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The man who earlier challenged Lord Nathan could not bring himself to look at him. His eyes shifted from side to side as if he were in discomfort, and he mumbled his name. “Lord Samuel Strange.”
“Samuel,” Nathan said, forgoing his official title. “Bow to your queen. We all know this is a formality, so I suggest we follow through with it. The lords of the court must accept her and swear their allegiance so that we can have the formal coronation. Bow.”
I breathed in deeply.
Lord Samuel didn’t move, didn’t bow.
“I said bow to your queen,” Lord Nathan bellowed, his face reddening with fury.
Lord Samuel flinched, but still he stayed where he was. “Forgive me, Lady Abernathy. I would bow for you under different circumstances, but we both know the schemes going on here today.”
Nathan marched down the three steps and was across the room in seconds. He yanked Samuel by his robes, pulling him up so his boots dangled an inch from the floor.
I shot to my feet. My heart raced and sweat dotted my brow as I tried to think of something, anything I could do to stop this. I stared out of the corner of my eye at Atticus, who held his hands up, palms out, as if he was begging me not to interfere—begging me to stay alive.
Nathan dropped the lord and gripped his sword with both hands. I gasped as he raised his blade high and swung it down hard. The blade bit into Samuel’s neck and sliced through muscle, sinew and bones, bringing with it a rain of blood that spattered onto the stone floor. Samuel’s head toppled to the ground, and the rest of his body followed it a moment later.
I’d expected screams of terror or even a few gasps. But no one said a word. No one moved. A brave man died, and everyone refused to join him. Lord Nathan pulled out a handkerchief and wiped his face before turning to address the crowd. “Does anyone else want to challenge me?” He looked from one person to the next. “Do you want to be next on the chopping block?” He lowered his sword, holding it between himself and the crowd.
Nathan took a step toward a frowning man, his boots splashing into the pool of blood. He raised his sword. “Make way. I have things to do,” he said.
The lords parted, creating a narrow path, and Nathan turned to me. “Get to it,” he said with a flick of his wrist.
I took a deep breath and nodded. “Okay,” I said, turning to the crowd. My voice held no emotion and my eyes were empty. “I thank you all for coming today.” I held my head high and tried to look like a queen.
Theodore DuPont wanted me to read his speech and move forward with the proceedings, but I had other plans. I crushed the paper in my fist and glared at everyone. “A strong queen is what this kingdom needs. A leader who will fight for her people, who will stand up for what is right, and who will do what needs to be done.” I looked directly at Theodore. “That is what I plan to be. And it starts today.”
I could hear my heartbeat thump in my ears. I glanced over the crowd. Their faces were unreadable, the tension thick in the air. I narrowed my eyes. “Lord Nathan so graciously showed us all what’s at stake here. Bend the knee or suffer the consequences.”
I didn’t want them to bow to me because they feared Lord Nathan. I wanted them to bow because they trusted me to take down Theodore DuPont. I stepped down and looked at Lord Nathan, who seemed oblivious to the double meaning in my speech. He smiled at me and licked his lip.
“Bow,” I ordered him.
He raised an eyebrow at me. “What?”
“Bow for me,” I demanded.
Lord Nathan’s face darkened. “This was not—”
“You are a lord, are you not?”
“Yes,” he gritted.
“Then bow, Lord Nathan.”
He hesitated. This was an important moment. The lords needed to see how powerful I was—what I was capable of. “Fine.”
He scowled and bowed for only a moment before standing up.
One by one, everyone else followed suit. Old men kneeled, their knees cracking as they did. DuPont’s men were the last to bow. It felt like hours as I waited for them to do it. They kept their eyes on me, weighing me.
I’d done something.
I’d made everyone bow.
And Theodore? He stood taller.
“All hail Queen Christine!”
