Page 15 of The Court of Secrets
I exhaled deeply, feeling rage boil inside my chest. “She will not come here.”
Louis leaned back in his chair. “We have appointed the late Lady Amber’s daughter, Marissa, to assist you once your mother arrives,” he said, ignoring my statement completely. “She is around your age, a year older I believe, and knows the proper etiquette, has powerful connections, and was a lady for the Lady Florence when she was a princess. She’s experienced and is committed to be in your service.”
I ground my teeth. I didn’t get a say in anything. I despised them all, except Edur. “My mother will not be welcome here.”
“She is almost here.”
“Why bother bringing it up if my word counts for nothing?” My tone was sharp, my words shooting at them like invisible arrows. I quickly remembered it was Edur who’d said it, not them. They’d had no plans to confer with me over what was, to them, an unimportant decision. “You will ensure when my mother steps foot on Magaelorean soil that she be placed back on the ship and taken back to Inferis.”
Lord Abor shifted in his chair, blowing out a long, tense breath. The others looked at him, then back at me. “It would be unwise to do so.”
The darkness inside me pushed as the want to hurt them coursed through me. I reined the anger in as much as I could and quickly stood before I did something I would regret. “I need a moment to confer,” I said and hurried to the double doors.
“Who’s she conferring with?” someone asked as I left the room. Once outside, I dismissed the guards.
I pressed my back against the wall and exhaled slowly. Running my fingers along the cold, smooth stone, I closed my eyes. I needed to remain calm, but every emotion felt heightened. Whatever was inside me was influencing my reactions. I couldn’t let it, not when so many were relying on me.
I remembered what Morgana had told me in that cold tower room on Inferis when I was sixteen. “You will lose yourself in a river of your rage.”
After several minutes of being in the quiet, I breathed in a few deep breaths and felt the panic settle. I didn’t want to see my mother, but I couldn’t keep fighting them on everything. Lose the battle, win the war. I needed to save my commands for more important matters, but the thought of seeing that woman again made me want to scream. She was the one who’d taught me to not let my emotions rule me, yet the thought of her presence alone made me so mad, so un-queenly.
Walking back inside, I found them whispering among themselves. They stopped when they saw me. Blue light filtered through the window and onto the table, illuminating the dust in the air.
I cleared my throat. “I have decided my mother may come. However, she will return to Inferis once my image problem has settled. As for Lady…”
“Marissa,” Abor said.
“Yes.” I nodded in his direction. “She may accompany me, but seeing as I, too, had the same etiquette lessons as a child and grew up in this castle, I will not be needing her input on how to act.”
Lord Abor rested his hands on his lap. “Very well. Your mother arrives tomorrow, we will do a formal greeting at the front courtyard.”
“Yes,” Vahaga said. “The more eyes on them seeing each other, the better.”
I gritted my teeth. “Onto other matters. I wish to hold a memorial for our fallen soldiers.”
“We can do that in time. It will be attended to after your coronation, which is our main priority.”
“We can still make preparations.”
“We will once we take a look at the financial side,” Vahaga said calmly. “The fragile peace with Niferum must also be discussed.”
I shot him a scathed look. “Fragile? We have peace. They aided us. It’s done.”
They all looked at me, all but Edur, with knowing on their expression, telling me it was, in fact, not done at all.
“I have spoken with ambassador Daric.” Vahaga looked down his nose at me.
“I know,” I said, interjecting. “I heard you needed to talk with him before he had an audience with me.” I didn’t care if I sounded petty. I wanted him to know I was as aware of what was happening at court as he was.
“Yes.” He sneered. “I have explained we will only have space for King Blaise and three of his guards. No one else may come.”
“No.” I stood. “I have already given word for as many of them to come as they like.” I put my index finger up before any of them could interrupt me. “They fought with me in the battle.” I didn’t mention how the lords had failed to come to my aid when I needed them, but the look in my eyes said it all. “I will not budge on this as much as you try it. I have been amenable with other matters.”
Lord Abor chewed the inside of his lip. Edur stood too. “I’d be delighted to have the dark fae at court. It would be a welcome change.”
I liked Edur more and more by the second. “Thanks, Lord Edur. When you have time, I would love to discuss some land with you. My father left me land in the east. I know you have some there. Perhaps you’d like to extend your holdings?”
“Fine.” Lord Abor stood, scraping his chair back against the stone floor. “King Blaise can bring whomever he wishes.”
