Chapter 62

Chapter

Sixty-Two

ALYX

I dress in one of my gowns, the dirt hastily washed from my body. I’m ready for battle. Usually, these dresses feel so restrictive and unnecessary, yet right now, I wear it like armour. The dark green fabric looks almost black, covering most of my skin and highlighting the decorative daggers strapped to my waist, and my hair is pinned back and twisted into a quick braid.

I’m allowing my true self to come out. The soft expression and mindless smile the council is used to are long gone. I am fierce, I am strong, and I am about to bring down hellfire on these liars who wish to run the kingdom.

I stride through the corridors of the palace with Joha at my side. He’s dressed in a smart tunic, the colour matching my dress, and a crown rests atop his head, looking regal. I have not had the chance to look in the mirror, but I can just imagine how we look—fierce and united, our fingers interlaced together.

Orion leads the way, and Crux, dressed in his guard disguise, follows closely behind us with Arbella at his side.

Once we formed a plan, we left the safe house and rushed back to the palace. Orion went to Joha, telling him everything, and Crux came with me as I got ready. The first time I saw Joha was only a few moments ago, when we met in the corridor.

Guards surrounded him, but they clearly did not stop him from leaving his palace. I imagine Orion had something to do with that. He commands the loyalty of the guards, and they have always looked up to him with admiration.

Despite Healer Arbella’s reluctance to be here, his expression is determined. He’s not going to back down. He will honour the memory of his friend by helping his son get justice.

Unlike the usual council meetings, this one is an open session, meaning all of the nobility are invited to listen and participate, and it is being held in the ballroom rather than the usual meeting room. It doesn’t take us long to get there, and when we do, there is a row of guards standing across the entrance, the large wooden doors closed.

It looks pretty foreboding and would turn many away. Just the guards’ stern faces and the way their hands tighten on their weapons make you want to turn around and find somewhere else to be.

Not us though. Not today.

Joha faces the guards, my hand still tightly clasped in his. “Open the doors.”

One of the guards in the centre steps forward and clears his throat. “Your Majesty, the council is in session. The whole court is in attendance.”

This was exactly why we decided to strike now—the more witnesses the better.

I arch my brow at the guard who just denied the king access in his own palace. He is either brave or stupid. Although, from what I know of Queen Mother and the council, they probably threatened the guards with harsh punishments should anyone unauthorised try to come in.

I’m not the only one surprised by the guard’s gall. Scowling, Orion steps forward until he’s almost touching him. “The king and his betrothed order the doors to be open.” Voice low and full of restrained anger, he stares down the male.

“But—” The guard looks over Orion’s shoulder to take in the king, his face twisting with indecision. The other guards shift on their feet awkwardly, confirming they have been given strict instructions not to allow the king access.

“Whose rule do you follow?” Joha asks quietly but firmly. “Mine or Queen Mother’s?”

This is a pivotal moment. Without their backing, we will not stand a chance. We are taking a bet on the guards remembering the king’s kindness compared to her cruelty.

There is a beat of silence as the guard absorbs this. It stretches on, making my heart skip in worry before the guard jerks his head in a sharp nod. After saluting the king, he turns his attention to the other guards, addressing them with authority. “Open the doors.”

I nearly slump in relief, but I do not let that weakness show. The guards are with us. We can do this. Thankfully, the others don’t debate the decision and the doors are heaved open. I squeeze Joha’s hand, letting him know I’m here to support him. This is it. This is the moment we have been waiting for. Joha looks composed and regal, but I can feel the slight tremble of his hand, giving away his true feelings.

A male voice reaches us as the doors slowly open, but he cuts himself off at our interruption. Questioning noises and low chatter start from the observing nobility, heads turning in our direction.

“What is the meaning of this?” the speaker demands, one of the many advisors Joha has on his council. He’s angry that someone would dare to interrupt him while he’s speaking. However, that quickly stops as we step into the hall.

“Oh, Your Majesty,” he greets, dropping into a shallow bow.

We are framed in the door for a moment, both of us standing tall as we run our eyes over every single person. We do not fill the silence, letting them feel the awkwardness, and as a unit, we step forward, walking steadily down the path created through the throng. The gathered crowd’s whispers die as we take our time, letting them look their fill. Ahead, on the dais, Joha’s council and advisors are seated in a semicircle. Right in the centre, sitting on Joha’s throne and draped in diamonds, is Queen Mother. Her eyes widen in shock before they flash with anger she tries to hide but cannot.

How dare she? Red-hot fury fuels me. This woman is going down. I am determined to see it through. I should not be surprised that she is fully taking Joha’s place after what I know of her and what she is trying to do, yet to be so blatant about it . . . She’s sitting on the king’s throne in front of a full audience. She had to know how this would look to the nobility. Rumours would have been flying about a takeover before the nobles even left the palace.

