Page 198 of Nine-Tenths

Notfrom.

My fear curdles into resentment.

"Then why request our presence?" I ask, feeling bold.

A small inhalation—not something so uncouth as agasp—from the duchess makes it clear that I've probably broken some stupid etiquette rule, but I don't care. Not if they're going to treatus like this. Not if this is going toendbefore we're even allowed to start.

The queen turns golden eyes to me.

Dav flinches, ready to shield me from the queen's judgment with his own body. A flick of her hand nails Dav to the floor.

"I wanted to see the Favorite who so openly and boldly proclaims I am a failed and flawed ruler. Will you say as much to my face, I wonder?"

The noise that comes out of Dav is high and distressed.

Right.

Right.

I take a deep breath, screw up my courage.Fuck, if my professors could see me now. This is way more nerve-wracking than a public thesis defense.

Simply, and plainly, I say: "Yes, Your Majesty."

"Mine Own!" Dav hisses, horrified.

Leicester winces. The duke and duchess exchange a glance that comes across as… amused?

The queen sits, back straight, expression unreadable despite the narrowing of her eyes.

I hold up the briefcase. "But not just you, ma'am. The worldhas got it backwards. The Great Confidence? It's notworking,and you know that as well as I do."

"Do you not fear our reprisal for this treason?" the queen asks.

"What treason?" I challenge.

Dav reaches for me, probably to haul me back behind him, but then stops himself, forces his hands behind his back, waits in parade rest.

Trustsme to handle this.

"Your Majesty, how can loving my fellow citizens of the Empireso muchthat I am risking my own wellbeing to bring them these truths be treasonous?" I gesture at my case. "How can wanting to improve the management of the land, of theresources, of thepeople, be treasonous? How can wanting to make my queen personallyhappierand better connected to your vast hoard, treason?"

Dav is vibrating next to me, he's so keyed up.

But the queen?

She laughs.

"What a flattering little gem you've found for yourself, Alva," the queen says to him. For the first time she sounds like she does actually hold the fondness for Dav that Paulette spoke of. "How well you've coached him."

"Oh, no, ma'am," Dav demurs, gasping for air like we’ve been physically sparring, instead of just verbally. "Please believe me, there’s no telling Mine Own what to say or think. He is as stubborn as he is kind."

I try not to be annoyed at the way they all chuckle, like I'm some toddler who's just done his first, flopping cartwheel and expects applause.

"This is what I was trained to do," I say instead, yanking us back on topic. "In a school that's named for a general who defended your territory, I was taught to find ways to make the world a better place. How can using that education be a bad thing?"

"It is not the education, but thedaringthat I condemn. You requested an audience and we did not grant it," the queen says. Her voice drops low, a dangerous rumble which is likely meant to scare me. If I was smarter, I'd probably take the warning. But I'm too damned pissed off. "Some would take that as an answer."

"A non-answer is just cowardice," I offer boldly. "If you just consider what we suggest, I'm sure you—"

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