Chapter 10
Lagina
“You’re goingto wear a path into the marble,” Argus said.
I shot him a glare, but continued pacing. The waiting was driving me insane. I walked over to my desk where Ara’s letter was weighed down with two small rocks. It had been two days since she sent word that Drakous had fallen and she should be here by now.
A knock sounded on the door and I spun toward the sound, my skin prickling as anxiety dripped down my spine. My sisters wouldn’t knock. Only one of the guards would knock.
I waited, lifting my chin in a false show of dominance so whoever was on the other side wouldn’t see the worry I’d been displaying seconds ago.
Argus opened the door and murmured a gruff greeting to the guard on the other side. He closed it quickly, their exchange too quiet for me to hear. When he faced me, my heart fell into my stomach. I knew that look. “Just tell me. Who is it? Who do we have to mourn next?”
“Nobody is dead,” he assured me.
I sucked in a relieved breath.
“The Queen of Konos is here to see you.” His face was pale.
My brow furrowed. Had I heard incorrectly? That wasn’t possible. Why would she be here? “What?”
“She has requested to meet with you and she came with Selena of the Black Opal,” he added. “Selena said the queen comes with pure intentions.”
“Do you think it’s a trick?” I asked.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure. I’ll support you, whichever way you want to take this.”
“Where is she?”
“Throne room. Alone.”
“Weapons?” I asked, even though I knew she’d have magic she could use against me.
“She’s unarmed.”
There was a good chance I was already living on borrowed time. “Let’s find out what she wants.”
The guards outside my study fell into step behind me as I made my way to the throne room. I’d avoided having formal meetings in the space. It was a place my father had enjoyed using to assert dominance. It was also the place he’d died. Devoured by the magical darkness the Prince of Konos could wield.
At first, there was a sense of mourning about the space. Now, I wasn’t sure what I felt anymore. The lies and secrets had a way of pushing through the good memories that swirled in my mind. I couldn’t think of one without the other. It was too much to sort through with everything else at stake.
I hesitated in front of the doors, the single guard stationed outside them watching me for a signal to let me in. Once, there’d been several guards here at all times, even when it wasn’t in use. It was another reminder of how far we’d fallen. How weak Athos was. If everyone else failed, we had no hope.
With that reminder, I nodded to the guard, and he opened the heavy door. If the queen of Konos was sent to kill me, perhaps it would be quicker than the death that was likely waiting for me once this war came to a close.
I swept in with false authority, trying to channel as much of my father’s movements as I could. Without turning to face the Konos queen, I glanced her way, taking her in out of the corner of my eye as I made my way to the massive, gilded throne.
She was dressed in a flowing green peplos, a gold circlet sitting atop her silver hair. Her dark skin seemed to glow, that faint, shimmery quality I’d heard some fae possessed. It made me clench my jaw. Someone had told me that if you could see their magic, that was the only warning you’d get before they killed you. It was a sign of power.
The Fae Prince hadn’t had that quality, yet he’d leveled an entire battlefield.
What the fuck could this woman do?
I took my time easing into the throne, arranging my deep blue peplos around me, smoothing the fabric, keeping my gaze down. Finally, when I was settled, I looked up and took in my guest.
She wore an indulgent smirk, as if she knew the game I was playing. With graceful movements, she swept into a deep bow. “Your highness, it is an honor to meet you.”
When she rose, I inclined my head in greeting. “Queen Aspasia, to what do I owe this great honor?”
She dropped the fabric she was holding in her hands, letting the dress drag along the floor as she moved closer to me. My guards marched forward, drawing swords. She lifted her hands in submission. “Fine. I’ll speak from here.”
I waited, keeping my expression impassive, working to maintain neutrality the entire time she moved despite the fear twisting in my gut. I knew she didn’t need to be closer to me to end me. Whatever gifts she had, they were powerful. If I was still alive, it was because she truly wanted to speak with me. At least for now.
“Stand down,” I commanded my guards.
Slowly, they lowered their weapons.
“Argus, you stay. The rest of you can wait outside. I’ll summon you if needed.” I waved my hand at the bewildered guards, but they obeyed, filing out of the room with confused backward glances.
Once the door was closed, I stood, then descended the stairs of the dais, moving closer to the queen. She regarded me with curiosity, as if I were something new she’d never seen before. Perhaps I was the first human she’d interacted with.
“You can speak freely in front of him,” I lifted my chin toward Argus. “Tell me why you’re actually here.”
