“Ah… um…” The High Scholar flinches.His eyes dart back to Petre, and she smiles at him encouragingly.“No, Your Majesty.It requires a queen’s signature and a king’s.”
Everything inside me stills.
“What law is that?”I ask softly.
Themanpulls at his collar, the dark-purple fabric doing little tohide the flush crawling up his neck.“AHigh Law of Oyveni’s.”
My eyes narrow.I hate hearing that fucking name.If Oyveni wasn’t already long dead, I’d kill her myself.If I had the power to travel through time, I’d assassinate her whole damn family, including her pet toad,I hate her that much.Oyveni’s laws have been a pain in my ass since before I took the throne.It’s because of her that I was forced to kill my younger sister rather than banish her.
I was forced to kill my older sister too, but she, at least,haddeserved it.
My fingers itching to grab mydecorativeswordhilt, I push those memories aside.“Which says what,precisely?”I demand.
“That… that the Timeless Laws…” The High Scholar takes a deep breath, his hands fidgeting in his traditional robes.“Are timeless, meaning they can’t be altered; they can only be added toas long as they do not remove the original– so we can add ‘and king’ but not ‘or king’.”He twists the fabric round his pudgy fingers before finally looking up – but his deep-blueeyes never do find mine.
My jaw tight, I mentally curse Oyveni for the thousandth time in my life.Turning my attention to the bitchin front of me, I ask, “And does the Court have anyone in particular in mindthatthey wish for me to marry?”
She smiles, slow and predatory.“Evangeline.”
Of course it is.I was engaged to her daughter a lifetime ago, but we called it off because of Aurelia.Back then, I was nothing but a prince who could never sit on the throne, so Petre did notcare about our broken engagement.But now that I’m king, it won’t even take a slip of a blade through my ribs to take my crown.All it will take isamarriage.
The laws might have been rewritten to include kings, but a queen will forever trumpthem.It’s why I’ll never marry.As soon as I do, Iwill lose all the power I have struggled for.The power I have killed for.
“If I take Evangeline,” I say slowly, my anger tightly controlled, “our marriage will barely last long enough for the ink to dry.”Shemight bea beauty, sure, but she’d be so much prettierif shehad been born mute.“And then we’d be having a funeral.”
Petreleans in and purrs, “I’mprayingforone.”
My jaw tightens, but I don’t refute her dig.Thereare two people I know for certain I will lose in a fight against.One is Jace, my bodyguard.The other is Evangeline, the head of my Fairy Intelligence.
But what her mother doesn’t know is Evangeline left me.After trying to kill me.
She had me on my back, a knife to my throat.But she couldn’t bring herself to complete that final stroke.Despite the anger raging between us, there is a history there too.One too deep for anyone to touch.But if it’s between me and her again – I will not hesitate like she will.I killed Aurelia to get my crown, and Iwill not let that be for nothing.
Dismissing Petre now that I know her angle, I turn back to the High Scholar.He jumps as he realises my eyes are on him.
“Can it be the queen of another kingdom?”I demand, thinking of the brownies that live not far from our capital.Their kingdom is a happiness-sex cult that we, along with everyone and everything else in this forest, avoid as much as possible.But desperate times and all…Our two kingdoms aren’t on actual speaking terms,butwe are at peace with each other.
“No.”He swallows hard as sweat beads on his brow.“It – it has to be the signatures of Raza’s queen and king.”
I bite back a curse as Petre smirks.
“Bring me this law of hers,” I snap.“I wish to read it myself.”
“Ia-assure you,Your Majesty, there’sno –noloophole to exploit.”
“Like your father assured me with Oyveni’s High Law of Accession?”I ask softly.
The High Scholar flinches.
“If I’d listened to your father, I never would have been king.”I lean forward, my eyes hard.“So tell me, scholar, are you like your father?”
Heshudders, no doubt recallinghis dad’storturous death by my hand.One of the first things I did as king was charge him with treason.“No,” he whispers.
“Good.Then get me the original tome.”
“Yes,Your Majesty.”Bowing until his head is parallel to the ground, he scurries out backwards.
My jaw tight, I ignore Petre’s triumphant gaze and exit the Wedding Room, with Jace on my heels.She might think she’s manipulated me into a corner and is about to put her daughter on the throne, but everyone thinks they’re going to win if they’re holding the second highest hand.It’s only when they see the Royal Flush in their opponent’sthat they realise they never had a chance at all.
