Page 74 of The Flame King's Queen

“Did you do this?” I ask him. “Bring an enemy within my walls? Emmeric was wearing Corin’s face.”

Kane shakes the drunken or drugged Corin in my face. “Do you not see what I have here? He was tied up in a cupboard. You’re so stupid sometimes, but I suppose it isn’t a surprise. Kings are always fools.”

Emmeric must have used some kind of impersonation spell to make himself look like Corin and enter the castle. My people didn’t notice there was anything strange going on because we don’t know Corin, but Kane and his riders should have.

Isavelle’s hand tightens on my arm. “Kane, speak plainly and without insults, or you will find yourself thrown in a dungeon.”

Kane smiles, revealing his dragines. “But I’m having so much fun, witch. Let’s hear a few more of the foolish king’s theories, if he can stay on his feet. The man looks as though he will fall down at any moment.”

Ravenna approaches Kane with a sweet smile. “I also enjoy fun. Do you remember?”

Kane contemplates his mate, and there’s a dark flicker in his gaze. He turns back to me. “I resent that the king has accused me when I’m the one who sent the witches to save him. I have no designs on your throne. I have made it very clear what I want. I fucking hate the Shadow King, remember?”

Kane goes to the center of the courtyard. He gets down on one knee, wipes a gloved forefinger through the ashes, and rubs it with his thumb. “It was a powerful spell that was used to raise the former queen from her resting place. Difficult to disrupt once she had her bony hands on her victim.”

“Queen Isavelle was able to do it,” Ravenna tells him.

He turns to me. “The witches are growing more formidable. I wonder how you’ll control them when they’re both stronger than you,Ma’len. Perhaps the day will come when you’ll make use of my services after all.”

“Your services as a witchfinder? I am not going to need them against my own queen, and if you try to use them against anyone else, you will be arrested. You have one minute to tell me why you didn’t realize Emmeric was wearing your dragonrider’s face, or you and your men will all be banished from Maledin.”

“Your threats are so unoriginal,Ma’len. But if you must know, for the last few days I’ve felt an evil presence around Lenhale, but I haven’t been able to pin it down. I thought it was the queen’s sister, but all that little idiot has is a headful of wyvern wings. My mate is always up to no good…” His sidelong gaze lingers on Ravenna. “But only when it comes to tormenting me. This was something else.”

“Why am I only finding out about this now?”

A hateful smile curls his lips. “I spoke with the queen at length. Didn’t she tell you? Ah, I understand. The king is too stupid to understand matters of magic. I suppose you could have tried acting it out with hand puppets…”

“Kane—” Isavelle begins hotly.

I reach for Isavelle’s hand and squeeze it reassuringly. Now I understand what’s been happening here. “All right, Kane. As long as you weren’t keeping secrets from us. Go back to your dragons, and take the real Corin with you. When he comes to his senses, try asking him how he ended up drugged and replaced by an undead mage, but it doesn’t really matter now.”

Kane stares at me in silence.

“What?” I ask coldly.

“Is that all?”

“Would you like to be flogged and banished? I can order it if you insist.”

“I would like some gratitude,” he snaps. “That’s twice now I’ve used my witchfinder powers in service to the King of Maledin, and what do I have to show for it? No one gives me their thanks. No one listens to me. Your mate didn’t take my warnings serious enough to tell you about them, and that nearly got you killed.”

There’s little I loathe more than someone who is constantly cruel, belittling, and arrogant and then bleats about injustice and ingratitude. “Thank you for doing the bare minimum as a guest of this castle and a resident of Maledin, Kane.”

“The bare minimum? Being the only one to sense evil magic performed right under your nose and warning the queen about it is the bare minimum?” he splutters.

“Your abilities are extraordinary. Your character is not.”

Kane takes a deep breath and prepares to go on a rant, but I hold up a hand.

“I don’t want to hear it. I esteem those I trust. You have done nothing to earn my regard, and everything to earn my censure, yet you stand there so confidently, so filled with self-congratulation, as if you single-handedly saved my life. Have you asked for gratitude for the witches, or just for yourself? An Alpha who takes credit for the hard work of others is a pathetic sight. Remove yourself from mine.”

Kane’s breathing is short, sharp, and angry. He glances at Isavelle and Ravenna as if waiting for one of them to speak in his defense. Neither does. He storms away through the stone arch.

I smile at Isavelle and Ravenna. “Thank you for saving my life, both of you. Ravenna, when my head is clearer I will think of some suitable reward.”

“Oh, I think you just gave it to me,Ma’len. I’ll leave you both in peace.” Smiling, she curtseys and makes her way out of the courtyard.

I wrap both arms around Isavelle and kiss the top of her head.

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