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“In our home. Our royal court. Above and below. Siabra and mortals,” Odessa said carefully. “We lost... people.”
“Indeed, we did,” I said softly. I met her eyes. “And you would have me do something about it.”
“I would have you not waste any more precious time,” she said simply.
I saw her point. Now I would have to spend my time dealing with our former Queen Regent. First, she would have to be escorted back to the not-particularly-secure dungeons. Then, a trial would need to be arranged. Her treachery would be put on display for the court. A court of her peers, half of whom would be plotting her return.
And then, of course, there would eventually be the formal execution. All the while dealing with pleas from her supporters to stay her trial and allow her back into the court.
I would have to oversee the proceedings and deal with the machinations of the court... all while remembering that Sephone had tried to murder Morgan and myself and was unlikely to ever stop trying.
Odessa was watching me. “There’s a simple way around all of that, of course.”
“Oh? And what’s that?”
“I let her go.”
And then she did. Releasing her grip, Odessa stepped back, the stiletto disappearing once more into a side pocket of her leathers. She even folded her arms casually over her chest.
Without her captor to hold her, Sephone surged forward eagerly towards me.
I saw the glint of lethality in her eyes. The familiar mist hovered in the air around her mouth.
I felt her hatred and pure desperation. She wanted me dead, very badly.
I knew what I had to do. With a sigh, I braced myself.
The mist swirled.
A cleaver flew through the air.
The meat-smacking sound came again.
“You’re welcome,” Hawl announced as Sephone pitched lifelessly to the floor.
The Bearkin stalked towards the table in the corner. “All of these platters. Do you mean to say you’ve eaten nothing I’ve made for you? Where do the trays go?”
I swallowed hard, unable to consider eating at that precise moment. “Breena takes them away.”
“That wretched housekeeper. Trickery and deceit!” Hawl glared at the table of covered trays.
“Blame me, not Breena.” I glanced down at the cleaver lodged in Sephone’s head and gagged slightly. “Really, Odessa? Was this what you had in mind when you planned your visit?”
The warrior tilted her head, eyeing Sephone’s corpse not without a little displeasure. “Not entirely, no, but I won’t deny it’s convenient. I am still in charge of security for this palace, am I not?”
“The palace. The city. The continent. The job is yours if you want it,” I said, waving a hand. “I doubt anyone else does.”
“The continent is your problem. But Sephone was easy to turn into mine. Hawl was only too willing to help. We’ll save time now that she’s... disposed.”
She studied me carefully. “Don’t tell me you have regrets.”
“About Sephone?”
“She was your stepmother. Your aunt.”
I met her gaze. “And she wanted me dead. Always has. Is that what you want me to say?”
“It’s only the truth. There was a time...” She paused. “When you might have already dealt with the problem yourself.”
