Page 134 of Merciless Is My Crown

His mouth twisted in a cruel, mocking smile.

“But it seems my daughter and my general have become greedy. Revenge was not enough. They planned to assassinate me and take my throne.” The room filled with the distant hum of a thousand hushed conversations. “Greed is a festering poison and should be snuffed out before it can flourish. Therefore, my judgment will be swift and sure.”

Crux and his guards shoved us to our knees in a line before the dais, and air spilled sloppily out of my lungs.

How many Fae had knelt here, pleading for mercy, only to find death?

How many times had Serpens sat upon his throne and shivered with pleasure as the blade sliced through their necks and their heads rolled? Too many fucking times.

I’d been a slave when I was dragged out of Varitus.

Been a prisoner—a sacrifice—in Caladrius, and now I was here. On my knees before a king, waiting for the strike of a sword across my neck. I pulled in a breath, tasting the foulness of this place.

The rot that lay beneath this gleaming floor. The corruption that had seeped into every pore of this city. Not as visible as in Tempeste, but every bit as corrosive.

“We killed Carex,” I said loudly enough the front rows went still, silence rippling back through the chamber as those in the back strained to hear. “I restored the magic to Caladrius. The entire realm is now fertile land, teeming with life. Forests. Rivers. The realm is alive.”

“She is a traitor and a liar.” The Shadow King raised his eyes and a heavy boot—Crux’s, I assumed—flattened me down to the floor.

“Look at her,” he shouted. “You think a helpless, weak girl could ever defeat a Fae King? My forces defeated my brother, and I claim Caladrius in the name of Solarys and my people.”

“Stay the fuck down and don’t say another word,” Crux hissed, his heel digging into my back.

Beside me, Zorander cursed so foully I blinked, and Raziel growled so savagely I wondered if he would tear those shackles off his wrists out of sheer fury.

“Serpens failed you for a thousand years. You think it’s a coincidence I show up and suddenly he succeeds in killing his brother?” It was hard to speak with my face smashed against the marble, but I managed.

“Shut up or I’ll put my sword through your skull.” Crux leaned so close spit dribbled over the side of my face.

“Get my daughter up on her knees with the rest of them,” Serpens snarled, an edge of panic in his voice that wasn’t there before. “Get this over with. Now.”

My head snapped back when Crux ripped me from the floor, knees splitting when he shoved me down so hard blood pooled beneath me. Nothing had gone as planned today. Nothing.

But today was almost over.

Our fight was almost over, and right now, kneeling here disgraced and outplayed and beaten, the end couldn’t come soon enough.

Raz was hunched over beside me. I couldn’t see his eyes, couldn’t get him to look at me. “I wish we would have had more time,” I murmured, and unholy glee sparked across the Shadow King’s face.

“I’m so fucking sorry I failed you all.”

55

RAZIEL

Anger razored through me when Crux flattened Anaria to the floor, his fucking boot planted in the center of her back.

“Hold,” Zorander hissed, so softly I doubted anyone heard him. “Fucking hold, Raz, or you will get yourself killed.”

“We’re going to fucking die anyway,” I growled right back. “What’s the difference?”

Crux yanked Anaria upright, dragging her closer until out shoulders touched. I couldn’t see her face through her unbound hair, but I fucking scented her blood and my anger turned feral.

Then she fucking apologized.

Fucking apologized for failing us.

I raised my head to the king I’d despised since the day I learned what hatred was and bared my teeth, envisioning ripping out his fucking throat.

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