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“You think I had nothing to do with this?” Helena clarified, visibly mystified.
“No. You are stuck and helpless.”
“I am the queen. I am not helpless.”
“But you are still stuck,” Winter insisted. Anxiety formed inside her as the woman slowly approached her, a stalking that had more to do with being genuinely curious about what she had to say than giving her a chance. “And there has to be a way that I can help you.”
At that, Helena blinked. Then the woman laughed, a soft, tinkling sound made for dainty princesses or vibrant queens who had kind, golden hearts. Not villains.
“What if I tell you that I’m the one who did it?”
Winter’s heart pounded, and it took everything inside her to will it down to submission and not react with triumph. Instead, she shook her head again, the picture of persistent disbelief.
“I don’t believe that you have the guts to do any of it,” she said. “You are too soft to get your hands dirty, so it has to be your son. He’s the mastermind. He’s stronger. More powerful.”
“He’s not.”
Winter let her eyes widen. “Oh.”
“Do you get it now?”
“Yes. Oh, I’m so sorry.” She bowed again to confuse the woman. “I just embarrassed you, and I didn’t mean to. You don’t want people to know that you are weak, even me. But don’t worry, your majesty, because it won’t get out. I promise I won’t let anyone in on this secret. No one has to know about this weakness.”
Pity coated her tone, which echoed towards the queen. For the nth time, Winter felt a spark of fear for her life as Helena rose to her full height until they were inches from each other. In her face, Helena sneered, quaking with insult.
“He’s not stronger or more powerful. It’s all me. I orchestrated everything, you little sap. I’m the mastermind, not my reckless son. It takes a brilliant mind to make everything believable, and that brilliant mind is all mine.”
Winter pretended confusion. “I don’t understand.”
The silence drove her crazy. But it was the next words that sent a chill down her bones as Helena detailed everything that she had done, from ordering the crown prince to carry out her orders to killing the king herself. The power in her voice was insane, and when she was done, Winter was trembling, too, and gasping as she clutched her chest.
“You did it?” she whispered, dazed. “You’re not innocent?”
“No. And I refuse to let a simpleton like you believe otherwise.”
Bingo.
The royal family has an ego.It’s the driving force that provides them the drive to run Ostrov Krov smoothly, with no one protesting a single thing. They hold the people with authority and will never let their perfect image be tarnished, no matter what. Ostrov Krov is seen as a threat by the rest of the Otherworld because that’s how the royal family weaved it. They are dangerous, but their ego gives an added layer to make sure that everyone knows they are also formidable.
The melodic voice ascended, then faded. Winter had banked on that ego, but she didn’t think she would get to this point. Panic fluttered at what came next, but sheer will had her kneeling in front of the woman with a gasp.
“I thought…I never imagined…oh, no.” Another gasp, then, “Please, just kill me now. End it quickly. I can’t bear the thought of Nate witnessing my death, or any of the humans witnessing it, too. It will hurt them…it will hurt him. I love him. Please don’t let him see me die.”
She trembled for effect, her voice quivering with fear. She waited for the eventual wave of glee to come forth, so similar to her older son’s vibe that the next words were no longer surprising.
“On the contrary, I think a public trial works perfectly for the likes of you. But how about a bargain?”
“What bargain?”
“Confess. If you truly love my son, make everyone believe it was you. Then I will spare him.”
Her arms strained against the chains put on her, decidedly thinner than the ones on Nate. They stood together in the throne hall where they had been brought back, dragged to the huge balcony so that they could face the crowd of humans that had gathered below, too, risking the darkness to watch the spectacle. The house leaders were back in line while their families stood in dozens of balconies scattered around the castle, watching as eagerly as the humans. The rest were either outside the double doors or down below, waiting with the humans in a separate corner.
Longing hit her at Nate’s closeness, and she could sense it on him, too, when he leaned just a little bit closer. But he was a welcome reprieve from all the different vibes bouncing off her, so she touched her shoulder to his, allowing herself that comfort. She wished she could tell him things. She wished she could confess how much she loved him and how everything was going to be all right, but there was no room for those words as the trial began, and the queen watched her the whole time.
“Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for coming on such short notice. I commend everyone’s order despite the chaos we have been thrown into upon the king’s death and rest assured, the justice that we have been seeking out endlessly in the past few days will be served. Let me start with the topic that I’m sure everyone is curious about: Winter Willow.”
Helena pointed in her direction. Again, Nicholas was beside her, pulsing with curiosity and the same impatience that his mother had possessed at the lack of answers. There was more of that going around with the crowd, and her gaze latched on to Matthew, who stood among them.
