Page 104 of A Thieving Curse

Alex was on the ground on his hands, his legs out to one side, as if he had fallen. His forehead wrinkled. Meredith darted around Lucas’s body, still crying, and tugged her apron over her head. She tied it around Alexander’s waist and sat back, wiping her face on her sleeve. Tristan snickered. Alex pushed off the ground and stood. He leaned forward oddly, then straightened.

“Apologize to Princess Raelyn and release her at once.” Alex’s upper lip pulled up in a snarl. Tristan wrapped his arm across her chest and tugged her back against him. She gripped her skirt with sweating hands.

“I’ll talk to my betrothed however—”

“She’s notyourbetrothed.” Alex stepped forward and tilted to the side. He glanced back, as if looking for his tail, then looked back at them. “She’s mine.” Raelyn felt a giddy rush at his words, accompanied by a violent twinge of fear.

“That treaty was revoked,” Tristan spat. He dragged Raelyn back. “I’ll be taking what’s mine.” Raelyn gulped hard as she stumbled backward, following the press of Tristan’s arm.

Alex narrowed his eyes and took a long stride toward them, but he leaned too far forward and angled toward the side. His face reddened as he swayed. He stilled and rolled his shoulders. Tristan stopped and snickered with wicked glee.

“What’s the matter, monster? Missing your wings and tail?”

Raelyn blushed, embarrassed for him. She couldn’t imagine what it must be like to suddenly lose the weight of his dragon appendages. She remembered how his tail always swayed behind him as he walked. No wonder he was having trouble standing up straight.

Alex grunted. “Get your arm off my betrothed.”

“My betrothed, actually,” Tristan said. Raelyn hoped Alex could see the apology in her eyes.

Alex clenched his fists and tried to walk toward them again. He tripped over something in the grass. Just a slight imbalance, but his body jerked, and he fell. Raelyn winced. She wished she could help him up.

Tristan snorted. “Pathetic.”

“Shut up.” Alex managed to get to his feet again, somehow managing to appear dignified as he folded his arms and lifted his chin. “Iam the rightful crown prince.”

“You think because you look human now, you’ll be king?” Tristan scoffed.

“I think the nobility will agree with me when I tell them what your father did,” Alex said, loudly enough all of Tristan’s men could hear. “How my father’s steward and I believe that Henry Carbrey poisoned my mother and killed my father. How I woke up in the middle of the night to…” His throat bobbed. “To Henry standing over me, chanting in the Old Tongue and waving a glowing stone talisman. How when I stopped screaming from the pain, I’d become a monster. How he sneered down at me and said, ‘No one will want a cursed king. They’llbegme to kill you.’”

Raelyn shivered in disgust and horror. Alex was right—if Henry could do that to his nephew, a young boy, he was capable of any kind of evil.

“My friends,” Alex continued, “andmybetrothed will testify that while I was cursed, I couldn’t talk about my curse. So when Henry dragged me before the Court of Lords, I couldn’t tell them what had happened.”

“You’re no king.” Tristan shoved Raelyn aside with so much force she fell onto her backside. He gripped his sword with both hands and drew it back, so the tip pointed at Alexander. “It’s unlikely they would hand the kingdom over.”

“They might”—Raelyn twisted her skirt in her hands—“if I refuse to marry you. And I’m going to marry Alex. Whether he’s king or not.”

“You won’t get the chance.” Tristan thrust the sword forward.

35

RAELYN DIDN’T HAVE time to react before Gareth lunged at Tristan. Gareth tackled him to the ground in a clatter of armor. Tristan dropped his sword. Gareth straddled Tristan’s torso and punched his face.

Swords scraped from sheaths and bows pulled taut. Raelyn scrambled to her feet. “No, wait—”

“That’s for insulting my sister!” Gareth punched Tristan again. “And that’s for disrespecting her!”

Raelyn grabbed his arm and tugged, her heart pounding. “Gareth!”

“What—ah.” Gareth stilled as he eyed a nearby archer and held up his hands. He eased off Tristan’s chest and stood, leaving Tristan gasping for breath, his mouth bloodied.

“I am your crown prince and rightful king,” Alexander said, his silky voice loud and filled with authority. She couldn’t imagine the confidence he had to sound that regal while standing in only an apron before strangers who’d just tried to kill him and watched him fall while trying to walk.Jasper did an astounding job preparing him to rule.“I’m Alexander Tallon, son of King Philip Tallon, and I command you to stand down.”

The men looked at each other uncertainly. Several muttered or swore under their breath. None of them attacked, but none lowered their weapons, either.

Raelyn assumed an air of authority. “Whether or not you accept Alexander’s claim,” she said, surprised when her voice emerged steady, “you must obey me as your crown prince’s betrothed. Both of them.” She tried to make eye contact with some of the men in the gathering darkness. “One way or another, I am your future queen. Stand down.” The knights still didn’t move.

There was a clang, and Raelyn whirled. Gareth shoved Tristan back down and pressed his foot against Tristan’s throat.

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