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I suppressed the urge to roll my eyes at her, “You are the one who told me to act the part. To not show any weakness. I don’t trust him. Why banish all his sentries before I could arrive? That decision should have been mine to make, or at least, to weigh in on.”
She placed a light hand on my shoulder, “It was to protect you from harm. If he thought they posed a threat, I’m grateful he was quick to pass judgment, and you should be too. If those sentries had been working with the Day Court to carry out Enya’s assassination, they are traitors and could very well have been aiming to end your line.”
Then she wouldn’t like what I planned to do at the council meeting.
“I don’t believe the Day Court is responsible,” I told her.
“Then what do you believe?”
I shrugged, sighing, “I don’t know.”
She huffed, spinning on her heel, her tone threaded with exhaustion as she said, “I’ll assemble the council. Get some rest, Liana.”
Chapter Four
Entering the council chambers was like walking into a dragon’s den, except, in this case,Iwas the dragon. And I would not allow them to make me feel as though it were the other way around. Thana insisted that she stay behind, explaining that a handmaiden couldn’t enter the chamber anyhow and that she would like to retire to her adjoining chambers.
If the only reason had been that she wasn’t allowed to enter, I would have told her that was nonsense and she would enter the chamber with me. But I could see the weariness in her eyes and would never force her to do anything.
Alaric moved to stand outside the doorway, but I ushered him inside with us. “I’ll need you to come inside with me,” I whispered to him and his brows furrowed.
“He may not enter the chamber, majesty,” the captain said, drawing unnecessary attention to my arrival. The rest of the council stood in my honor. There were nine people seated at the long oval table, with the captain seated on the left among some of the oldest nobles in the Night Court. To the right sat a male who could only be Silas, the leader of the Horde armies, and a couple of other nobles as well as the court’s baron of finance. But it was the male at the head of the table who drew the most attention.
Adorned in a cloak of dark furs, offsetting his silvery hair and deep blue eyes, stood Edris, my father, smiling at me. “Welcome home, Your Majesty,” he said, and seemed to mean it.
My teeth clenched against the sentiment in his voice. Not trusting myself to speak to him right away, I turned my gaze instead toward the captain, “Alaric will be joining us for this meeting.”
The captain clamped his mouth shut and fell back into his seat, the rest of the council returning to their seats as well. After several minutes of forced formalities and introductions, Edris was the one to break the tension, “I think we’d all agree—we’re glad to have you back and for you to take your rightful place at court, but may I ask if there’s a reason for this meeting beyond formality?”
“Indeed,” the captain intoned, “All seems a little rushed. We didn’t expect to bring the council together until after your Blessing Ceremony.”
With an inward sigh, I clasped my hands together beneath the table, “There is another reason. I would like to make changes regarding the Royal Guard.”
After a painful silence, Edris had the decency to be the only one not to be taken aback, “What changes?” he asked simply, a note of curiosity in his tone.
“Effective immediately, I am relieving Ronan of his duties as captain. The council may decide where he would be most needed.”
A flurry of whispers broke out in the council chamber. Shock. Dismay. The emotions were plain on their faces. I noticed how Edris remained silent, meeting my eyes with an emotion more like pride. Alaric was a statue at my side, unflinching, the only indication he’d even heard what I said was the slight clenching of his jaw.
“Ridiculous!” Ronan bellowed, moving to stand. “I’ve held this position for decades.”
I stood, and the room quieted.
“Sit down, Ronan,” Edris said, crossing his arms over his chest. “Please, go on,” he continued, waving his arm in a sweeping arc across the table, looking far too amused by the whole situation.
My skin prickled at the tension in the room. Thana would say I was born for this role. You’re bossy as the gods,she would often tell me,and stubborn as a wild stallion.And my least favorite,you’ll make a fearsome queen someday.What she never said, but I’m sure she knew, is that though I hated being told what to do, what I hated even more was being the center of attention. It made my skin itch and my heart race.
I supposed now that I’d become queen, I’d have to get over that.
“Ronan will retain his place on the council,” I told them, trying to meet each set of eyes, “At least, for now,” I amended.
A red-faced Ronan spoke through clenched teeth, “And who will you appoint as captain of your Royal Guard? Ihand selectedthose sentries—well aside from Alaric, and they won’t follow just anyone, I—”
“And I wouldn’t expect them to, which is why the three sentries youselectedwill also be released from their duties as Royal Guardians.”Breathe in, breathe out, pray this isn’t a mistake,“As to your first question, Alaric will assume the title of Captain of the Queen’s Guard.”
More whispers erupted in the chamber, their volume rising until they seemed to fill the space with hot air, rebounding back from the vaulted ceiling in echoes.
Alaric fell to one knee before me, bowing his head, but not before I could note how his face drained of color, “Your Majesty, I am honored, but—”
