Chapter 51 #2
There’s a moment of heavy silence as they weigh me and my threat. I do my best not to waver under their piercing stares. Petre finally speaks. “You will have also lied though, which means you, too, will be charged with treason.”
“Then you will deal with me,” Fabia says, rising as she smiles.
“Nicholas and I have married. And you can damn well bet that I will execute every single one of you. I will execute your entire family. All your friends. I will surrender our lands to the Okahi, Alzans, and Jokeni. I will sell the rest of Raza into slavery.” She pauses, her eyes sweeping around the twelve Dragons.
“And if you think, I will not sacrifice this whole fucking forest to avenge Arienna” –her eyes land on Petre– “you are wrong.”
The room buzzes with a cold rage from both sides.
My fingers itch to reach for Richard’s hand, but I force them to stay still.
Evangeline told me that any small movement, any glance away from the Court will signal a weakness.
If they find out that I’m not the crazy psycho they think I am after I stabbed Stephanie, this whole thing will fall apart.
Leaning forwards, Coo sneers at me. “There is no way you could pull that off without being stopped by FI-9. Your little bluff is… cute.” Her words drip with venom. “But you will never be anything but a brownie.”
“I am the queen of Raza,” I say, lifting my chin. “And I have already pulled ‘that’ off. When’s the last time any of you talked to your seconds?”
Dragons Coo and Chi push to their feet, their palms slamming down on the table. “Where are our daughters?” they both roar.
“Safe. For now. If,” I say, my heart hammering, “you agree to drop all charges against my king.”
“Being royalty does not make you above the law,” Petre says.
“Nor does being on the Court. I have been informed by the head of FI-9 that one or more of you are traitors to the crown. Richard knew that the day of the vote, so he did what he thought he had to to protect Raza’s queen.
If you force him to honour that, you are all complicit in blackmail and aiding and abetting a terrorist.” I swallow, hoping they can’t tell I’m sweating like crazy.
Evangeline did her best to coach me on what to say and how to say it, but she isn’t here, and at our last session, I’m pretty sure she muttered, “He’s so going to die. ”
“Release my daughter,” Dragon Coo growls, “or we will order him to be executed the day after your coronation.”
Petre glances at her coldly but doesn’t go against her, and I start to panic. Evangeline told me that the only one I’d have to sway is her mother. The rest will fall in line now that Tanya is dead.
“Then I’ll kill every single one of your seconds,” I lie.
“And I’ll start with your daughter, Coo.
” I giggle. “Then yours, Chi.” More laughter breaks free as I look at the two seething Dragons.
“Because Evangeline’s right.” Raising my hand, I point at them.
“There’s something really fishy about you too.
” I laugh so hard I snort. “And I don’t think it’s your vaginas because they would have to be used to smell fishy, and something tells me, no one wants to have sex with you.
Though, I’m just saying –” I’m laughing so hard, my face hurts.
“You might want to try it to get that stick out of your ass. Though maybe…” I wheeze.
“Don’t try anal.” I press a hand to my stomach.
“Or it’ll shove that stick so far up you that it pops out of your mouth.
Which sounds like a great way… for me to kill…
your daughters. With a stick up their butt, not by me fucking them.
” I laugh as I look at my king. “Even though I need to practice my pegging.” I wink.
“But we’re… we’re…” Buggers, what’s the word?
“Mongolians!” I shout triumphantly as I snap my fingers.
“So what’s it going to be?” I demand as I point at the lot of them.
Coo and Chi look at me in horror. Petre’s lips tighten, but Bailey looks as if she’s trying not to laugh along with me. I smile at her.
“Those sex toys I gave you really helped you, huh?” I ask cheerfully.
She coughs. But then she gives the smallest nod.
I beam.
No one else does. Not even her.
“King Morningstar,” Petre says stiffly, “made a deal, and he broke it.”
“Right.” I head for the door. “I’m off to go torture –”
“However,” she continues, stopping me in my tracks. I spin back around to face her, my heart pounding with hope.
“As the receiver of this deal, I have decided to change it should he so wish, as is my right.”
“To what?” Richard asks warily.
My heart in my throat, I struggle to breathe.
“Release the hostages –”
“Deal!” I shout, jumping for joy.
“Your Majesty,” Petre says, not looking at me. “The deal is not yours to accept.”
Spinning to face my husband, I grab his arm and shake it. “Tell her yes, Richard. Tell her yes.”
His lips twitch. “I accept.”
“Then upon the release of our seconds, your deal with us will be done.”
“I’ll release them now!” I screech. After giving Richard a quick peck on the lips, I race for the door. Then skid to a stop in order to walk regally.
Evangeline told me I needed to keep my cool the entire way through.
Once out in the hall, though, I throw a fist into the air and do a little dance. Ahhhh! I just knew everything would be fine!
And now I get to save my king.