“But why not just leave them there?”I ask, wiping at my tears.“Why go through all this?”Why hurt us like this?
His words, although soft,makeme flinch.“Becausehe’s been targeted all his life by everyone he knows.The Courttries to kill him constantly.Ijustreally hoped youwouldbe different.”
“I didn’t want this,” I whisper, my voice ragged and raw.
“But it happened.”
“Because he was going to kill her!”Fabia shoutsas tears rain down my cheeks and drown any defence Ihave.
“No, he wasn’t.”
She snortsin disbelief.“We know the decision is not his to make.It’s the Court’s, and they –”
“Were tricked by Richard into droppingall charges.”
I suck in a ragged breath.My hands cover my mouth.It was for nothing.All of this, thisheartache,wasfor nothing.
Knowing thiswillbe the last time I see any resemblance of peace onmy kingwhile I’min his presence, I run my eyes over his face.Searing it into memory.This moment, despite all the pain,willbe infinitely better than what Iwillface when hewakes.
When he learnswhat I’vedone.
When he looksat me as if I’mjust anotherenemy.
When he treatsme with the coldness I deserve.
“So what happens now?”Fabia asks, but Idon’tcare.
Execute me or not, Iamalready dead.
My lifeisover.
I killed it.
Jace’s voice soundsso far away.“When he wakes up, hewill decide if he wants to charge you with treason.”
Forty-Eight
Treason is punishable by public execution.
And the king is the executioner.-KingRichard
She killed me.My own wife.
Forovertwenty years, I’ve been avoiding assassination attemptsby professionals,enemysoldiers, hired hitwomen,and witches,all of whom havebeen honing their skills for years.And yet,in the end, ittookan incompetent brownie less than a week to kill me.The irony of my situationisn’tlost on me.But it’s too crushed by my fury to make me smile.
“Where is she?”I demand as I pull on a pair of trousers.
“I don’t think it’s a good idea –” Jace begins.
“She’s my wife,” I growl.“I’ll see her whenever the fuck I want.”And I want to see her now.I want to look her in the eyes when I charge her with treason.
“Tomorrow, I’ll take you to her.But not now.Not when you’ve just come to and you’re not thinking straight.”
“For fuck’s sake, Jace, you’remyguard, not hers.”I shove my arms through my tunic,then strap on my knives.
“And I am guarding you.”
“Like you did when you didn’t warn me she was trying to killme?”
