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“She always has been.Destiny named her the true queen long before she was born.But her father wanted to remake her into a weapon.Legends of such warrior rages go back centuries.We at the faerie court spoke of what Irish myths called ‘warp-spasms.’The Vikings had berserkers.The humans have their ‘hulk out’ phrase now.”
Ugh, that’s what his supermodel had meant by berserker.He must’ve hit every raw nerve with his talk of beasts and superheroes.Perry’s stomach twisted.Maybe he could shrink to one of the wisps made by Vori’s shadow magic and slink into the cracks below.“That was her childhood?”
“Yes, one of fear and dreadful duty.”
“No wonder she doesn’t want anything to do with the crown.”
“You have to convince her to take it.Our only other options are Mykata, who doesn’t have the strength to hold the realm, or Petra.”
“Petra as queen?Can that happen?She murdered the king and her sister.”
“This realm can be a cruel place.Make sure it doesn’t have a cruel queen.”She gave a quick bow and returned to the room.
How was he supposed to convince Vori to take the crown she’d sworn she hadn’t wanted?He would need to undo over a decade of her father’s abuse and another decade of reinforcing those beliefs.It’d be like a closing argument, attacking all sides of the possible opposition.He would have to find the right angle to make his point.
Loud voices came from inside, and Jura ran out again.“Consort.Perry.”She tugged at him.“We need you.Now.”
“What’s wrong?”He hurried into the room after her.“Is Vori okay?”
Beside the bed, the healer held her arms outstretched as though trying to stop a flood.The goblin’s mission was worse.Stopping an irate queen.One who looked devastatingly supermodel gorgeous in her low-cut white goblin gown and matching sling.
What was with the sling?
Vori’s face was paler than both, making the cuts stand out in stark contrast.This was bad.
He took a few steps, just enough to clear the guards and maids so that he could hear.
“I didn’t need a sedative,” Vori said.Full royal haughtiness laced each sluggish word.
“Please.”The healer didn’t budge.“You must rest to heal, Majesty.”
“Stop calling me that.I’m not staying…” The rest of whatever she’d meant to say cut off.She toppled forward.
Perry rushed to catch her.“I’ve got you.”
“I can’t do this.”Vori’s voice sounded so weak, as though she’d become a fraction of herself.“I don’t want it.”
“Someone to take care of you?Sorry, but you’re stuck with me.”He lifted her into his arms.“We can rest a few minutes.”
“I don’t need you to hold me.”
“Maybe I need to hold you.Just for a while.”That shut her up.
Jura clapped her hands lightly.“You heard the consort.Let’s give the royal couple some privacy.Everything else can wait.”
The healer motioned him closer.“Consort,” she whispered.“The sleeping drug we gave Her Majesty had to be strong given her goblin metabolism.She may be groggy.”
“Understood.”He put the cranky queen in bed and stretched out next to her.
The room emptied quickly.The magical book floated to rest unopened on Vori’s other side.A basket of folded laundry sat on a table next to a tray stacked high with her favorite lemon tarts.The room smelled of pastry dough and herbal tea beneath the antiseptic and soap.The scene should’ve been relaxing, but he was so damn worried about her.
“Why?”she asked.“Why would you want to stay with me?”
“Why wouldn’t I?Come here.”He pulled her against him—minding the sling—and breathed in.“Thank the powers you’re all right.”
“I survived.And so did you and Jura.”She touched a trembling hand to the consort band around his neck.“I can’t believe Petra killed her own sister.And the king.And all those men.When I met her, she seemed so naïve, so innocent.”
“What she said about tracking down people who hurt kids, that’s the link we hadn’t made between the victims.It’s her twisted way of dispensing justice.”