The nobles part around us like the ocean, tracking our every movement as we head right to the dais. Joha’s guards surround us, making it very clear how little we trust these people. It’s a statement, a warning. Perhaps the guards can sense just how hostile those on the small stage feel towards the king and are reacting to it, but they are on high alert, their eyes sharp and commanding. Joha and I stand at the front of our little group, with Orion just off to the side, close enough to leap forward and protect us if necessary. Crux and the healer are behind us, staying close as we form a barrier before the traitors and their leader.

Staring up at Queen Mother, I narrow my eyes on her, refusing to bow or cower to her anymore. She doesn’t seem flustered by our presence, which just makes me angrier. Dipping her head in a pathetic show of deference, she smiles slightly and rests her hands in her lap in a serene manner, but I see her fingers clenching as she tries to hide her irritation

“Your Majesty, it is a surprise to see you. You should be protected in your rooms,” she calls, her voice filling the space. Practised, false concern laces her tone, but I see the hatred in her eyes.

She might have been able to order him around before, but that is no longer how things work. Joha is king , and as such, he makes the decisions about his own safety. The way she speaks to him is like he’s an unruly teenager she is scolding, and even those surrounding us pick up on it, murmuring to each other.

I have no doubt her plan was to keep him locked away until he was forgotten and then get rid of him quietly, taking all his power and supporters away from him, but she failed to recognise one thing.

He has me, and I would slay this entire kingdom before that happened.

Clearing his throat, Joha steps forward. “Well, Queen Mother, it is a surprise to see you in my throne. I have only been gone a few days.” His eyes turn steely as he stares at her, no hint of the puppet king in sight. “You are my father’s widow and nothing else. I am king, and you should remember that.”

For a brief moment, I see shock flicker through her eyes, but she quickly brushes it off and tilts her head to one side. “Is there a reason you have come bursting into a meeting?” Gesturing to the room and everyone watching, she gives a small, curt smile. “As you can see, most of the court is in attendance. Why don’t we save this until after the meeting?—”

Joha shakes his head. “No, now is a perfect time. Everyone should see this.” Turning, he addresses his guards, his voice stern and filled with power. In this moment, he is a true king. “Arrest Queen Mother and take her to the dungeons.”

Gasps fill the air, and not just those of the watching lords and ladies. Even the councilmen on the stage seem shocked and horrified. The guards are confused, hovering at the edge of the dais, but they make no move to arrest her, looking around for confirmation from their seniors.

“This is ridiculous!” the councilman from before blusters, his face turning tomato red. “On what grounds?”

I cannot believe how they speak to their king. Once this is all done, there will need to be a major cull of council members who were influenced by Queen Mother. Still, I say nothing, waiting at the king’s side until I’m needed, keeping my gaze on the woman behind this.

She is the threat, and I know all too well what a woman like her is capable of when cornered. That’s when she is at her most dangerous.

“Murder, treason, and hiring assassins to attempt to murder the king,” Joha answers, his voice loud and clear, leaving no room for misunderstanding. “Take your pick. She is the one who arranged the many attempts on my life. Queen Mother has been very clever about it, not having direct contact with the assassins and using her contacts to order the hits instead, but we know the truth now, and she will face the consequences of her actions.”

“What proof do you have, Your Majesty?” a councilman asks, but it’s asked as respectfully as a question such as this could be. I examine the male. He’s one of the older council members, his long grey beard covering most of his lower face, but he has thoughtful, pale blue eyes. This is a man who takes in all the facts before making a decision.

Crux steps forward, clearing his throat to pull the room’s attention to him. “In the dungeons is an assassin who attempted to take the king’s life several nights ago. He obviously failed, but he knew exactly where the king would be—locked away in his palace thanks to the Queen Mother.”

“That is circumstantial, and you really believe the words of an assassin?” Queen Mother counters before turning to address the court. “Why do you think I would do something like this? As you can see, the king has been struggling recently with all the attempts on his life and it has muddled his mind. It’s one of the reasons I should take hold of his position while he heals. This was my greatest fear. Much like his father, he is weak.”

Gaping at her gall, I feel sick to my stomach. To lie like this and attempt to make others believe that Joha is unwell is treason, yet she keeps going. She’s gotten too comfortable in that throne, and now it’s time to evict her.

“She wants to be queen,” I call out, interrupting what would have been a convincing tirade, my voice ringing around the room. I never take my eyes off her, finally breaking my silence. I let her see the truth in my eyes—she will pay for touching what is mine. “She knows that the only way it will ever happen is if she kills Joha before he has an heir. You are smart, Queen Mother, but not smart enough. Your strength is also your weakness—your need for power and willingness to do anything to get it.”

The atmosphere in the room changes, becoming electric as debates and whispers break out around the hall. This is not going the way she wanted.

