Page 43 of Conspirators' Kingdom

“You’re right. My options, as I see them, are these: first, he suffers an accident shortly after the wedding since we know they can die by lightning. Second, I bear with it until I establish myself in Maat, then kill him. Or, third, when we undoubtedly meet the king, I make a deal for my trade rights in return for turning Mereruka in as a traitor.”

“He’s a traitor?” Zephyros asked.

“I don’t rightly know, but it doesn’t really matter,” Taisiya replied.

“Ah.” Zephyros looked uncomfortable.

“Whatever you need, we’ll help you, Taisiya. No one fucks with our family,” Milena said. “I’m just glad you have an extra dose of lightning. You’ll need it in Maat if this wedding is any indication of their real powers.”

“Extra dose?” Zephyros asked.

“Oh, right. So much has happened lately,” Milena said.

“You haven’t told him?” Taisiya asked.

“Told me what?” Zephyros raised a quizzical brow.

“We were willing participants in father’s ritual,” Taisiya began. “He studied it more than the other magisters suspected, and rewrote it when I agreed to it to ensure, when he died, that I would receive my magic back as well as his. Before I die, we’ll use the ritual again, and hand down this combined power to the next lightning mage heir. If I die unexpectedly, Daria is spelled as the next heir.”

“So…”

“Yep! We’re dirty traitors. Father just wanted our kingdom back, but now that it won’t happen, we’ve decided to just take the empire one marriage and heir at a time.” Milena smiled.

Zephyros sighed.

“Not so different from the islands, or at least, some of the islanders. Don’t say anything to Charis. She really believes in the whole unity of Lethe nonsense.”

“I knew you’d understand.” Milena kissed his cheek.

“If you’re serious about it, then the best place for an accident is on the open sea. I can convince the strategos to allow a vessel or two to provide an escort at least some of the way to Maat. A lightning bolt makes a good signal that you want to be brought back, and it isn’t an uncommon occurrence at sea. The men who serve under me are loyal to me first and foremost. If I say the ship went down and you were the only survivor, they’ll corroborate it,” Zephyros said.

“Thank you, Zephyros.” Taisiya breathed easy for the first time since she’d received Chloe’s letter. She could still turn this horrible situation around.

Zephyros smiled, lighting up his handsome face.

“Well, we’re family now, aren’t we?”

Mereruka watched as Taisiya marched down the aisle like a defiant prisoner to their execution. She didn’t look upon him as a bride looks upon her intended groom. The violent promise in her eyes left no room for the pretence of willingness. No, when Taisiya looked at him with her amethyst eyes, he could almost see her calculating just how long she needed to be wed to him before it was seemly to become a widow. It was the first time he began to doubt the genius of his scheme where she was concerned.

If nothing else, she was undoubtedly the best-dressed woman in the whole of Lethe, in a flowing teal gown that covered her skin in fabric but did nothing to hide every nuance of the form beneath. A spectacular crown in teal, purple and gold sat upon her head, birds’ wings, lush lotus blooms and iridescent butterfly wing decorations framing her pretty face.

Despite his initial concerns, the majority of the ceremony went off without incident. His and Taisiya’s hands were bound by a strip of glittering red silk as Raemka was forced to smile and recite all the well wishes and blessings. Unfortunately, the scribe had one last trick up his sleeve.

“King Khety of Maat has generously provided vows for the prince and new princess consort to recite. If you will repeat after me, Your Tranquility?” Raemka’s smile turned predatory.

Mereruka debated how it would look to kill the officiant at his own wedding.

“I, Prince Mereruka of the Land of Maat, swear to bind my life to that of Princess Consort Taisiya Spark, so that I may spend all my days with her,” Raemka recited.

Bloody hells! They meant to kill him by letting her short life drag him into an early grave. He looked at Taisiya, her brow rising as he stalled. Was she worth sharing all his extra bargained years with? She was vicious, witty, pretty and powerful, no doubt. But he’d have to collect centuries more, just so that they lived the normal length of a fae life together, to say nothing of the many extra centuries he’d planned on living. Suddenly, this whole marriage business was a lot more serious.

“Prince Mereruka? Would you like me to repeat the vow?” Raemka smiled.

He tried to object but found his mouth sealed. The hooks of the original word-as-bond spell he’d been forced to recite reared their ugly heads. Only now he recalled saying he would both obey the king’s commands as well as take a wife. Tricky bastard. Mereruka swore to make Khety’s death a slow one.

Damn. So be it. He hoped Taisiya really was the descendent of a dragon. She’d need the ferocity of one to survive the fae court in the long term.

“I, Prince Mereruka, of the Land of Maat, swear to bind my life to that of Princess Consort Taisiya Spark, so that I may spend all my days with her,” Mereruka said.

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