33. The Queen’s Ire
~ MELEK ~
“It has been a difficult few months, so I am going to ignore the personal offence and address only the political,” my mate snapped.
At her side, Diadre stared up at her with the same, hungry eagerness to see her devour these men that Jann frequently gave me in times of conflict. I was glad my mate had such an ally.
“This man is not an enemy,” Yilan said sternly. “He is an asset. I was at his side—”
“Your Majesty, wake up! Your mind and body were intoxicated by a calculating, seductive foe who has clouded your vision and convinced you the sky is red.”
Everyone went still, and despite my rage, my heart sank. He was only giving voice to fears all the men had.
Holy shit, they really didn’t see her, did they?
I was already shaking with the offense of their blindness towards her, ready to throw myself across the table and take the man by his collar and tell him we could finish this outside, when he took a step beyond.
“…Let those of us who have functioned as adults for more than five minutes explain that he has swayed you with sex and virility. But that is no reason for the entire Kingdom to open its legs to these creatures—”
“You go too far!” Yilan hissed .
Even Turo’s mouth dropped open and he gaped in horror at the man, at the same time three of the others shot to their feet with shouts of protest. But it was Yilan herself who swelled.
“All of you, sit down and shut your mouths,” she snapped as raised her chin regally then glared around the circle of men, all of whom were older, stronger, and more experienced in life and war.
Though you wouldn’t have known it by the sheer fury in her eyes as she stared each and every one of them down.
Pride swelled in my chest as I watched her gather herself and light a fire under their asses with her tongue.
“It is time to put an end to these rumors and to this prudish gossip.
For the final time, I was not seduced, I have not been raped, and any contact I have had with any man is entirely my choice to make.
It holds no bearing on my ability to rule rightly, and I will not hear another word about it!
I brought Melek to you not because of a childish crush—or any wartime romanticism.
I was not deceived or manipulated. I brought him to you because I know he is divinely appointed to rule.
Whether you can see that yet, or not, changes nothing.
I stood at his side when he believed me nothing but an enemy assassin and watched him handle a brutal, honorless people with integrity and strength.
“I watched him make choices at risk to himself because they would benefit others. I watched him lead in the manner we hold in highest regard. I saw that God Himself appointed General Handras to the salvation of our people, and others. I am not swayed by his age or experience. My ruler’s heart acknowledges a like mind and soul, and I brought him to you because it was the wisest fucking thing to do.
“This continent is under dire threat—without Melek at the helm, the Nephilim become sadistic tyrants who kill for fun and brutalize any that stand in their way. I lived among them and saw them deal with each other—none of you have done that.”
Turo and one of the younger men shifted in their seats, but didn’t speak up. Yilan didn’t miss it though. She cut off what she’d been about to say and turned on him.
“Do not undermine me with looks and subtle implication. Own your shit, Turo. I told you the truth of this, so put your prejudice aside and acknowledge the facts: Tell them what he did in your presence. Tell them the ways he saved me!”
Turo's eyes blazed. He rubbed his face like he didn't want to say the words on his tongue .
“Tell them who did the deceiving, Turo,” Yilan hissed. “Tell them who backed your choices when we were walking a tightrope to get out of there.”
Turo's jaw went tight. To my surprise, he looked at me, his eyes accusing, but also shadowed with something I think he didn't want me to see.
“He was... fighting to get you free,” Turo finally, reluctantly admitted. “He... he set us up to get you out of there, and... he helped cover our tracks.”
I felt the rush of relief in Yilan, though none of it showed on her face. She nodded and folded her arms.
“And who deceived whom?” she pushed.
I let my lips thin as Turo glanced at me again. “You... we deceived him. He had prepared to get you loose while he created a... diversion so your absence wouldn't be noticed.”
It hadn't been a diversion. I had fully intended to stand in judgment for Gault's death. But I appreciated that he wasn't shying from the truth any longer.
Yilan nodded again. “And who was it that manipulated and... and lied in those tense moments?” she asked, her eyes skating to mine, then away again.
“You. You manipulated him. You deceived him,” Turo said, the words low and hard like they were dragged out of his throat.
“He agreed with my plan to get you out of there, even when you argued against it. He worked for your freedom. It was our subterfuge that was deceptive. We took him from his people and imprisoned him here against his will.”
Yilan nodded once, tightly, then turned to the others.
“I will not hear again about the ways you think I’m childish.
I took that mission because it was my skill that was needed, and I was successful.
So everyone at this table needs to stop telling themselves that I have somehow been overwhelmed by anything but the need to keep our people safe. ”
“But… forgive me, Majesty, the roaring. Those of us who came for you, who witnessed… he claimed you before his people and—”
“It was a ruse,” I growled, though the younger man’s tone was far more worried than abrasive.
He met my eyes with the gleam of distaste, and I held that gaze, keeping my words firm.
“It was imperative for my people to believe she belonged to me—unless they did, she would be harmed when she was out of my presence. I placed my authority over her and in so doing, protected her from… unwanted at tention from the other males. Your Queen is strong, and my men need strong women with which to breed. She was becoming recognized as highly desirable and so… I made her unattainable.”
“Or, perhaps, gave unwanted att—”
“Enough!” Yilan shrieked, then closed her eyes and shook her head, fighting for her self control.
“Enough,” she repeated more quietly. When she opened her eyes, it was to stare at Turo, pleading in her eyes.
“You could stop this—you should. You know they’ll listen to you. And you were there. You know— ”
“They should listen to you,” I snarled. “Don’t make yourself smaller for these pompous pricks who—”
“I do not need your instruction on how to speak to my people!” she barked, whipping her head to glare at me.
