Page 38 of Kiss the Filthiest King

"Yes,pleasebe careful," I say, a warning in my tone.I soften it with a smile, and a compliment. "The dress looks lovely on you. I thought the pink might be a little much with your hair, but you're beautiful."

"Yes. I already praised Loch for choosing it."

"You did?" I'm surprised she'd be that fair.

My blood brother snorts. "She thanked me, in fact."

Now I'm gasping. “She wouldn't! Would she?"

"Don't fret. I didn't take what was so readily offered to me. Ah, Rena. It has been too long."

A woman approaches, seeming to float in a cloud of white fabric. Is it her wedding? I watch her climb the dais, her beautiful face frozen in a smile that sends shivers down my spine.

"Darina, this is Rena of the sun court, the bright queen." He's quick to add. "The sun court includes both summer and day courts, and is therefore considered a lower kingdom."

"I see," I say. "You're very welcome, Rena."

I don't really know how to address her.

The bright queen inclines her head, still smiling. "What an honor to have lived long enough to see the return of the Harthorns' mighty bloodline," she enunciates clearly. "It was my great privilege to have been part of your mother's council. Am I to understand you'll be reforming it?"

Straight to the point, then. I was supposed to wait two hours before making my announcement and then leave them to ponder my edict, but now that I'm pressed to speak of it, I realize I must. One discreet glance at Loch, and I see him incline his head a fraction.

"In a manner. My mother knew these lands as well as any of you. She'd travelled from the plains of the untamed lands to the tundra of the night court. She'd traded with Gold, had her weapons forged in Silver, flew with the court of wings and dined in bone. Morrigan swam to the sea lands, bathed in the great fountains of blood, danced in winter and ran with the wild. This very castle was made by the mason of the court of stone. Should she have been alive to see the rise of the hunt, she would have chased the eldritch with them. She was all of you. I am not."The speech is rehearsed, but I'm not shy in a crowd. Years of performing made sure of that. "I will not have three lords from each shore around my table. I will have you all, and hear all voices before making any decision, so far I may rule you fairly."

It's in appearance a gift. In actual fact, I am taking away power. Instead of six voices voting, demanding, and colluding against one, I've named thirteen.

All six seelie courts: gold, wings, stone, bone, the bright court, and the untamed.

All six unseelie: winter, night, silver, blood, sea, and the wild.

Then, the hunt.

They'veneverall agreed on anything. I am inviting chaos, which means that my voice will cut through the nonsense and make the decisions.

That was Loch's idea, of course. Ryther isn't too fond of it; he thinks the lords will resent me for it. But the seven who wouldn't have any seat at my table will not be denied the advantage I've granted them now.

For a second, the bright queen doesn’t conceal her shock well. Whatever response she expected, this wasn't it.

Then the mask is back on. "That’s a lot of voices to listen to, my queen. But I do trust you have a wise smaller circle to advise you."

In short, she knows I didn’t come up with that myself. Her eyes seek Loch, narrowing on him.

"When may we expect the first session?"

I'm done giving her information on her term. I had a plan, and I'll stick to it as much as possible.

"You wish to spoil all my surprises. Don't worry, Rena. I'll let you know shortly."On that note, I turn back to Loch. "Please do ensure my guests want for nothing while she waits, would you?"

I can already tell she hates my guts now, but let's face it: we were never going to braid each other's hair. She's too used to be one of the central powers on Ilvaris.

"She's terrifying," Rachel breathes after she's returned to the throng of would-be enemies.

I don't bother to agree. Every single person in this hall is out of a nightmare. And to survive them, I'll have to be worse.

I was standing, the added height giving me a sense of control.

But now I sit and lift my chin as I survey my court of monsters.

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