are about to kick off again, so I clear my throat to get their attention.

“I know it seems strange and sudden, but his letter came to me by fate. It was meant to be. We love each other. Even my father could see it, and he gave his blessing for me to come here. Do you really think he would have done that if this wasn’t serious?” I plead. “Please don’t stop something that’s so perfect.”

I mould myself into the young, na?ve, gullible woman they want me to be, and I see calculation in their eyes. Queen Mother has been silent for a while now, watching our performance with a narrow-eyed stare, and I know she’s the one I have to convince.

“Joha, why don’t you go and tell your people the good news about you and your betrothed?” she announces, smiling in a way that isn’t all that friendly. “The princess and I are going to take a walk and get to know one another a little better.”

Fantastic. Being alone with this woman is the very last thing I want to do right now, but Princess Alyx would love an opportunity to spend time with her future mother-in-law—not to mention, she just gave us the go-ahead. I’m not quite sure what changed her mind, and I’m going to need to tread lightly with her and not overdo it.

Letting my breath catch in my throat, I turn to Joha with an excited expression, squeezing his hand tightly.

“I’m not sure.” He looks at me, sees my expression, and realises I can take care of myself. Besides, it would look strange for him to stop me from speaking with the Queen Mother. “Okay. Take one of my guards,” he relents, gesturing towards Orion.

He’s quickly waved off by Queen Mother though, her smile condescending. “Oh, she doesn’t need one of your guards. Who is going to hurt her? Me?” She laughs as though this is the most ridiculous thing she’s ever heard. “We shall have my guards and will not be going out of sight of the building. We will return soon, Your Majesty.” Without waiting for his approval, she walks over to me and gestures for me to follow her, waving off her ladies-in-waiting.

Joha and I share a look, and I dip my head slightly, letting him know I can handle this. I momentarily allow my eyes to flick up to Orion, and his frowning face almost looks concerned. Is the big guy starting to care for me? That thought almost makes me laugh. No, he doesn’t care about me, only that I might mess this up for his precious king.

Turning with a swish of skirts, I follow Queen Mother from the room and step out into the open courtyard. Four guards surround us, but they are all at respectable distances, so if we speak in low voices, they won’t be able to overhear us. Queen Mother says nothing for a while as we walk a little way from the throne room. Clasping my hands behind my back, I stay silent, waiting for her to speak first as is protocol. I’m not kept waiting long.

“So, Princess Alyx ”—she puts emphasis on my name so it sounds more like a slur than an honorific—“you want to be my son’s betrothed.”

Letting it slide off my back, I pretend to be oblivious and smile at her brightly. “Oh yes, I can’t imagine being without him any longer.” I almost allow a little skip into my step but stop myself at the last moment, deciding that would probably be overdoing it.

Slowing her pace, she frowns and looks me over once more, attempting to find fault or proof of me belonging to another empire. However, I know I look flawless today, and my posture is immaculate. One of the good things about the amount of training I do is that it helps keep my posture rigid and my body healthy, everything a princess would have.

Seeming to find nothing to complain about, she clicks her tongue and purses her lips. “What do you have to gain from this? Did your family put you up to it?”

I frown prettily and tilt my head to one side. “I’m sorry?” I play dumb, as though her question makes no sense to me at all. In all honesty, I am a little surprised by her bluntness.

A frustrated sigh leaves her lips, and as she speaks again, I can tell she’s losing patience with me. “There has been silence from Jade Empire for years, and now all of a sudden, you turn up to marry our king. You don’t think that’s a bit strange?”

After letting several seconds tick by, I brighten my expression as I pretend to understand whom she’s asking about. “My family? Oh, they didn’t want me to come, since they think you are all murderers, but I told my father that wasn’t true. A kingdom with a king as good as Joha is worth giving a chance,” I explain, glancing down at the hem of my skirt and allowing a hint of sadness to enter my voice. “My papa didn’t want me to leave, but he understood and reluctantly allowed it.”

I keep my gaze down as I feel Queen Mother’s penetrating stare on me, trying to pick me apart like I’m a puzzle she’s dying to demolish. “Hmm, I see.” Looking straight ahead, she admires a beautiful tree we happen to pass, pausing to reach up and touch its blooming flowers. “You know of the responsibilities that will come with being his queen?”

I’ve been so busy watching her that the change in topic almost throws me off. As she stares up at the blossoms on the tree, she smiles slightly, genuinely, and her whole face lightens. I doubt many people get to see that smile. Clearing my throat, I remind myself why I’m here and frown slightly again as I make it look as though I’m thinking deeply.

“Well, I’ve watched my sister prepare for the throne, and I know it will be hard work.”

She laughs, looking away from the tree and shaking her head as she pins me with her stare again. “You don’t have a clue, do you?”

I see the exact moment when she decides I’m clueless and that she can make this work for her—a perfect blank slate for her to mould into another puppet and leverage to use against the king if he ever decides to go against what she wants him to do. Her calculating expression is only there for a second, and most wouldn’t notice it, but I’m an assassin who is trained to notice these things. Her face smooths into a smile as she offers me her arm.

“Luckily for you, Princess, I am going to take you under my wing. You shall attend court with me, and I’ll teach you everything you need to know, and in return, you can tell me how the king is. I worry about him, you see.”

Taking her offered arm, I link mine with hers and sound breathless as I smile up at her, not quite believing the kindness she’s offering me. “Oh, of course. Thank you, Queen Mother.”

In reality, I can see right through her honeyed words. She wants me to be her spy. What she doesn’t know is that I’m already employed to do that very job, but with her as the target.

She just made my job a whole lot easier. I was worried I would have to beg and scrape to be near her.

Idiot.

Laughing, she squeezes my arm just a little too hard, digging her nails into my skin. “Oh, I think you and I will become good friends.”

“Oh yes,” I chirp, hiding the smug satisfaction I feel as we walk arm in arm for everyone to see. “The very best of friends.”

It’s almost too easy.