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“Quiet down, please!” Grayson roars, making my lips twitch as everyone gasps. The man has a big voice to go along with that big dick of his.

Stepping forward, I watch as three Underground members ensure to stand near me. One of them is Noe, and I incline my head toward him.

The street has been closed down, and I wonder how many of them would be willing to join me in service to the queen. Our military presence is nonexistent now, after all.

“Thank you for coming out so late,” I tell them. I’m still self conscious about my voice, but it’s part of me now. “There are things tonight that need to be addressed, and I know most of you know the name Drizella Tremaine as one who is always in trouble. Unfortunately, perception isn’t the truth.”

Three of the members of the press hang their heads in shame, knowing I speak the truth. My arrest wasn’t even real, but so many of my life events have been twisted for the pleasure of the press.

“I have been a victim most of my life, my mother and Cinder have never been kind to me. The queen attempted to sell me to someone as his wife, but I refused, so I was arrested for prostitution.” The gasps dramatically fill the air, but Grayson clears his throat so they’ll stop. “It’s difficult to commit prostitution if you’re a virgin, wouldn’t you say?”

“The point is, the last year and a half of my life have been some of the hardest of my life. I have seen exactly how cruel the queen is, she has had me raped and beaten, all for her own enjoyment. Tonight, she was willing to let King Charming rape me so he could impregnate me with an heir,” I explain. “Please hold your questions to the end, as I’m not finished yet.”

“I am done being the victim, so your now dead king lies somewhere within the castle,” I tell them, my voice rising. “King Charming has two heirs he refuses to recognize from his sister. Lauryn is his older sister, and was married off when she was fourteen. Does anyone remember her?”

They all shake their heads, but an older man raises his hand. “I do, Miss Tremaine,” he announces, raising his hand. “She was always so quiet, with midnight black hair, and blue eyes. Her parents were very protective of her, and it was said there may have been something wrong with her. My mother worked as a maid at the castle, and saw her often.”

“There was nothing wrong with my mother,” Kenzo snaps. Ignoring the surprise he’s created, he continues. “Growing up, they thought she had panic disorder, but it may have been something else. Large groups of people made her uncomfortable, so my grandparents did what they could for her. She was married off when she was fourteen to a man who offered his naval fleet, and moved to the island of Naroi. The heirs to the throne were lost after that.”

“How are you here now? Is she alive?” the old man asks tearfully.

“She is. My mother stole me away because the man she married was abusive, and then gave me to an orphanage. It was safer for us to be apart. She had one more child, doing the same with him. Mom is in a facility for dementia now. She did her best by us,” Kenzo explains. “Paranoia keeps one alive when the King wants you dead.”

“So there are two true heirs,” the old reporter says, shaking his head. “How will that work now that the king is dead?”

“I don’t want the crown, and Queen Cinder murdered my brother tonight in cold blood,” Kenzo says. “Your queen also is dead as well, as I took her life as my revenge, though nothing can change his death. I am also the leader of the Underground, and my mission in life is to find you a true queen, one worthy of the crown. Silla knows all the ins and outs of the kingdom, the treaties, and the people’s plights. My name is Kenzo Monroe, but I am abdicating my claim to the throne so Silla can be the queen we all need.”

“I’ve been sequestered for much of my life.” I sigh. “I had no idea initially how terribly hard everything was for people in the kingdom, but it has weighed on me. I want to update how food is produced, create more jobs for people, and make Forbach a good place to live in. Queen Cinder’s bloody reign is over.”

“You’re a child,” a reporter scoffs. “What life experience do you have to be able to serve as our queen?”

“Plenty, you bloody oaf,” Kinsley, the duchess, states, surprising me. “Sorry to jump in, Your Majesty, but may I be of assistance?”

“Please,” I tell her, trying to find my balance. Last I heard, she had gone home to the west coast, which is a four hour drive.

“After my conversation this morning with the king, I had a feeling things were going to take a turn.” she sighs. “I’m sorry I couldn’t warn anyone.”

Kinsley stares at Kenzo as she says this, and I realize they’ve been working together.

“You all know who I am. Queen Cinder asked to speak to me last week, demanding a divorce from the king. She couldn’t explain exactly why, but she was adamant. I asked for a meeting with her advisor, and she stated Drizella was up for the role,” Kinsley explains.

I fight off a shiver as I remember that day.

“This young woman knows the ins and outs of our kingdom. She also understands the worst of what Forbach is, as she has experienced it,” she continues. “I am throwing in my approval. We can reevaluate in ten months, no sooner. The coronation of our new queen will occur in three days. This will give us time to bury our dead. A stomach bug has attacked the castle and the staff have been fighting it off the last few days. I’m just lucky it didn’t affect me since I was just there recently.”

She really does know more than I expected. I make a note to ask Kenzo about this later, though it’s one of many things on my list of things to do.

A reporter raises his arm, and I glance at Kenzo. If he tells me this man is an asshole, I will refuse his question. Instead, he nods, and I wait to judge for myself.

“Forbach Sentinel here, Jessy Peril. No one has heard anything about you in over a year since you were pinched for your crimes,” he begins. I arch my eyebrow at him, causing him to flush. “I mean, alleged crimes. Crimes which were pinned on you. Was that the Queen’s doing?”

“Yes, I refused to marry someone who was almost three times my senior. Cinder wanted me out of the kingdom, and since she couldn’t have that, she had me remanded into the reform camp,” I explain. His quizzical look makes me glance at Grayson who sighs heavily. Cinder has kept a great many secrets from her people. “After that, she kept me locked in the dungeon along with my consorts.”

I want to make it clear to everyone that the twins, Sidney, Isaac, Grayson, and Kenzo are around to stay. Kinsley’s fingers twitch, but wisely, she doesn’t say a word. It’s a bit different from the norm to take more than one lover as queen, but I don’t care. If the people of Forbach can live in polyamorous relationships, then so can I.

“Wow,” Jessy breathes. “All of this time our queen has been hurting you? We never asked about you…”

“I was the party girl who was constantly in trouble. I wouldn’t expect it.” I shrug. “Most of what is printed by the press about me is incorrect. I would hope from here on out we can work together to rebuild Forbach to what it can be. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I need a shower and to burn this dress.”