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Lar Guna grimaced and obeyed, his eyes watering as he lifted his leg and hopped, his sword belt jangling.

“Stop.”

He stopped.

“Lower your hand from your face.”

With a whimper, he did as he was told.

The room was quiet as a tomb, shock and terror on every face.

I am not my father, to murder in cold blood.

But I couldn’t be weak, either. Not anymore. The crown was too heavy. It had crushed my father. It wouldn’t crush me. Not because I was strong enough to bear its weight. I wasn’t. But unlike my sire, I didn’t have to bear it alone.

And I was done hiding. Finished pretending.

“The South invaded more than our capital, Artur,” I told Lar Guna. “Its poison has infected your mind. However, you’re correct about one thing. Nor Doru will no longer cower in this village.” I looked at Captain Drago. “Are your men prepared to take Lar Katerin today?”

“On your command, Your Grace.”

Yes. The anger liked that.

“Lord Lar Guna will ride with us. I want him to have a front-row seat as we enter the city.”

“Consider it done, Your Grace. Lord Lar Guna won’t miss a thing.”

Oh yes. The anger liked that too.

Chapter Fourteen

VARICK

Laurent was difficult to talk to when he was angry.

I’d never seen him this angry.

I stared at him across the lawn. He stood alone, swathed in black and throwing off enough menace to disturb the air around him. My knights gave him a wide berth as they saddled their horses. The lords of the Council shot him anxious looks, no doubt wondering if they would suffer the same fate as Lar Guna.

Laurent had yet to release the latter from the bly’ad. Until Laurent did, Lar Guna was bound to obey Laurent’s every command or suffer escalating agony.

Lar Guna sat stone-faced atop his horse, his shoulders hunched and his fingers tight on the reins.

I looked at Laurent. “Do you have a plan for invading the city?”

He turned his head toward me. At the same moment, Given descended the steps of the manor house. A fur-trimmed cloak circled her shoulders. The tip of Avenor’s sword peeked from under the heavy fabric.

Laurent said something to her.

She stopped and frowned.

Oh no.

Laurent stepped toward her. His frown deepened, and now his voice carried across the lawn. “…absolutely not. I won’t compromise on this.”

Given lifted her chin. Around the lawn, knights stopped what they were doing and stared.

“Go inside, halfling,” I said in Given’s mind as I strode toward her. “I’m on my way.”