“We have our dear uncle to thank for that, don’t we?” The woman glared at Uncle Jerran, who paled. “It’s a pleasure to meet you, my niece.”
Kalie’s breath caught. The world spun around her, making her head pound.
No. No, that was impossible.
Cries of confusion and astonishment swept through the nobles on the balconies above, drowned out by a roar from the crowd below. The commotion that dominated Advisorium meetings played out on the upper levels of the Cathedral as nobles shouted and pointed.
Kalie managed to choke out, “I don’t know you.”
“Allow me to introduce myself, then.” The woman spun towards the crowd. “My name is Iliana Lexington.”
Mylis stiffened.
“Remove her at once!” Uncle Jerran bellowed, but the racket spreading through the crowd drowned him out.
The guards in front of her exchanged worried looks. A few others dropped back to join them, but the rest of her guards, including CaptainVale, stayed where they were. Captain Reg would’ve gone for his weapon, but Vale was a veteran too. Surely, he knew what he was doing.
“Now, Jerran, let me finish,” Iliana drawled. “Since it’s clear you never informed my niece of my existence, I think she’s owed an explanation.”
Kalie clenched her teeth. “If an explanation is needed, it can wait until I’m crowned. Vale, remove her from the platform.”
No one moved.
“I said, remove her now.”
Iliana lifted her chin. The guards pulled out their pulsers, and relief washed over Kalie.
Then the guards turned.
Kalie’s eyes flew wide, and she stumbled back, blinking rapidly. The Testament slipped from her hands. Holy Mother Azura, she had to be seeing this wrong…
The pulsers were pointing at her.
Kalie could scarcely breathe. She’d been betrayed.
Mylis’s hand shot to his pulser, but the barrels turned on him. He raised his hands.
Iliana tilted her head. “I’m afraid what I have to say simply cannot wait. You have two options, Princessa,” she said, in a voice pitched low enough that the camera drones wouldn’t detect it, “either you let me speak, or your guards will open fire.”
Kalie’s heart thumped. She didn’t have a choice. Only seven guards stood between her and the traitors. Uncle Jerran was exposed in the middle of the platform, along with the priestesses. They would be gunned down, then the traitors would kill her too.
Why wasn’t anyone doing anything? Backup should’ve arrived by now.
But if the Captain of her Guard was in on this, there was no telling how much damage he could’ve done.
Her eyes shot to the cameras on the Cathedral’s walls, and her heart plummeted. There were no red lights beside the lenses. They weren’t active. Beyond the shimmering blue forcefield, none of the news drones were anywhere to be found.
Either no one knew, or no one was coming.
Kalie flattened her shaking hands against her gown. “I’ll hear this woman out.”
“I’m glad you see reason.” Iliana strode to the edge of the platform, flanked by Kalie’s guards. When she spoke, her voice was amplified like the High Priestess’s.
“My fellow Dalians, I’m sure you’re confused as to why I’m here. As I’ve said, my name is Iliana Lexington. My father was a commoner. No one special, until his marriage. But my mother…” Iliana ran her hand over her cloak’s fur border. Her throat bobbed. “My mother was Duchissa Madeleine.”
The words washed over Kalie, but they hardly registered until the crowd below erupted. She stood frozen, with her pulse thundering in her ears.
No, no,no. She glanced at Uncle Jerran, silently pleading for him to deny it. His face was white as chalk.