I bristled, but pride in her softened my irritation, because she looked so damned beautiful, standing there, fighting to be heard. Though she shouldn’t need to.
Some of the others started to smile when she bit at me, but their smugness was quickly doused when she turned on them next.
“This discussion is over,” she said firmly, eyeing each of the men in turn.
“Melek Handras treated me with the respect and protection I would have expected from any of you.
And now he stands here willing to benefit both our nations to avoid war.
He holds honor that we would admire in anyone else, and I will do anything it takes to make use of him to the gain of the Shadekin.
“If you cannot accept that, perhaps I have insight you do not. If you can’t trust my judgment enough to even consider that I may have observed something you haven’t, then perhaps your time on my Council has come to an end. Perhaps it is time for me to look for new Advisors?”
I blinked and looked at her sharply. This wasn’t the time to create more upheaval! But Yilan had the bit in her teeth. She stood, while the rest of us sat, her eyes blazing with regal pride and rage.
“You gape like fools,” she muttered. The men blinked.
“You gape as if I have stunned you—yet if any of you were to take this stand, you’d expect the support of the others.
Well, so do I. We are walking a razor’s edge that takes us ever closer to war with a people who have proven their strength.
I know we have strength and weapons that our neighbors do not, but if you truly believe we cannot be defeated, I am not the blind fool in this room.
This is our one chance to walk through this season and emerge in peace.
This man who offers himself to your gain holds the hearts and minds of the strongest nation on earth. ”
“He is a General, not a ruler,” Wellhurst muttered.
Yilan glared at him. “For how long? I walked among them. I heard them—and so did you, Turo,” she added with a pointed look at the General. “You know as well as I do, if he had remained there, he would have taken the crown. Yet, now he offers to find a way to peace with us and you scoff.”
Turo sighed. “Because I don’t trust him.”
“I’m not asking you to trust him, I’m asking you to trust me,” she said through her teeth.
“I am not the fool that I have been painted in the past hour. And I am not out of touch. Wake up, men! Do you want to go to war with the Neph? Because if you do, you stand in opposition to your Queen. I am not afraid to walk to war, but I refuse to reach the end of this process and look back knowing I brought a solution that didn’t require slaughter, and yet you stood in the way.
So I say again: Stand with me, or walk away.
Because I will choose others to come into your place who can see my vision. ”
“That… won’t be necessary,” Turo said quickly, his face pale.
Yilan gave him a skeptical look, then turned to eye each of the men around the table again. The three younger all bowed their heads and muttered their loyalty. Turo nodded his agreement with them, so only the two gray-haired men remained sullen.
But when Yilan arched one brow, Hughes cleared his throat. “I see your point,” he said quietly, then turned and nodded to me. “I will listen and… consider the General’s words.”
“Wise choice,” Yilan said. Wellhurst’s lips twisted before he opened his mouth, but Yilan turned on him before he could speak.
“You’re too late. Gather your things. Return to your home.
You are retired, Sir. You will continue to draw a pension in recognition of your time served.
But I no longer believe that you hold my crown in the regard necessary for this position. Leave.”
Wellhurst’s jaw went slack, but Yilan only raised her chin higher. “I do not wish to make the guards escort you from the room, but I will if that is what it takes.”
The man blinked and his cheeks reddened. But he gathered his robes and got to his feet, turning to me as he pushed his chair away from the table. “I hold you responsible for the downfall of our nation, when it occurs,” he muttered.
I snorted the air from my nose and didn’t bother to reply .
Yilan acted as if the man no longer existed as he strode away from the table, snapping his robes and stalking for the door.
She turned back, as if to address the others again, but as Wellhurst yanked the door open, a servant woman hurried inside, eyeing the angry man warily as he shoved past her, then looking at Yilan as she entered the room.
Yilan caught sight of her and sighed. “Already?”
“I can carry a message if—”
“No, no, it’s fine. The later we begin, the later we all get to bed.
” Then Yilan turned back to the table. “I have duties for the Jubilee to attend. I trust you all will keep your honor. I need you working together for a solution, not… swordfighting in my absence,” she muttered, with a glance at me that made me jerk.
“I look forward to hearing how we might step forward together in the wake of this evening,” she said.
Then turned with a sweep of her gown and started out of the room.
And just like that, she was gone.
I blinked, both impressed and feeling cautious.
But when I turned back to the table, it was to find the men shifting in their seats and eyeing each other reluctantly.
I caught eyes with Turo and tipped my head in a question. “I’m willing to set aside my bone-deep loathing of you and work together for safety, if you’ll do the same.”
He gave me a flat look, then ran a hand over his face, before yanking at the cravat at his throat and unbuttoning his jacket.
“I believe the time has come to roll up our sleeves, brothers,” he said reluctantly. “Can someone order kafk? It’s going to be a long night.”
The youngest of the three young men darted out of his seat and trotted to the door, leaning out to mutter orders to a servant outside.
I took a deep breath, praying we could make some headway here as I followed Turo’s example, unbuttoning my jacket and pulling it off my shoulders. I knew when to reflect those I was trying to make allies.
I made myself stifle the smile that wanted to come when the men all turned to me, begrudging respect on their faces.
“You can speak and will be measured as… a man with honor,” Turo said reluctantly. “But do not let it embolden you. Our advice to the Queen will be for the gain of our people, not yours.”
I wanted to say that they were one and the same, but I only nodded. “I’d expect nothing less. Let’s get to it, then.”