Page 76 of Of Song and Scepter
Lady Myrrh pouts. “Poor thing must have needed a friend, coming to a strange kingdom. I see no harm in it.”
“Fact is, she’s an Abyssal Princess.” Lord Ruven’s fist remains on the table, knuckles lightening with the force of his grip. “We need the connection to move toward more civil relations with the deep. I say, drop the whole matter and be done with it.”
“And risk the security of our kingdom? She might be a threat. An imposter. One of those death-dealers they breed in the dark.” Lord Varik scans the room, daring a challenger to speak.
Lady Myrrh gasps, her hands stilling in her hair. “The horror!”
The queen straightens in her chair. “I don’t like that I may have misjudged her quality, but I will not willingly walk our only heir into hostile hands. We must consider the possibility of malicious intent.”
Lord Almar shifts in his seat and clears his throat. The room stills, all eyes shifting to the old priest.
“Lord Almar, do you have something to share?” says the queen.
The old male smiles. “Mister Hugo?”
Hugo approaches the table, carrying that damn velvet pouch. He sets it onto the table gently enough to make no sound.
Lord Varik mutters under his breath, shrinking away from the pouch. “Barbaric. We already know she cannot be trusted. Why insist on bloodshed? We must dismiss her quietly.”
“Would you oust her on the basis of her waltz? This will produce solid proof.” Lord Almar’s gaze is smooth and cold. “If the Abyss has malicious intentions for our one and only heir, this is the only way to be sure of it.”
I stare into the soft folds of the velvet pouch and consider my choices. I could dismiss Aris quietly. A short conversation, and she’d be on her way back to the deep. We’d part on pleasant terms—a poor match of personality, we’d call it. No more wedding. No more Aris. No alliance.
No Enna.I drag a hand over my jaw. That won’t do.
“What of the alliance with the Abyss, if we dismiss their princess quietly?” I ask, buying more time for my decision.
Lord Ruven scowls. “Gone. Darksteel mines, influx of gold. All gone. We’d need another match to fortify our strength against the ensuing wrath of the Abyss. And your options are slim, Your Highness. We cannot risk it.”
I nod, considering his words. Around me, the council launches into argument, throwing their opinions at me, each one suggesting a way to secure our strength.
If I find the missing pendant, I could use it on Aris, test her intentions toward me with ancient, brutal magic to ease the council’s worries. And if she passes the test, the alliance with the Abyss will stand. Enna will remain here, caught in a royal love-triangle, and I’ll swim the current of my father before me, unhappy and angry at my fate, unable to love Enna with the open abandon she deserves. Unable to protect her.
Or Aris could fail the pendant’s test. I dismiss her publicly, out the Abyssal Kingdom for its subterfuge. There is no alliance, and Enna will…
She can stay here, if she wants to. Why can’t she?
“A match to fortify our strength,” I repeat to myself. If the Abyss retaliates, we’ll need a warrior queen, one who knows the enemy inside and out.
Would Enna side with us, if it came to war? Would she stay, if I asked her to?
I meet my mother’s watchful gaze across the table.
I cross my arms, firmly planting my feet. The council notices my movement, and their voices gradually settle down.
The pendant is missing. But the council doesn’t need to know that. I scoop up the empty pouch, tucking it into my pocket.
“I’ll use it,” I state.
Hugo’s fingers twitch. Lord Ruven’s frown deepens. Lord Varik scowls. Lady Myrrh sighs.
“Excellent,” says Lord Almar.
My mother simply raises her eyebrow, waiting for the catch.
Chapter forty-five
Enna