“You’re smarter than they give you credit for. Especially for your age. The King of Konos seems to think you’ll bend like a reed in a storm. Snapping with ease.” She drew out the s, adding a hissing quality to her speech.
“I’m young, but I’m not stupid. We both know how often women are underestimated,” I replied.
“That we do,” she agreed.
I waited, giving her time to reveal the nature of her visit. Several heartbeats passed before she took another step closer. Argus’s hand tightened on the hilt of his sword, but he didn’t remove the weapon.
“The King of Konos has taken Drakous,” she said.
“I already know that.”
“He will come for you next.” She made an amused sound. “But it’s not his time to shine. It’s mine.”
I lifted a brow. “Are you threatening me?”
“Oh, no, I’m here to offer an alliance. An actual alliance. Between the humans and the fae. Because when he falls, I will reclaim what I’ve lost. The Court of Vipers will be the most powerful fae court, and I’ve been patiently waiting to watch Konos burn.”
“I’m listening…” I gestured toward the door. “Would you like some tea? We can continue this conversation in my study.”
Aspasia nodded once, then followed me out of the throne room.
The guards silently followed us, doing better at hiding their expressions this time.
When we reached the study, I sent for tea before settling into one of the chairs in the sitting area. The enemy queen sat across from me, looking completely at ease on the couch. She was a stunning, composed woman. Every move she made was precise and graceful. My mother would have loved her.
“I’d love to hear more about your thoughts for this alliance between our kingdoms,” I started.
“It’s simple, really. You and I are not at war. I have no concern about how humans choose to live their lives, and honestly, you’re no danger to us. Unless the magic you liberated begins to show in humans, though even if it does, I imagine we have a long while before it would be a threat.” She leaned back against the cushion and crossed her legs.
“I have no quarrel with you or your people. I will not allow more sacrifices or other signs of fealty. You are offering a true peace? Not subjection?”
“I have no desire to waste my time on human politics,” she waved her hand dismissively.
I frowned, not missing her derisive tone. We were nothing to the fae. “If you’ll be taking over the Court of Vipers, what will happen to Konos?”
“I don’t care what happens to them. I have sat by, taking the false title of queen from a man who used me to forge alliances and gain my people’s power. After what he did to his mate, I had no choice. The only power I had was to resist the marriage vows. Which means once he is dead, I am no longer bound to Konos, and neither is my daughter.”
“What about the prince?” I saw Ara and Ryvin, my chest tightening with anxiety at the thought of anything happening to her. I was still new to the concept of a mating bond, but I knew Ara was connected to him in a way she couldn’t control. I hated that for her.
“He won’t be a problem. The gods are already coming for him and his stolen magic,” she said.
“What do you mean?”
She lifted her brows. “You don’t know?”
The knock on the door made us both turn, and the conversation ceased while a servant set a tray with tea and honey cakes on the table between us. Once the door was closed, we sat quietly for a moment, neither of us reaching for the refreshments.
“Explain what you were talking about,” I said, finally breaking the silence. “What is going on with the Fae Prince?”
“He stole your sister’s magic. If the rumors are true, she was even more powerful than him. And just like his father, he took all that power for himself.”
Heat roared, and I could feel my cheeks flush. Ara never told me the details about what she meant when she’d said she had no magic anymore. “More powerful than him?”
“Isn’t it always how it goes? Doesn’t seem to matter where you come from. Men see us as a threat and find a way to chain us, to dull our shine, to use our gifts for themselves. The king needed me because my court wouldn’t rebel against him if I was by his side.” She leaned forward and poured the tea into two cups, then slid one toward me.
“Tell me more.” I took the offered cup.
She took a tentative sip, then set her cup back on the table. Then she told me how the Fae King had stolen his mate’s power. How Ryvin had done the same to Ara. I listened, jaw tense, taking in everything that had been kept from me. How much of this did my father know? Was the power the Fae King held the reason Athos bowed to them so easily?
“Then he set his sights on all the fae courts,” she explained. “It was join him or be destroyed. With the power of Nyx, and a son who could kill hundreds without touching them, we didn’t stand a chance. I was young, but I knew I could save my people. I agreed to be his consort in exchange for protection. He thought we folded, but we’re nearly immortal. We can be very patient.”
I was impressed by her foresight. And a little terrified. She was definitely better to have as an ally. “The only problem with this is that it all rides on the defeat of the Fae King. He’s already taken Drakous. How could we possibly stop him?”
“For starters, I have allies who will follow me once I give the word. Plus, there’s his sorceress,” Aspasia said. “You take her down, and everything falls apart.”