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My mother studies me for a long moment before she gently closes the book in her hands. She ignores the bindings around her legs as she folds her hands on top of it, sitting primly in the chair beside my father. “All right,” she says. “What would you like to know?”
Clenching my fists, I gesture to my father. “How about this? You told me my father wasdead. You watched me mourn him, and then you whipped me because I grieved for him.”
Behind me, Nathan inhales sharply. Heat rolls off him in waves. I can practically feel the effort it’s taking him to bite his tongue.
“You should be thanking me for that,” the Queen says. “Look at how beautiful, how strong you are now. If It had been up to Edric here, you would have turned out to be some weeping, weak-boned female with no spine or ability to lead. Instead, look at you. You’re incredible.” She reaches forward with her hand as though to touch me.
“Don’t,” I spit out, as I look at her in disgust. I crinkle my nose, shaking my head as I step back. “You have lost your mind. Did you do this to him on purpose?”
She looks at him, raising her brows. “This?” She says, gesturing towards my father. “It’s just a little poison, darling. It’ll wear off... eventually.” She cackles. “Your father was such a bore. I did us all a favor when I got rid of him.”
“Tell me how to fix this,” I say. “If you ever cared for me, you will fix this for me.”
“Care for you? You’re my heir. My job was to raise you to take care of this court and our people. And that’s what I did. Caring is for the weak, the vulnerable. I taught you better than that.”
I shut my eyes, feeling control slipping away, when Nathan’s arms snake around my back. “Breathe,” he whispers in my ear. “You can do this.”
I lean into him, grounding myself in him before I open my eyes. “You were wrong, Mother. Caring is not for the weak. Emotions don’t make us bad rulers.” I tug on Nathan’s hand, pulling him beside me. “Love is the most powerful thing I’ve ever felt. It has bound me to this male, my consort. Now we will take the throne.”
Cold, hard fury passes over my mother’s face. She purses her lips, her eyes steely. “I see I should have killed you myself when I had the chance,” she says softly.
“You will never have the chance now,” I say, tears filling my eyes. “After today, you will never see me again. You will never get to know my husband or any of the children we may have. I will forget you even existed.”
The chair scrapes on the ground as my mother pulls on the bonds around her feet. I stare at her, pity in my eyes.
“You have a choice to make,” I tell her, my voice as hard as steel. “You can put yourself in the Eternal Sleep willinglytodayor pay for your crimes against your people. There will be a trial, andwhenyou are found guilty of the hundreds of horrific murders perpetrated by your hand, you will be publicly executed.”
She watches me, those blue eyes studying my every move. For the first time, I see fear reflecting out of her eyes. “And who are you to decide such a thing?”
“I am the heir,” I say, holding my head high. “Your creation. Come to take my throne. Only, I am nothing like you. I hope that for every moment of your life, from now until whenever it ends, you will know that I found love and that it makes me a better Fae than you could ever hope. From this moment on, I am not your daughter. You will abdicate in favor of menow. Your reign of terror is over.”
“Is that so?”
My heart is a drum pounding in my chest. My fingers flex at my side. My magic is throbbing in my veins. I don’t want to fight her, but I will. Nathaniel has shown me that people can change. What could I do for the Winter Court if given the chance?
“Yes,” I nod.
She snarls.
“Don’t do this, Mother.” I take a step towards her. “You’ve done such much. Hurt so much.” I placed my hand on my heart. “Hurt me.”
“Imadeyou.”
“Perhaps,” I concede. “But these are just the beginning.” I gesture to the rebels. “Your time is over. Give up with grace.”
I see the thoughts swirling in her head as she studies me before dipping her head ever so slightly. Nathaniel sucks in a breath, but I don’t take my eyes off my mother.
“I really... I love you, Elva,” she says.
My head dips. “I believe you think you did. But now I’ve learned what love truly is.” I take another step. “Please. Don’t make me fight you.”
Her eyes search mine for what feels like an eternity. My heart is racing in my chest, and I ready myself for a fight. I don’t want to do it, but I will. I’ll give her a trial if she wants one, but I don’t want to do it.
Then, a miracle happens.
The fight leaves my mother’s eyes. She slumps against the chair. "I, Queen Ophelia of the Winter Court, hereby give up my claim to the throne of the Winter Court,” she says coldly.
The scent of magic is in the air, and I hold my breath as I wait for my mother to continue.
