Page 86 of The King is Dead
I huffed. “Because I do. And I admitted to her that I would struggle if I were in your shoes. That doesn’t make my claims any less true. If you want her to continue to trust you,you’ll open your mind enough to watch for proof, whether it suits your purpose or not.”
“Do not threaten me.”
“Where was the threat?” I snapped. “I’m telling you, she values you. But we both know, if someone sets themselves against you when you are certain of your path, no matter how much regard has existed, at some point they will see you as an enemy. I’m trying to help you.”
“I don’t need your help.”
“Apparently you do, if you think this is how you’re going to regain her trust.”
“She has never stopped trusting me,” he snarled.
“She will if you continue on this path. If for no other reason than the fact that she’ll be unable to trust you withme.”
Turo fumed. “Stop speaking about her as if you know her when you met what, a couple of months ago? I’ve known her since she was twelve years old—”
“And it shows. Open your eyes, man. She’s a grown woman now. She’s no longer a child.”
“I promise you, no one knows better than me how much of awomanshe is,” he snapped, but as soon as the words were out I tipped my head and a shadow passed behind his eyes. He closed his mouth so fast his teeth clicked because he remembered that I did, in fact, know better than him just how much of a woman she was.
God, the temptation to say it out loud wasoverwhelming.Had he been just another arrogant prick with a point to prove, I would have said it. But I knew there was more to this.
To grind his nose in the fact that I’d had what he yearned for would be cruel.
Also, very effective, I thought wryly.
Offended and bristling, Turo shook with the effort it took him to repress the rage he was feeling. I tried to remember that Ihadfelt empathy for him. That Iwouldunderstand his anger if I were in his shoes.
I made myself change the subject.
“You are welcome to accompany me if you wish—to assure yourself that I’m causing no trouble—but I need to stand before your council and answer their questions, and it needs to be done tonight. Yilan plans to meet with them in the morning and has asked me to advise on my people. I don’t want to distract from that purpose, so it would best to speak first—”
“TheCouncil is already gathering, but your presence will not be required. The guards will stay with you and can guide you to any part of the Palace you wish to—”
“I do not need a babysitter. I need to present myself to those who have sway in this Kingdom and assuage their fears about me. When is the Council meeting?”
Turo spoke through his teeth. “Your presence will not be required.”
“On the contrary,” I said, fighting a smile. “The Queen insists.”
Being amused by his obvious rage was petty, but I never claimed to be perfect.
31. End of the Rope
~ YILAN ~
“Please, Ma’am… could you repeat that?” Berne asked me faintly, the gaggle of servants behind him all staring wide-eyed. We were in the room I called my office—a large, rectangular room in the royal wing, next to my personal library. Aside from the fireplace and thick chairs at one end, it was a rather austere space with few windows, several tables, a desk, and a circle of chairs around an oval table. There was no art on the walls, and nothing decorative about this space. It was entirely practical. A place I went to get shit done, and the servants knew that.
Of course, right now, they were all a little bit terrified of the shit I was doing,so everyone was watching me as if I might burst into flames… or tears.
Taking a deep breath, I forced myself not to grip my skirts. I was Queen. And a grown woman. I shouldn’t be nervous about the disapproval of my servants!
I cleared my throat and met Berne’s uneasy gaze evenly. “I said, please have some of the stronger men dismantle the bed we placed in the tower, bring it down to the royal suite and reassemble it in the honored guest chamber.”
Berne blinked and I watched a growing sense of horror chase the fear behind his eyes.
“Ma’am,” he said, hushed and scandalized. “The prisoner cannot be safelycontained—”
“General Handras is no longer a prisoner. He is an ally—and the highest ranking military officer of the most powerful nation in the country. Not to mention, of noble birth. He will receive every comfort we can provide, including housing in the royal suite as we would expect foranypowerful visitor. Correct?” I asked him sweetly.
