Page 57 of The Court of Secrets
We’d been in the meeting for several hours. Blaise glanced in my direction, amusement on his features. “The mugroot will be available for three coins.”
“Gold?” Abor scoffed. “There’s no way, unless you’re planning on shipping us a barrel of it.”
“It’s less than half the cost it was before.”
Gregoir interrupted. “Extortion.”
“There is another way around this,” Blaise said. We’d gone over so many details, my brain had begun to mush them all together. Their words faded as they spoke. My headaches had returned, and the potion was wearing off. It was taking a toll on me. “With it, we could merge both kingdoms.” I caught the tail end of their conversation.
Bleary-eyed, I nodded at the maid to bring me a drink. It was only when I turned my head did I notice them all looking at me. I blinked a few times. I didn’t want them to know I had stopped paying attention. I was trying, but the headaches were searing. “Yes.”
Blaise’s lips parted. “Yes?”
I didn’t know what I’d agreed to. “Uh.”
“We’ve been here before.” My cousin Louis glared at me. “It didn’t go too well.”
I had no idea what any of them were talking about but hoped someone would clue me in without knowing.
“A marriage,” Abor said slowly. “To a faery.”
Blaise smirked. “Had it not been King Amos who approved of the wedding before?”
My eyes widened.Wedding?None of them could admit they’d known about the plot against Niferum without incriminating themselves. Louis gritted his teeth, and Gregoir even balled a fist.
Lord Edur, the only one I liked, looked from me to Blaise. “It would show unity.”
“What says you, Majesty?” Vahaga finally said, his stony expression turned curious. One of his thin eyebrows hooked upward. “Will you be willing to marry the king?”
I swallowed thickly; my mouth was dry. Where was the maid with my tea? My gaze flitted from Vahaga to Lord Abor, then Blaise. Fury laced my stare.
“We will adjourn.” I rolled my shoulders back, not looking away from Blaise. “I will talk with my advisors and respond to your proposal shortly. In the meantime, everything else in the treaty looks good, and we will continue from there.” I turned my attention to Vahaga. “My coronation is tomorrow, and I have much to do.”
Blaise gave me a look across the rectangular table. “May I have a word with you in private?”
“No.” A flurry of emotions circled inside me. For him to put that on me, in the middle of a peace treaty surrounded by my lords, was unfair. “Lord Abor, however, I do require a private audience with you. If you would come to my office.”
“Your Majesty… I have a—”
“It wasn’t a request,” I snapped as I stood, then left the room.
***
A fair-haired guard stepped inside my office. “Lord Abor, Your Majesty.”
I nodded, and the doors opened fully. Lord Abor walked in. His forehead wrinkled as he looked me up and down, then took a seat in front of my desk.
“I have many fond memories of this place.” He stared at the armchairs and table, where I imagined he and my father spent many nights playing chess or cards. “I do miss the king.”
“Former king,” I replied, folding my hands together. “I shall not keep you. I have just one matter to discuss.”
His gaze snapped back to mine. “What would that be, Majesty?”
“Whispers are circling, Lord Abor, about your indiscretions.” I clicked my tongue. “Now. Now. For all your talk of hating the fae…” I cocked my head to the right, enjoying myself far too much. “You sure do enjoy sleeping with them.”
A sheen of saliva caught on his bottom lip. He wiped it, and his nostrils flared. “I don’t know what you’ve heard,My Queen.” He said the words as if they burned his mouth. “But you’ve been misled. You know how rumors are. Just rumors, luckily for us both. Else we’d be led to believe you actually slept in the faery king’s chambers without marriage.”
My smile faltered. “You’re right. Rumors may be mere rumors when it comes to relations, but rumors of treason, now that’s something a little more dangerous. Wouldn’t you agree?”
