Page 114 of The Twisted Throne

War?

The word echoed through her thoughts, except it made no sense. Why would Harendell declare war on them? What could possibly drive Edward to take such an action?

It felt as though a box of wooden puzzle pieces had been dumped before her, but one piece was missing to make them all fit together.

The Harendellians were master schemers, and she was deeply out of her depth. Her skill was in combat. In leading soldiers. In controlling a battlefield. Not trying to understand the plots and ambitions of dozens of nobles who seemed to be working for and against one another interchangeably, all trying to achieve different goals.

But what Ahnna did know was that if she believed Ithicana was in danger of attack, she’d be doing everything in her power to solidify defenses and to ensure that Ithicana’s soldiers had what they needed to fight. That the people had everything they needed to live through a northern blockade, given that Maridrina and Valcotta were in no position to help.

And God help her, it made too much sense that her brother wasturning to Amarid, despite all that Katarina had done, to do just that.

The door clicked, and Hazel entered. Out of the corner of her eye, Ahnna watched the maid walk to the window and open the drapes, light streaming in. She turned to the bed and said, “You’ve been summoned, my lady.”

“By whom?”

“I don’t know.” Hazel walked to the wardrobe. “Only that you are to come to the throne room immediately.”

—

Dressed in a simple bluegown with her hair woven into a tight braid, Ahnna walked through the halls of the Sky Palace until she reached the throne room. She’d never had reason to go inside before, but she regretted not exploring it as her eyes landed on the soldiers standing to either side of the entrance.

The doors were opened, and she stepped inside, instantly blinded by the beam of dawn sunlight streaming in through the windows at the far end.

Thud.

Twitching, Ahnna glanced at the closed oak doors behind her, but her attention snapped forward again as Edward said, “I understand you had an encounter with one of Harendell’s storms.”

She dropped into a curtsy. “Your Grace! I wasn’t aware you’d returned to Verwyrd.”

“Ahnna…” His tone was chiding. “What have I said about titles?”

A laugh tore from her lips, wild and slightly panicked, and she bit down on it. “Apologies…Eddie, what are you doing in Verwyrd?”

Boots thudded against marble, and he approached, face hidden in shadow as he was backlit by so much brightness. “To see you, as the case may be.”

He caught hold of her elbow and tugged her back the way he’d come. “Tonight is the night, Ahnna. I’ve just dispatched invitations to everyone within riding distance to attend a banquet where I intend to declare my intentions. Make things official, as they say. I wanted to tell you myself before the big event; I aim to make you queen, Ahnna. A queen who will go down in Harendell’s history books, mark my words.”

Her chest hitched, but Edward led her onto the dais, where a monstrous throne of spiraling metal sat.

The Twisted Throne.

“It holds more meaning than it did this time yesterday, doesn’t it?” Edward asked. “Now that you’ve met the storms. They have a habit of changing things. Setting one off in a different direction than intended. Tonight will be a similar such storm. Now, sit.”

Ahnna sucked in a breath, twisting to look at him. “I can’t sit on this throne. Only the king can sit on this throne.”

“I’m the king and I give you permission.”

She didn’t move. “Your Grace…”

Edward sighed. “It’s just the two of us here, Ahnna.”

“Eddie, it’s not right for me to sit on Harendell’s throne.”

“There has never been anything more right.” He gestured to the silvered metal, light glinting off the twists and spirals. “I want to see you on it.”

Ahnna clenched her teeth, her instincts screaming, but she didn’t dare disobey. Moving in front of the throne, she adjusted her skirts and sat. Cold seeped through the silk and into her flesh, the throne hard and unyielding. Every part of her wanted to leap to her feet, but then Edward retrieved a crown and approached, setting it on her head.

Alexandra’s crown.

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