Page 25 of Queen
Sterling shot him a look.
"I mean that crazy bitch is the one staging a coup, not us," Axel clarified, irritated.
The shock on Emily's face told him he had actually said those words out loud. Oh, well.
"Arrest them," Natalia ordered, turning to her guards when she decided they weren’t acting quickly enough for her liking. "Did you hear me?"
That got a couple of them moving. Axel stepped in front of Ella alongside Sterling, letting out a furious snarl that stopped the nearest guard in his tracks. He would take out every last fucker in the room if he had to. And he'd enjoy it, too.
"Wait," Tessa cried, slipping out from the crowd. The guards moved aside, though Axel knew their loyalties were about to be tested. There shouldn't have been a difference between the monarchy and the temple, but now that there was, he couldn't help but wonder… Who would the colony remain loyal to?
"Everybody needs to calm down," Tessa said, holding her hands out. For once, Axel was grateful for her scolding. "I have no idea what's going on here, but I have two Empresses and have only heard one side of the story so far."
"Isn't it obvious?" Natalia seethed. "I told you. That little bitch couldn't wait to take her turn, and she enlisted those fools to help her overthrow me. They would've killed me if it wasn't for my Bishop," she said pointedly, giving him a look that was undeniably threatening.
Bishop hadn't said a word. Was he waiting it out to see whose side he would end up on? Coward. Axel wasn't surprised, though.
Another snarl rose in his throat as he took a step toward Natalia. Before he could retaliate for her comment, his mother spoke up.
"You shut your mouth," Emily hissed. "That's my daughter-in-law and my grandchild, and no matter what lies you’re spewing now in a desperate bid to hold on to your power, Ella is the rightful Empress of this colony. Whatever's going on, I'll bet you and your wretched son were in on it together."
Even Ella was staring at her in shock.
Natalia took a step forward, but the guards came between them. For the moment, they seemed not to have chosen a side, but Axel knew that could change at a second’s notice.
"I've heard your side of the story," Tessa said, turning to Ella and the others. "Now I'd like to hear Ella's."
Natalia was still fuming, and Axel kept his eyes on the other guests, looking for any faces he recognized from Felidae. Most of them seemed to have had the sense to flee. The Empress was on her own.
Former Empress, anyway.
Axel listened closely as Ella recounted their side of the story, but he was annoyed she was even being forced to. Granted, he could understand why the priestess might be concerned there was a feral around, but the fact that Ella was there and not on a murderous rampage was proof enough that she was an anomaly--or the rumors were exaggerated. Whatever was the case, there was no way any of this shit was good for her or the baby, and the sooner it came to an end, the better.
Tessa listened in silence, and seemed to be considering Ella’s words intently. Axel just knew better than to think that meant her decision was made. She was impartial, regardless of how fond she seemed to be of Ella. Her present display of desperation aside, Natalia was well-loved, and her disappearance had shaken the colony to its core. She was a manipulative nut job, and he had no doubt she would be able to whip up a mutiny if Tessa came to a decision she didn't like.
"And do you have any proof of these accusations?" the older queen finally asked.
"Proof?" Axel snarled. "How about you go back to Felidae and check out the fucking dungeon in the basement?"
"Axel," Ella pleaded, touching his arm.
He gritted his teeth so hard his jaw cracked. Why couldn't she just let him eat people? There were few problems the threat of that couldn't solve.
"Bishop," Tessa said, turning to the other tom, who had remained silent in the background. He was expressionless, like the creepy robot he was. The mask Axel had always seen through was shattered, and he wasn't even bothering to pretend anymore. "As Ella's mate, and Natalia's son, your testimony in this matter holds great weight. No matter who is telling the truth, this is a tragic situation, and I need to be able to make a decision on the facts. Was Ella telling the truth?"
"Tell the truth, Bishop," Natalia said, her voice tense with the menace Bishop seemed to know well, even if it was a shock to most of the others who knew her. "It's not too late."
There was no mistaking her cloying plea to return to Mommy's side. Axel kept his gaze on Bishop, and he could feel Sterling’s equally intent on him.
"My mother is lying," Bishop answered, his voice monotonous as he stepped forward. He ignored the look of rage on Natalia's face. "She's been planning to subvert the temple's authority my entire life, and I was part of it along with my brother and father. There's more than enough evidence back at the Felidae house to corroborate everything Ella says as truth."
"He's lying!" Natalia shrieked. "You worthless, traitorous child!"
Even Axel couldn't help but cringe at the spite in her voice. That couldn't be easy to hear from the woman who'd brought him into the world, but Bishop didn't so much as flinch.
"I've heard enough," Tessa said quietly. "Take her into custody, and I want a team dispatched out to the Felidae house immediately. Take anyone in the area into custody as well."
"No!" Natalia shouted, darting back from the guards as they approached her. "This is treason. That old bag is in on it! Can't you see?"