“This is ridiculous.” Gritting her teeth, Queen Mother finally stands and gestures to me. “She has been twisting your mind, Your Majesty. The princess is probably trying to destroy us from the inside so her kingdom can take over.”

I have to admit, she does have a way of warping things to make them work for her. It’s a good excuse, and I feel the crowd’s allegiances shifting back and forth. Joha squeezes my hand, kissing the back of it in a show of support. He doesn’t show even the slightest hint that he’s doubting me, and I know that will go some distance to proving we’re right.

“This isn’t your first time trying to kill a king though, is it, Queen Mother?” Joha asks loudly, returning his sharp gaze to the woman in question.

“What do you mean, Your Majesty?” one of the councilmen who used to be loyal to Joha asks, leaning forward in his seat, his brow furrowed.

Standing tall, Joha addresses the councilman, his voice loud even as he wobbles over the words a little, pain filling them. Later, he will have time to grieve the truth, but for now, he must utilise it and seize the moment before it’s too late. “She killed my father.”

Pandemonium ensues at the bold declaration. Shouts, questions, and bellows of treason echo around the room, and our guards have to take a step closer to us to make sure that no one can break through their circle of protection.

“Out of order!”

“Outrageous!”

“Where is the proof?”

The exclamations keep coming, the noise so loud it’s impossible to make out who is saying what. I turn to face the crowd and raise a hand. Seeing the gesture, the nobles slowly fall silent, and I smile in thanks. I gesture for Healer Arbella to step forward. “Please explain who you are, how you know the royal family, and what you know about this matter.”

“My name is Darus Arbella, and I was the royal healer for almost twenty years. Some of you might remember me, as I helped deliver your children into the world.” He smiles, nodding his head in the direction of a few people he recognises. That smile quickly slides from his face as he moves on to the real reason he’s here. He releases a long, pent-up breath. “I worked here in the palace and cared for the king as he was dying.”

Pausing, he lowers his head slightly, and I can almost feel his pain at the loss of his friend.

“I know for a fact that Queen Mother was slowly poisoning the king. She was adding small amounts of poison to his tea. She was getting away with it until I queried if he was being poisoned, as no natural illness worked that way.” Lacing his fingers together, he rests them on his stomach, his words factual as he continues to explain. “She panicked and gave him a strong enough dose to kill him, yet in doing that, it was possible for me to detect it in my tests.” The room is quiet enough to hear a pin drop, everyone straining to hear the healer’s words.

“I confronted her, and she told me she believed it to be a sleeping medicine and she would never hurt him, but I knew the truth. I had seen how she treated him when she thought no one was watching and how much she hated him. I raised the issue with the council at the time, but I was laughed at, and they wrote me off as a grief-stricken old man.” Anger enters his voice as he stares at Queen Mother. “Prince Joha was never told, and I began to fear for my life, so I left and haven’t come back until now.”

“This is—how ridiculous!” Queen Mother protests, unable to form words. She’s losing her composure, knowing there is too much evidence against her. At the very least, she needs to be questioned, even if there wasn’t enough information to pin this on her.

“Arrest her. We can interrogate her in the dungeons,” Joha calls, and this time, the guards hurry forward, dragging Queen Mother from the throne she has sacrificed so much for and towards the exit of the hall.

No one tries to help her, and even her most vocal supporters look elsewhere as she is taken away, unable to meet her gaze. Self-preservation runs strongly through the councilmen, and right now, Queen Mother is a sinking ship. If they were to speak up or try to fight for her, they know they will just end up in the dungeons—a dangerous place to be when you’re trying to hide your involvement in a plot to assassinate the king.

“You will pay for this, Joha!” Queen Mother shouts as she is wrestled from the room. All pretence of a calm, gentle woman is gone, revealing the power-hungry person beneath. Dignity flees when faced with the truth, her face puffing red, her eyes narrowed in vile hatred as she struggles against the guards. “You and your conniving betrothed will pay!”

I feel Joha quaking ever so slightly, so I squeeze his hand. It is probably his adrenaline, but it could also be relief. This is not over yet though. We might have dealt with the most difficult part, but there is still something very important to handle. Keeping his hand in mine, I take a step forward and turn to face him. I cup his face, and when I speak next, I make sure my voice projects so everyone can hear us.

“Take back your throne, my king.”

This seems to release him from whatever gripped him. Taking a deep breath, he strides forward with me at his side. Joha takes my hand and gestures towards the smaller throne beside his and helps me into it. Smiling up at him, I follow his lead, fully aware of everyone watching us. He rolls his shoulders back and slowly sits in his throne, gripping the armrests tightly.

“All hail the king!” Orion shouts out, and I’m surrounded by the echoed yells of the rest of the hall, the sound almost deafening.

“All hail the king! All hail the king!”