Page 50 of Crown of Briars
I let my mouth curl into a smirk. Let him rage. I could certainly use a good fight. “Unlike you, I am looking for a permanent solution to this problem,” I said. “If I take the bloodfrom her by force, it will strengthen the animosity between our people. It may buy us time for now, but later on, we will pay the price. The Necro Shadows will grow closer no matter what, and the elixir is only a temporary fix. For now, move the people in the lower towns closer to the city. You can offer up rooms in the castle if you must. I will speak with the human about accessing her blood. If I can convince her, it will grant us more time.”
“Will she even want to help?” Forsenn asked softly.
I rubbed my knuckles, considering this. My instincts told meno, Sybelle would not want to help. But she had seemed intrigued when I’d told her she was connected to the shadows. If anything, I could tell I had piqued her curiosity. Perhaps I could capitalize on that.
“I’m not sure,” I said at last. “But if I help her understand how dire things are, it might help.”
Olectus’s eyebrows lowered with displeasure. “It won’t work. The human will never be able to see things our way.”
“That one-sided way of thinking is exactly what is keeping the curse from breaking,” Salyut said in a clipped voice.
Olectus leaned forward, bracing both hands on the table as he leered at Salyut. “Be careful, general. You sound awfully sympathetic toward the fragile humans and, dare I say it, the sorceress who started this whole ordeal in the first place.”
Salyut paled, his head jerking backward in shock. His fearful eyes met mine, but my gaze was pinned on Olectus.
“Perhaps you are a sympathizer,” Olectus continued. “Perhaps we should?—”
My rage spilled over. With the flick of my wrist, my shadows wrapped around Olectus, tightening and swirling until they bound his form like thick ropes. Black mist clamped over his mouth, cutting off whatever he had been about to say. He grunted and struggled against them, but my shadows only cinched further, coiling around him like a serpent.
“If you need to spar with someone to work off some frustration,Olectus, you only have to say the word,” I growled. “But I will not have this antagonism in my throne room. This is your final warning. Check yourself, or get the hell out of my castle.”
Olectus’s muffled shouts echoed in the room, but I did not release him from my shadows. I turned to the other generals at the table. “Would anyone else like to challenge the loyalty of this council?”
A few generals, like Salyut, seemed positively terrified. Others looked at Olectus with smug expressions, as if they had been yearning to see the general silenced.
No one said a word.
“Very good,” I said, my anger ebbing. As long as Olectus remained tied up, I could keep my emotions in check.
I wasn’t sure why I’d kept him on the council for this long. I made a mental note to dismiss him and appoint a different general in his stead. One that wasn’t as hotheaded.
“Tell me about the riots,” I said to no one in particular.
“They are getting worse,” Forsenn said. “The rioters are plundering and burning down buildings, and there is talk of the townspeople storming the castle. We arrested twenty this week alone. The jail cells in the Pern District are at full capacity. We either need to execute them or move them elsewhere.”
“How many casualties?” I asked, my voice calm despite the panic churning in my gut.
“Four perished in the fire,” Forsenn said. “We executed two rioters on site to keep them from striking down other townsfolk.”
My eyes closed for a moment to mourn the loss of such precious lives. The curse hadn’t claimed my kingdom yet, but people were still dying. Even if I had time before the curse claimed my life, it still felt like I had lost. I could not fix the broken pieces of my kingdom.
“Destroy the weapons of all the prisoners,” I said at last. “Pardon anyone who will make a fae bargain swearing not tobring harm to any buildings or citizens of this court. Anyone who doesn’t, execute them in three days’ time.”
A few generals at the table shifted uncomfortably in their seats, but as I glanced at each of them, they averted their gazes, unwilling to speak up.
I didn’t like it, either. But I had very few options to work with.
“I will ensure the human bride cooperates,” I said quietly. “You all have my word.”
Olectus might be an arrogant bastard, but he had a point. I couldn’t tiptoe around this issue. It didn’t matter if my demands made Sybelle uncomfortable or not. This was precisely why she was here.
I would ask for her permission. But if she did not give it, I would need to show her firsthand just how awful things were for the Shadow Fae.
When the council ended, I opened the doors of the throne room, hoping the castle would anticipate my needs and take me directly to Sybelle.
Instead, it led me to the grand hall, which was filled with portraits and sculptures of the fae kings from ages past. I frowned as I stepped inside, wondering if Sybelle was here, scrutinizing the art and likely judging each of my forefathers for crimes they did not commit.
Although,I thought bitterly,most of these kings were despicable enough to warrant her judgment.
