Page 155 of Conspirators' Kingdom

Taisiya hadn’t spotted anyone who appeared anything less than fae, though with glamour being what it was, that was no guarantee. Mereruka and Bas whispered heated arguments as Khety continued whipping up the crowd. Betrest stood behind her husband. Where Khety’s appearance and grief were all pretence, Betrest’s devastation and fear were unvarnished. She stared at Serfka’s coffin with the eyes of a broken woman. Lost in her misery, she didn’t notice the mourner approach her from behind.

Damn Serfka! He was going for her too soon. Taisiya tugged on Mereruka’s hand to gain his attention, but it was too late. Serfka dispelled his glamour. Betrest gasped in shock and threw herself into his two sets of blue arms. Shouts interrupted Khety’s speech, and hundreds of fingers pointed to the queen behind him. Serfka glared as Khety turned to face his faithless wife and revenant of a brother, his shock plain. With a sneer befitting a royal of Maat, Serfka snapped his own teleportation charm and vanished along with Betrest.

Radjedef was next, taking advantage of the frenzy and confusion to dispel his glamour. Soldiers cried out with shock and joy in the same moment the scaly, red fae rammed his sword into the gut of the man who’d replaced him. Radjedef whispered something in his victim’s pointed ear, a savage grin on his face, the words lost in the chaos of the assembly. The soldiers mostly rallied to the side of their newly-returned prince, while others fled or fought him.

Taisiya was beginning to wonder when Vasilisa was finally going to attack Khety. Already the gathered crowd was fleeing or screaming. Taisiya grabbed hold of Mereruka so as not to lose him as the crowd began surging. Khety’s guard were flinging people aside trying to get to their king, and away from Radjedef’s soldiers, who had set upon them from behind.

“Vasilisa!” Taisiya cried out, hoping her friend could hear her above the din.

She had.

Khety let out an unearthly shriek. Any who weren’t fleeing or fighting looked upon him and gasped.

The king of Maat had every spare patch of skin covered in glowing blue tattoos.

Chapter 59

TaisiyafeltMererukaandBas’ stillness beside her. The remnants of the funeral crowd seemed rooted to the spot. In a flash, Mereruka removed his mourner’s glamour and hers.

“Khety, your day of reckoning has come!” He turned to the crowd, “For it was not witches or shapeshifters who killed Itet and tried to kill my brothers and me, but King Khety! Though iron and foul curses were used against us, the plot failed due to the bravery and ingenuity of my wife, Princess Consort Taisiya! Before the people of Maat, I demand vengeance, and claim my right to the throne!”

Fae parted as Taisiya and Mereruka stalked forward. Out of the corner of her eye, Bas’ glamoured visage slipped into the stunned but retreating crowd. Only the royal guard wished to be nearby when a battle for the throne was imminent.

Khety howled in outrage, turning from Mereruka’s smug grin. Why wasn’t he convulsing with pain? Mereruka hadn’t lasted more than a few seconds before the effects of the iron became apparent. Though Khety was panting, his brow slicked with sweat, he seemed caught in the grip of fury, not agony. He ripped the iron spike from his flesh and tossed it aside.

Mereruka stopped in his tracks. Taisiya took a step from him to ready her lightning. It was important that Mereruka strike Khety down, but not essential. When Khety took a step forward, Vasilisa, her hand reaching out from Khety’s shadow, jabbed another spike into his other leg. With swiftness no one expected, Khety gripped Vasilisa’s smoky black arm and dragged her from the void into the light of day, his blue eyes seething. He crushed her wrist in his talons and raked those of his free hand across her throat, spilling bright red blood over the coffins at his bird-like feet.

“Vasilisa!” Taisiya cried, lunging forward.

Mereruka held her back.

Eyes wild, Khety’s cruel grin stretched across his tattooed face as he watched Taisiya’s panic. It was enough of a distraction.

Launching silently from behind, his glamour gone, Bas cleaved the king’s winged arm in two with a long blade, dragging Vasilisa’s limp body from his grip as he dove past. Khety shrieked again, the sound piercing Taisiya’s ears. Khety collapsed to the floor between two coffins. When Bas landed, Vasilisa’s body in his arms, he nodded solemnly. Charm between his fingers, he snapped it in half, transporting them both away.

Khety ripped the second iron spike from his leg and tossed it aside. Taisiya saw red. She wanted to bathe in his damned blood. Lightning crackled across every inch of her skin. The small, rational part of her that remained wondered how he had any strength after being impaled by iron and losing a limb. As crimson flowed from his gory wound, Taisiya smiled, the beast in her heart rising to the fore. Mereruka gathered magic in his hands, ready to strike.

“Tell Mother I sent you,” Mereruka growled.

Mereruka unleashed a sharp strand of magic as if throwing a spear. It hurtled towards Khety, aimed for his heart.

Then it crashed into the floor, shattering stone and tossing the coffins aside with the force.

Khety was gone.

“Where?!”Taisiya shrieked.

She wanted to tear the monster limb from bloody limb, sink her teeth into his neck, scorch his innards with her lightning. She would pluck out his gods-damned eyes and feed them to the fucking pigs. Eyes darting, she searched for her quarry.

Mereruka shoved Taisiya aside with brutal force. Taisiya skidded across the floor. A sword was raised against her, one of the king’s guards, very much worse for the wear, pointing it at her with clear intent. She released a bolt of lightning straight into his heart and leapt to her feet as he flew backwards with the force. Another of the king’s guard broke through the melee with Qar and Radjedef’s soldiers, a string of magic between her fingers. Taisiya didn’t hesitate. Lightning travelled faster than the woman’s spell, killing her in an instant. Taisiya’s eyes roamed the rest of the hall. The nobles had fled, mourners too, leaving only those armed with spells and blades to fight. As she raced through the hall, dodging soldiers and striking down any of the guards who came within sight, she searched for Mereruka.

A shadow passed overhead.

Instinct propelled Taisiya’s gaze to the ceiling. Caught in Khety’s grip, the talons of the king’s feet pierced Mereruka’s arm. Flown about like a ragdoll by an uninjured Khety, Mereruka traded spells and counter-spells in mid-flight, his blood falling like rain.

Trapped on the ground below, lightning surged inside her, seeking an outlet. Taisiya itched to place a bolt of lightning into Khety’s heart, yet she stayed her hand. What killed Khety would also kill her husband, so long as the two were touching. The second the king dropped Mereruka, she would have her chance.

“Radjedef!” Taisiya commanded.

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