Page 76 of Return of the Vengeful Quee

“Thank you.” Charis closed her hand over the envelope, its contents feeling suddenly fraught with risk. “We’ll take our leave now. I deeply appreciate how hard you’re fighting to save our kingdom.”

Lady Ollen’s eyes glistened, too. “Hurry back to the palace. The street patrols don’t check in with the queen before sentencing people to death if they’re caught breaking curfew without an excellent explanation.”

Twenty-Seven

CLOUDS OBSCURED THE sister moons as Charis and Tal followed Holland up the stairs and through the kitchen. Trays of steaming hot tea cakes and loaves of bread were set out on the counters to cool. Ferris and Mason were standing by the back door, their heads together as though having a discussion. Rames was busy whisking a large bowl of sugar icing. He set down the bowl and bowed as they approached.

“My apologies for not immediately recognizing you, Your Majesty.”

“No apology necessary.” Charis smiled at the man. “I appreciate your caution, along with the use of your bakery.”

“Can’t be too careful.” He returned to whisking. “There’s them that have decided showing loyalty to the monsters is the best way to stay alive. Especially when your own loyalty to your kingdom is in doubt. Glad to see you’re still on our side.”

Charis stopped abruptly. “You doubted my loyalty to my people?”

Holland snatched up a kitchen knife. “I regret having to do this, as you make an excellent tea cake, Rames, but no one insults the queen’s integrity in my presence without paying the price in blood.”

Rames dropped his whisk and held his hands up, palms out. “I meant no harm, sir. Just listening to the conversation in my tearoom each day. I’m grateful to know that the whispers about Her Majesty got it wrong.”

Charis shook her head at Holland, who scowled but reluctantly set down the knife. Lanni, the maid who served Charis her meals, had said something about rumors as well. “What exactly are people saying?”

Rames looked from her to Holland and back again before picking up his whisk. “Oh, things like you made a deal with the Rakuuna and brought them to our shore, but then you didn’t pay them, so you had to run away.”

Charis stared at him while Tal muttered a curse under his breath, and Holland once again looked ready to pick up the knife.

“What kind of deal do people think I made?” Years of training kept her voice calm, but it took effort.

Rames tugged at his collar as if it was too tight and didn’t meet her eyes. “Seems like folks think it was to get the queen out of the way, quick-like, so you could have the throne to yourself.”

The room tilted, and Charis slapped a hand on the table to keep her balance as the memory of her mother’s body falling at the hands of the attacking Rakuuna collided with that of her father lying on his bedroom floor, his throat torn to shreds. Bile rose, and she swallowed desperately as she fought to push the memories back into the shadows where they belonged.

How could anyone believe she would kill her own parents—people she’d loved with everything she had—just to gain power that was already within her grasp?

“Charis,” Tal murmured, his hand a spot of warmth against her back as he leaned close.

“Tell me who’s been spreading this rumor so I can cut out their tongues.” Holland sounded furious.

“I don’t know.” Rames shrugged as he set the bowl of light green frosting beside a tray of tea cakes. “I mean, I can give a few names, but I don’t know which of them actually believed it and which were just gossiping.”

“It doesn’t matter.” Charis forced the words out, though her lips felt numb, and her mouth seemed to have forgotten how to work properly.

“Of course it matters!” Holland glared at her and then turned the full force of his anger on Tal. “Tell her it matters. Explain it.”

“I don’t need anyone explaining anything to me.” Charis straightened, though it still felt as though she’d been punched in the stomach. “It doesn’t matter who’s spreading the rumor. It matters who started it.”

“Who benefits?” Tal murmured, a frown digging into his forehead.

“Whoever needs me to look like the villain.” Charis met his gaze. “If I’m the cause of Calera’s woes, no one will want me for their queen.”

“But how does that benefit either the Rakuuna or my father?” Tal asked.

“If you’re removed as queen, that leaves me as next in line, and I am not interested in wearing a crown.” Holland smacked his hand beside a row of green frosted tea cakes, earning him a glare from Rames.

“Well, not to put too fine a point on it, but the rumors include Lord and Lady Farragin as well, though of course your parents are still alive.” Rames moved the tray of completed tea cakes away from Holland. “If you want my honest opinion, I don’t think there’s a single source. I think this is a result of hundreds of conversations from thousands of people who all wanted to understand how the three of you could leave us behind and not come back and fight for your throne.”

Silence fell, broken only by the ticking of a clock above the fireplace, the soft patter of rain against the cobblestones outside the window, and the hushed argument happening between Ferris and Mason.

“That’s reasonable,” Charis said slowly. “Rames, can you start a new rumor for me?”

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