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Niall held her stare for a few breaths. “Uh, my name. My name is Kettil of House Nyse.”
Junius flicked her fingertips and went on. “What is it you do, Kettil?”
“I labor in gardens and fields of Castle Ravenspire in the Kingdom of Etta.” Niall scanned his sweaty tunic, and once again looked around the council room. “But as I said, I, well, I seem to have gotten lost.”
“You do not know where you are, or why you would be here?”
Niall’s eyes filled with tears. “I . . . I betrayed my king.” He reached for Junius, clinging to her wrists. “Gods, I didn’t mean to, but I had to fight for the fae. I had to.”
I gestured to Valen and Elise, biting down on my lip to hide the thrill in my smile. When the king and queen faced Niall, his eyes widened with a horrified stun.
“My King,” Niall fell facedown, sobbing. “My Queen, forgive me.”
“This is so strange,” Elise whispered only to me.
“Don’t let us down,” Kase grumbled.
Niklas, Luca, and Kase, had all given ideas to the king if my mesmer brought us to this moment.
Valen cleared his throat and took bits and pieces from suggestions of those of us in the East. “Kettil Nyse, for betraying your king and your people you will meet the gods at the dawn.”
Niall sobbed and tried to reach for Valen’s feet. The king kicked him away, and lifted his chin, signaling to Raum and Isak. “Take him to await his fate.”
“Please, I beg of you,” Niall cried out when the two Kryv tucked their hands under his arms. “My king, please!”
With a grin, Junius faced me. “He told no lies. He had no memory of his old life and never will. It simply does not exist any longer. Niall Grym is dead.”
Silence broke as people gasped. Some cheered. But I froze in place when one of the lords from Furen dropped to his knees before me. The shuffle of feet and rustles of skirts followed. I gaped at the room as a wave of people lowered to their knees.
To me. They bowed to me.
“Knew they wouldn’t bleeding resist once they saw the ring,” Niklas chuckled.
I freed a shaky breath and threaded my fingers with Kase’s. Together we faced the crowd. “I have the ring, but . . . I will not live in a kingdom where choice is taken. I am not the only one who could rule here. In truth, there are many others who would do better.” I gestured to Niklas, to Luca. To my brothers. “The choice is returned to the people on who should hold the crown.”
Kase tugged me against his side. Hanna shoved her way to the front and held my hand while we waited.
Hells, this was almost as horrid as a battle. Waiting for folk to move, to utter a word. Perhaps I was a fool. These noblemen and ladies might fight to the bloody end to steal a crown now. They might start a new war, but the hum of soft chatter faded when Prince Bracken stepped forward.
He looked healthy again but for the dark circles beneath his eyes. His silvery hair was tied off his face, and his pale eyes bright.
“I do not hold a word of law in your kingdom,” Bracken said. To the stun of folk standing nearby, the prince lowered to one knee. “But in our short acquaintance, I want your people to know, the High Court respects and would be proud allies of the shadow queen.”
Elise and Valen came forward next.
Valen grinned with a touch of playfulness. “The Kingdom of Etta will always be allied with the shadow queen. With you, Malin.”
More people bowed. Some kneeled. A great many called my name. Tears burned my eyes, washing away the choking doubt.
Kase pressed his lips close to my ear. “You are their chosen queen, Malin. You will never be forgotten in the hayloft again.”
I clung to him. A single tear dripped onto my cheek as I looked out to the crowd. Tomypeople.
My kingdom.
CHAPTERFIFTY-TWO
THE NIGHTRENDER
