Page 91 of Return of the Vengeful Quee

She leaned close and said softly, “The one you said you and your father made. The one you said keeps all of us safe.”

Ferris set his spoon down. “I can’t—I’m not at liberty to share all the details just now.”

“Why wouldn’t you be at liberty to share the details with your queen?” Charis arched an eyebrow and managed to swallow a bite of soup, though her stomach pitched.

“Father doesn’t think it wise,” Ferris said. Charis longed to wipe the smug condescension off his face.

Nalani leaned past Tal and said, “It isn’t just his decision to make, Ferris.”

“Father is a trusted council member.” Ferris’s tone was sharp.

“And I am your queen.” Charis watched with satisfaction as Ferris’s cheeks reddened. He might be a much better liar than she’d ever given him credit for, but he was far too emotional to keep the truth under wraps for long.

“Just trust us, Charis. This will be over soon,” Ferris muttered, turning away as the soup was cleared and a plate of roasted winter vegetables with cream sauce was set down in its place.

Alaric leaned forward and raised his voice to be heard clearly. “I’m pleased to see you alive and well.” His gaze moved from Charis to Tal and back again. “This business with your kingdom has been most concerning.”

“It has been concerning to all of us as well,” Lord Everly said from his place two seats down. “We’re simply grateful that you’ve brought payment for the Rakuuna so that we may honor our treaty with you and move forward as allies.”

“It does seem strange, though, that the Rakuuna are only now accepting King Alaric’s payment when they could have had what they needed much earlier.” Charis raised her voice as though to make sure Lord Everly could hear her. The nobility nearby grew quiet as they listened.

Lord Everly’s cheeks flushed pink. “Who can understand the mind of a monster?”

Charis shrugged and pushed her plate aside, no longer interested in pretending to be hungry. “I don’t find the Rakuuna difficult to understand. Or perhaps you were speaking of a different kind of monster?”

“The Rakuuna are the only monsters here.” Lord Everly sat back as the servants cleared his dish, and then he leaned past Zale to speak to Alaric. “The strain of this situation has been difficult on all of us, but Charis and the Farragin twins seem less worried over the outcome.”

Holland tossed his fork down. “Perhaps you’d like to see just how worried I am?”

Lord Everly drew himself up straight. “You lack any sort of manners.”

Nalani elbowed Holland before he could reply.

“I’m sure Charis’s mother trained her well,” Zale said, her voice firm but kind. “She was simply managing a crisis, and her two closest heirs followed her lead.”

“A leader cannot risk showing too much emotion when those who depend on her need to see strength.” Alaric lifted his fork to his lips, but then paused and looked at Charis. “However, I do have a few questions I’d like answered before we proceed with the wedding that will bind our kingdoms together.”

“Yes, of course.” Ferris pushed his food around on his plate. Apparently committing treason was sapping him of his appetite. “What questions do you have?”

Alaric didn’t look away from Charis. “Why did I receive contradictory messages from Calera?”

She frowned. It was time to put on a show and hope those around her bought what she was selling. “What do you mean? I sent you two pallorens, and neither of those messages contradicted each other.”

Vahn pushed his plate away untouched, watching Charis closely.

Ferris cleared his throat and opened his mouth, but Alaric got there first.

“Your emissary in Arborlay offered plans different from yours.” He took a bite and continued speaking around the mouthful. “I get worried when it seems that a queen doesn’t know what her underlings are doing behind her back.”

“Underling?” Ferris clenched his fork hard enough to turn his knuckles white. “I am in line for the throne, and with Charis and the Farragins gone, it was up to me to open negotiations with you.”

Charis met Alaric’s gaze. “I hope you’ll forgive the confusion Ferris caused. He apparently didn’t realize I was not only alive, but actively negotiating with our allies to get help taking back our kingdom. Once he learned his true queen already had things well in hand, of course he was delighted to step down from a role he no longer needed to play.”

Ferris opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Lady Everly knocked her plate off the table. It struck the marble floor with a tremendous crash and shattered.

There was a brief moment of silence as though the room itself was holding its breath, and then from the wall closest to Charis’s table, the coat bearer who’d met her eyes whipped a dagger from beneath his sleeve and yelled, “Death to traitors!”

From all around the room, others wearing service uniforms dropped what they were holding, pulled weapons from hidden sheaths, and attacked.

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