Chapter 47 - Lennox
LENNOX
Verbial was quiet, despite the havoc their army was causing back at our camp.
Those fucking traitors.
I had trusted them too easily.
We never should have come and asked for their assistance. We should have left Bergan Hale out of it.
But I had tried to be a queen who put her personal opinions aside. Just because he was terrible to Declan didn’t mean to couldn’t be helpful in this war.
Turns out I was wrong.
Astria’s tits I would kill the male. I would delight in watching the light leave his eyes.
My list of people I wanted to kill was getting longer and longer each day but he moved himself to the top.
Something like this was bound to happen eventually, I just never imagined it would happen this way.
Being openly betrayed.
Maybe I shouldn’t have commanded him to join us. Forced him to bow to Declan’s wills. Perhaps that could have prevented this fucking disaster.
But as Luka would remind me, there was no use in thinking about what ifs, it would only deepen my spiral. I had a feeling the Twilight Court would have reacted the same way no matter what I said or did.
They were never going to be on our side; I should have realized that from the start.
The guards greeted us at the palace, their faces not betraying anything as they took Zola’s reins from Luka. Nico and Kara remained in the woods outside the city; they would come looking for us in an hour if we didn’t return. We weren’t leaving anything up to chance this time.
“We’re here to see King Leone,” Luka announced.
“He is not expecting you.”
“Who is he to refuse the High King and Queen?” I looped my arm through Luka’s and raised my chin.
The guard’s lips fell into a thin line. “Of course, Your Majesties, please, follow me.”
We followed the guards into the palace. Nothing appeared out of place; everything appeared the same as it was yesterday when we sat in this very room.
Before they had betrayed us.
“Your Majesties, you have visitors.”
“Visitors, who—” King Leone paused when he noticed Luka and I, his brows raising as he stood from the dinner table. His wife remained seated, setting down her fork and placing her hands in her lap.
“Lennox, Luka, what an unexpected surprise.”
“Isn’t that the theme of the day,” Luka muttered so only I could hear him.
“We’re here to inquire why your army didn’t show up at our camp this morning.”
Leone set his napkin on the table as his brows knitted together. “What do you mean?”
“Your army never showed up to our camp.”
“That’s impossible. Captain Hale set out with them this morning, I saw them off myself.”
Uneasiness curled in my gut. Either King Leone was a hell of a good liar, or Bergan Hale was a bigger snake than we anticipated.
“How much do you trust Captain Hale?”
Viona slid deeper into her chair as Leone opened and closed his mouth. I released my sword from its sheath. “Answer my fucking question.”
The guards in the room stood at attention, their hands going to their weapons. “I am your High Queen,” I reminded the room.
“I—I trust Bergan greatly.”
“But he often takes control when he shouldn’t.” Queen Viona’s voice was stronger than I anticipated. She stood, staying by her chair as all attention turned to her. “Sometimes you would think he is king, not Leone.”
Her eyes met mine, there was a glimmer of fear, of hesitancy in her voice, but she stood tall.
“So it would not be uncharacteristic of him to lead an attack on my people instead of coming to aid us in this war?”
“No.” Leone braced his hand on the back of his chair. “He wouldn’t.”
“You know he would, Leone.” Viona fisted her napkin in her hand.
“I can confirm, the bastard fucking would.” Luka’s voice rang out in the silent room.
“Imagine my surprise when a commander came to tell me the Twilight Court army had arrived, but not to aid us, but were fighting against us. Captain Declan Hale sent us here, to sort out this miscommunication while he continues to lead our army in a battle against yours.”
“I am sorry Your Majesties, I had no idea.” Panic took over Leone’s face as the words stumbled out. “I swear I had no idea.”
“I wish I could believe you, I really wish I could.” I put my sword back in its sheath. “But you must understand, Leone, we were betrayed by your court, I’m not at liberty to take any more chances while your army is killing my people.” Leone’s hands trembled, but he nodded.
“Take him to the dungeon.” Leone fell to his knees, mumbling incoherently as he stared at the ground.
“You will receive a fair trial after this war is over. I promise you that.” I slid my gaze to Viona.
“You, however, have not given me a reason not to trust you. I appreciate your honesty. Can I entrust you to watch over the Twilight Court while your husband is indisposed?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Thank you.”
“Don’t make me regret it.” I didn’t think I would. I saw it in her the first moment I laid eyes on her. She was nothing but a decoration at her husband’s side, she had no power, no voice, no say here. I wanted to see what would happen when she was given the opportunity to have all those things.
Would she crumble or would she soar?
King Leone still knelt at our feet, mumbling to himself as he wrung his hands.
“Why are you not taking him?” Did no one in this court know how to take direction?
I looked around at the guards lining the room. “Any time now.” Finally, they moved into action, unsheathing their swords as they made their way to Leone.
“Lennox.” Luka removed his sword from its sheath, its whine echoing in the dining room.
I gripped the pommel of my blade as the guards circled closer.
