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He raced to connect the pieces he might’ve missed, treating it like evidence in a case.He would need every advantage if he were going to defend Jura.Goblin laws didn’t protect those who weren’t goblin unless there was an exception such as consort.Maybe the fact that Jura had been sent by her faerie queen in some failed attempt at inter-realm alliances would help.Maybe not.
The crowd behind him went from silent to excitement in an instant.Or was that fear?An iciness speared through his gut.What if the killer came to the queen’s party?
“Crown princess.”The title rumbled through the room in an almost chant.Goblins parted—some bowing low, some thumping fists to their hearts, some stealing wary glances at the throne.
Vori was in human form and chained in shackles heavier than he’d seen used on serial killers.Thick silver links ran her from wrists to elbows.She wore last night’s ripped dress.A dark smear crossed her shoulder that’d better be dirt and not a bruise, or by the powers, he would drain every electrical source in this room to light up whoever had dared hurt her.
He hurried to her side.Guards tried to stop him, but he leveled them with a glare.He needed to see up close and oh-so-freakin’ personal how she’d suffered since she’d left him.Her eyes had faint purplish-green marks beneath, but she’d assumed her nose-in-the-air, hotter-than-everyone runway haughtiness with a touch of boredom.
Ever the royal whether she wanted it or not.
Wrapped in chains.
Fury stole his breath with a pounding in his head louder than any gavel bang, yet he mirrored her calm expression.He wanted to ask her a thousand questions, but none would have easy answers.It was better to remind everyone where the real power in the room was.He bowed.“Princess.”
“Consort,” she said in a steady, serene voice that belied her situation.“I trust you were treated well during my unwarranted detention?”
Unwarranted…?His memory snapped back to his own sarcastic comment on the crazy night ride through the desert in the Hummer.
This amazing woman.In one well-crafted question, Vori had verified his position and her wrongful imprisonment with subtle snark.She was a mastermind at political maneuvering.
She’d saved him.How could he save her?Or help her save herself?Because if anyone could, his princess could.
He buried emotions that might unravel whatever plan she had.“I survived.What may I do to assist?”He managed to keep his voice professional, respectable enough for any court with only the slightest hint of “fuck them all” in his tone.
“I’ll let you know in a moment.”Her words were soft, not dismissing him but shifting the focus away from him.“You must release Jura at once.This was not part of our arrangement.”
The pretender queen curled her lip in a cold, cruel grin.“Your agreement was for your mother’s maid.As your mother is dead and Jura is my maid, our bargain doesn’t stand.I sentence her to death.”
His princess shook with rage.“That was not our deal, and you know it.”
Perry interrupted.“Goblin law requires a trial.You’ll have to allow Jura time to proper prepare a defense to these allegations.With counsel.”
The queen laughed, a beautiful sound despite the ugliness of what it might mean.“Look at the consort pretending to know our ways.Goblin law promises trials for goblins.Jura is part fae, not goblin.She has no rights here.Neither do you.”
“Let her go,” Vori said.
“No, Princess.”Artanya said the title like a curse.“You have nothing to bargain with.My advisors agree with your consort that your living blood is required to sustain the realm.That is all we need from you.We will execute this traitor who conspired to kill our king.By the blood, we shall regain glory.”
Her guard repeated the last.Except Mykata.She stared ahead.
Vori reached for him with her bound hands.“What can I do to save Jura?And you?”Her questions were almost drowned out by the crowd’s unenthusiastic repetition of the weird prayer.
The answer was so obvious that he shouldn’t have to say it.“Declare your right to the throne.Challenge her.”
She widened her eyes, fear overtaking them.“You don’t know what you’re asking.If I fight her, I could lose control, and if I become my father…”
He cut off her protests.“Then you’ll still be better than Artanya.”
“I can’t stay here.Wecan’t stay here.”
“Kradnovtl will die if you don’t.Your homewill die.These people will die.Starting with Jura.You must declare.”
“No.”Vori straightened her shoulders and raised her voice.“I claim Jura.As my mother’s companion, she should by rights be in my care.”
“Faerie law.Not goblin.”Artanya rose.“A queen trumps inheritance rights.Bring the traitor.Remove her collar.We wouldn’t want anything getting in the way of a clean kill.”
“You can’t,” Vori said.“Can she?”
