Chapter 6
Chapter Six
Basil
Basil hated having to go to the monarchs with bad news.
Someone usually ended up dead.
He nervously adjusted the lacey bow at his throat and swallowed hard.
You can do this. You’ve done it before, old boy.
His heart thundered as he briskly walked toward the towering amber thrones at the end of the massive room, each of his heels clicking a bit too loudly against the pristine floor.
The steward executed a perfect bow, making sure to stoop extra low.
It never hurt to grovel.
“You may rise,” King Randa said in an annoyed, short tone.
Basil inwardly winced. He’d spent many years in the employ of the crown, and one thing he’d learned was that the king only used that tone when the queen was cross with him. And if the queen was cross, then surely many were to die.
Gods, please help me.
He slowly straightened and smiled at his two monarchs, the curve of his lips feeling brittle like it might break and fall from his face at any point. He curled his fingers into his palms and tried to keep them from shaking.
“Well?” the king drawled, arching an auburn eyebrow at him.
A shiver ran down the steward’s spine.
Basil hadn’t dared to look at the queen, yet he felt her gaze upon him like a thousand skittering spiders. He hid his shudder and forced himself to stand tall.
Just say the words.
His tongue felt heavy as he spoke in a rush, “It has reached me that the Loriian king has fallen dangerously ill.”
Silence met his statement.
“Ill?” the queen hissed. “He’s not dead?”
The steward suppressed his instinct to back away from the dais. Showing any weakness would get him killed.
Basil nodded once, his fingernails biting into his palms. While he thought it unwise to breathe such murderous words out loud since someone was always listening, the king and queen had no such compunctions. In their minds, no one would ever betray them.
Haven’t you already?
He locked that thought down. Now was not the time to unravel. Basil just had to keep it together for a little while longer.
“No, Your Majesty. The frost giant king is alive, but barely.”
The moment those words fell from Basil’s lips, the king exploded from his throne and tossed his hands up into the air.
Basil watched uneasily as the king prowled like an enraged lion across the dais.
“That wretched girl failed us. I knew this was a bad idea, but you pointed me in that direction,” the king shouted, his voice echoing in the green marble vaulted ceiling.
He stabbed a finger at his wife. “This is your doing.”
The steward mentally winced.
Turning blame on the queen never worked for anyone, including the king. While Randa frequently threw large temper tantrums, the queen never outwardly lost her temper. She grew silent and calculating and malicious. She was like a venomous snake waiting to strike.
The air seemed to change as the queen turned her face to stare down the king.
Basil wanted to run for the hills at the glint in her gaze.
Just breathe. Don’t remind them you’re here.
Basil’s heart stuttered when she gave her husband a cold amused smile, the edges of her lips sharp like the tip of a blade.
“Are you saying this is my fault?” she asked, her tone a little too sweet so that even King Randa had the good sense to pause his pacing and drop his pointing finger. He sat slowly on his throne once again.
The king knew what kind of creature he’d married.
Tread carefully, Randa.
“Never, my dear,” the king said slowly, backpedaling.
“I’m just angry. That girl was meant to destabilize the Loriian throne so that we could seize mines and land that were stolen from us, not start an all-out war.
” Randa pulled on his curly auburn hair.
“Need I remind you that if he doesn’t die and it is revealed what we have done . . . we could lose everything.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” The queen sighed, her piercing hazel gaze latching onto Basil. He almost took a step back at the hate and malevolence in her eyes. “The girl . . . where is she?”
The steward swallowed hard, wishing he didn’t have to utter the words. “In the wind, Your Majesty.”
Dread pooled in his stomach when her smile grew a touch wider.
Queen Allium held her hand out and seemed to be absently admiring the gems adorning her fingers.
“No, she is not. People like her are predictable. She will attempt to reunite with her family. That will make her easy to find.” She chuckled.
“I have a feeling she will come right to us.”
Basil sagged a little when she turned her attention once again on the king. “Send your . . . slumlord for her brother and her mother.”
“And once we have them?”
Basil held his breath.
“We will kill them and blame Loriia. Our people will rally for their princess.”
“I thought we didn’t want all-out war,” Randa said tightly.
“True, but we’ll just have to put our second plan into place. That girl was just the first move.” She laughed—the sound so sinister, goosebumps rose on Basil’s arms. “If the king survives, he’ll be so busy fighting his own people that we’ll take the border swiftly.”
The steward gritted his teeth, hating that he needed to speak up. He bowed low once again. “Forgive me, Your Majesties, but our soldiers have not been compensated for many months.” His words hung in the air for a second.
“They should be proud to fight for their kingdom,” Randa snapped.
Basil slowly straightened to find Queen Allium studying him. “Our dear steward is right, my dear. Our world is one of coin.”
The queen wasn’t wrong. But how would they pay the soldiers? It was true that the Loriians had given them part of the dowry, but he knew that Randa had been draining the coffers on gambling and whores. Going to war would truly bankrupt the kingdom.
Allium clicked her nails against the arm of her amber throne. “Do you know what is better than coin?” she mused.
“What?” Randa asked, exasperation in his tone.
“Greed and hope.” She leaned forward, her gaudy emerald dress rustling with the movement. “We give our men something to fight for. A stake in the mines.”
Basil blinked slowly.
The soldiers were desperate. If they were given the opportunity to own part of the mines, to fight for something that was theirs, that offered a brighter future than their prospects were now . . . It just might work.
It was brilliant, really.
They’d be so busy trying to fight for their stake in the mines, they’d forget all about what was owed to them.
Part of Basil felt sick at the little glimmer of awe he felt at the scheme.
King Randa reached out and took the queen’s hand in his own. He kissed her fingers. “You are magnificent.”
“I know.”
They shared a heated look that made the steward a little queasy.
Time for him to go.
He bowed and began backing away.
“Wait.”
Basil froze at the queen’s voice.
He slowly met her gaze. “Yes, my queen?”
“We have the advantage of surprise. Send our troops out to meet our princess at the border, will you?”
“Your Majesty?” His mind scrambled to catch up. Had he missed something? Was Dahlia not lost?
“I don’t want to wait to catch Dahlia. Too much is at stake.
” Allium stood from her throne and floated down the stairs, green silk rippling around her legs.
“I have someone who will pass well enough for the princess.” Her smile widened.
“Plus, no one will really be able to identify her once she’s mangled enough. ”
Bile burned the back of Basil’s throat.
The queen was going to kill an innocent.
“As you wish, my queen.” The words were forced and left him hollow.
Allium held her hand out to Randa and wiggled her fingers. “Shall we have a bit of sport before we take back what is ours, my dear?”
King Randa scampered down the stairs, looping his queen’s arm through his own. “It would be my pleasure.”
Basil turned his back to the monarchs and forced himself not to run from the throne room.
There was much to arrange in very little time.
The princess needed to be protected at all costs.
Dark days were ahead, and she was the only one who could save them from what was coming. Basil hadn’t made all the sacrifices he had just to watch his plan go down in flames.
The steward squared his shoulders.
The time had come.
Randa and Allium needed to be dealt with before the frost giants descended upon Astera like locusts.