Page 57 of Queen of Ashes and Scars

I bite my bottom lip to mask my excitement. “Mr. Beaumont. Please coordinate security with your brother. Felipe Pereira asked for an audience. We must not disappoint him.”

Up until this point, only other species and rebel vampires were held accountable for their mistakes, but that dangerous streak ended with Adele. A wicked gleam dances in Alec’s eyes,

“Please arrange for us to meet in an hour. And get the lords and ladies present at court to attend, please,” I say quickly.

“An hour, your highness?”

“Yes. I need to change.”

He bows at my command.

The audience is quickly arranged, and I have to clench my hands over the armrests of my throne not to pounce at the disgusting king who tried to enslave me forever. His stature is not quite so grand here, his age showing through each and every wrinkle cracking his face, like his black soul is merely contained within his frail body, hollering to get out.

“You… you shouldn’t be wearing a crown,” Felipe Pereira says to me.

Sebastian leans forward on his throne with a perfectly rehearsed air of boredom. “Look who’s talking.” His gaze flicks over to Lucas. “Hey, Lulu.”

Lucas shudders next to his king, looking absolutely miserable. The gentleman on the king’s right must be his Master of War, but I don’t remember meeting him before. The bob of Lucas’ throat when his gaze spots Leo fills me with warmth.

I offer my guests a genuine smile. “You’re here in my home. My kingdom.”

You chose to come, and you must answer to our laws.

“Your Kingdom owes me reparation for the affront I suffered at your hands, girl.”

I bite back the wider grin threatening to surface on my lips, not wanting to give away my current train of thought. “Lucas. Please escort your king to the chapel. I’m sure, given the right incentives, we can all come to an agreement.”

How do I know he’ll go along with whatever excuse we’ll use to explain his king's disappearance? Do I expect him to be on my side because of our history? Our almost life-long friendship?

No.

To my own chagrin, Lucas is a sheep. A sheep I used to think of as my best friend, but a sheep all the same. And I know he’ll only back me up on this because I’m the most powerful person in the room.

Maybe in the entire Shadow World.

And in that crypt, I’ll make good on my promise to Alec, and make sure that king gets his just deserts.

I have Sebastian and Alec at my side. Leo has promised to return to me after he figures out his place in our world, and Keenan could prove to be a formidable ally. The throne of shadows is mine, and there’s a lot to be done.

Vampires all around the world will have to remember why we’ve been put in charge.

“Long live the Dark Queen,” Alec declares to the room, signaling the end of the audience.

A mischievous smile pierces my royal mask as I cross his gaze, the pride he takes in me the most elated emotion I’ve ever felt.

Sebastian kisses the back of my knuckles, my two angels spread on each side of the staircase, their smooth wings magnificent at their backs, warding off the evil that came knocking at our doors.

“Long live the Dark Queen,” the crowd repeats in cheer, my throne as secure as the love I hold for my men. Being their queen is the most sacred destiny of all.

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