Their eyes weren’t on Leone; they were on us.
We had walked into another fucking trap. Of course we had.
I met Luka’s gaze out of the corner of my eye. “Time to shed some more blood, Sweetheart.” He threw me a wink and I jumped into action.
My blade met the first guard’s chest before she could even raise her sword.
Her blood splattered the white floor as her form slumped to the ground.
Viona screamed, but I paid her no attention as another guard came for me.
I met their blade with my own. Gritting my teeth against the blow, I pushed back, causing them to stumble over the body of the first guard.
I fell to the ground on top of him, knocking his sword from his hand before my fist met his face. I was so focused on the feeling of my knuckles hitting flesh I almost didn’t see the next guard as they hurled for me.
I reached out my arms to block them as they tumbled on top of me, throwing me to the ground.
My head smacked against the floor. I let out a scream of fury as the guard reached for my neck.
I called my magic to my fingertips, throwing out a ball of air to push him off me, he flew across the floor, his head hitting the ground with a thud, rendering him unconscious. I quickly stood, searching for my sword discarded on the ground.
“I’d stop if I were you.”
“You’ve got to be fucking kidding me.” My voice sliced across the room. “I should have known.”
I should have fucking known it was Adreona behind all this.
“If you hadn’t cut my visit so short this morning, none of this would have had to happen.”
“You keep making a habit of killing innocent people to get what you want, that doesn’t exactly make us want to cooperate with you.” Luka’s voice was hard as he spoke.
“If you listen now, I promise not to kill anyone else…today.”
“We have no reason to trust you.”
“Guards.” I reached for my sword but stopped when I realized she wasn’t directing them to us but to Leone and Viona.
“Put your weapons down or they die. I only want to talk.”
“Not a fucking chance,” I growled.
“Kill him.”
The guard’s sword slid through King Leone’s chest before I could move.
Viona screamed, her body going slack in the guard’s arms.
“Cooperate or she dies too.”
Tears streaked down Viona’s face as she sobbed, her body convulsing as blood dripped from her husband’s lips.
Ever so slowly, I set my sword on the ground. Luka followed suit as I kept my eyes trained on Adreona.
“Now, let me explain how this is going to work. Keziq needs your memory Lennox, the one of the pages you ripped out.”
“I will not let that bitch into my mind again.”
“See, that’s where we have our problem. Since you refused this morning, I had to find another way to motivate you. Imagine my surprise when I came across an army, marching to meet you this morning after you attacked us.”
“You forget you attacked us first.”
Adreona waved a hand. “Semantics.”
“It took little convincing on my side to turn their Captain to turn against you.” She smiled, cold and cruel.
Bergan, that fucking bastard. I knew it.
“Although I hadn’t anticipated you coming here, I do say this is much more convenient for me. You walked right into my little trap.”
“What do you want?” Luka grit out.
“I want Lennox’s memory.”
“Anything else, you can take anything else.”
“Luka don’t,” I warned.
“Anything else, hmm.” Adreona smiled, tapping a finger on her chin. “Even you?”
The guards took Luka’s arms and pushed him forward. Panic crawled up my throat.
“No!” I reached for him, but the guards were faster. They were on me, trying to hold me back as I thrashed in their arms.
“Careful, Lennox,” she all but purred. “Or his blood will spill.”
I stopped my assault on the guards. I refused to let her take anything more from me. To let her hurt another person I loved.
“Take the memory. Take my memory!” I let the words slip out before I could regret them.
Adreona’s eyes gleamed.
“Lennox, no, don’t let her have it.” Luka pushed against the guard’s hold.
“I won’t risk you.”
“You promised me, you promised me you would start choosing yourself.” The hurt lining his voice sent a fissure through my heart.
“Not like this. Not like this, Luka. Please.”
“Let me do this for you.” He turned to Adreona. “I saw the page too. Let the witch into my mind, but she will not go back into Lennox’s.”
“No, Luka.”
“Fine.” Adreona agreed. “Keziq!”
“No.” Tears tracked down my cheeks, I couldn’t stop them now. I knew the pain Keziq’s magic inflicted. I wouldn’t wish it upon anyone. I wouldn’t let him do this. Not for me. My magic pushed against my skin as tears tracked down my cheeks.
Keziq slipped in the door behind Adreona, a small cruel smile painted on her face. She would not get away with this.
The guards pushed Luka to his knees as Keziq rounded behind him. I would not let her hurt me again.
Keziq placed her fingers on Luka’s temples. “This will hurt a lot.”
I tore my arms from the guards hold and whipped out with my magic, spearing a wave of air toward Keqiz.
My magic knocked her backward. She swore as she fell. “You little bitch.”
The guards at my sides leapt into action, I ducked under the arch of their swords, sliding on the ground and kicking my feet out.
I caught the legs of one of the guards, they fell to the ground with a grunt.
I reached for my sword, my hand closing around the pommel.
That’s when Luka started screaming.