Page 210 of Curse of Darkness
“I have nothing to add. I relinquished any claim I had upon Asturia long ago. Thornwood?” The duke has been surprisingly silent throughout these earlier exchanges.
Steepling his fingers together, he considers us all. He’s here to represent the autonomous colony of the Borderlands, and while he hasn’t spoken very much, when he does, he wastes little time on flamboyancy. “Your mother always said that whoever takes the throne, holds the throne.” He tips his head toward Edain. “But he’s right. There shall be issues with this if Edain claims it.”
“Someone has to.” Right now it feels like poison.
Edain pushes to his feet, pacing. “You want to play these games? Then fine, let’s play.” He turns to me.“I will hold the Asturian throne for your daughter then. Until she reaches her majority.”
“What?” I push upright, but Thiago lays a hand on my arm.
“Adaia named Amaya as her heir before her court,” Edain challenges. “It was the last act she signed into law before she started this war. The entire court of Asturia believes your daughter is their rightful heir, and I can stand against any who seek to challenge her. You want peace in Asturia? Then name me regent if you fucking must. But the crown will pass to Amaya.”
It wasn’t Amaya my mother claimed, but her changeling replacement, May.
But I can’t say that.
Not in front of the rest of the alliance.
Thiago gently strokes his fingers down my spine. “It will have to do for now. We may revisit this idea later. When we’ve had a chance to think.”
He’s right.
It still doesn’t make me feel any better. I can’t escape the instinct that such a move will tear her from my arms. Every inch of me wants to protect her and shield her from the world.
And there’s the issue with a monarch claiming both Evernight and Asturia. The other kingdoms can only see such a move as a threat. We’d be a powerhouse; a juggernaut.
But I force a nod instead, because nothing Edain has said is untrue. Without a clear ruler, Asturia will descend into blood and chaos, and I love the kingdom of my birth too much to allow that. “Amaya will come of age when she is twenty-five. Not a day sooner. Not a day later. You have sixteen years of a regency ahead of you, Edain. I hope we can remain allies throughout that time.”
His eyes narrow thoughtfully. “Sixteen years then.”
“Will the alliance vote upon it?” I ask, casting a look around the table.
Lucere strokes the velvet edge of her hood. Her face is barely visible. “I will allow it. Evernight owes Ravenal a blood debt. With the queen as our friend, we feel confident Asturia will not seek to expand its borders south.”
In other words: If Edain grows bored with sitting on his throne and starts to become ambitious, she expects me to deal with it.
Or else she’ll call in that debt.
Kyrian rests his chin on his hand, his entire expression unreadable. A smirk appears. “If nothing else, it will make Adaia twist in her grave to see her former pet—a male prince—sitting on her throne. Stormlight will allow it.”
“I object.”
The tent flaps draw open, and a pair of raven-cloaked fae guards stalk inside.
My heart drops when I see Muraid’s stern expression, and the hand she rests on the hilt of her sword.
But it’s the raven-haired queen stalking behind her, glossy lips painted red, who steals my attention.
“Maren,” Thiago says coldly, trying not to sound as if he’d like to say,what the fuck?“How kind of you to finally join us.”
“You missed the main event,” Kyrian says, leaning back in his chair and watching her like a hawk.
Queen Maren strides toward the final seat at the table, a flawless cloak of black swan feathers cascading from her shoulders and a black crown formed of seven sharp spikes erupting from her hair.
A servant stumbles over himself to jerk the chair back for her.
“What are you talking about?” she retorts, letting her cloak slide to the floor. Her gown appears—a glittering black that clings to every line of her body. “Am I not in time for the accords? I hear you’re contemplating allowing that filth to conquer Unseelie.”
“Do you have a better idea?” Kyrian gives a flourish.
