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Behind them, her father stared dispassionately from his throne. “I see you brought our wedding gift, my bride.”

Tes’s heart tripped at those words, and she couldn’t prevent a quick glance at Selesta. Fortunately, the lady in question glaredat the king with unmasked hatred. “I will never marry you. I would die first.”

“Ah,” Ryenil said, a smirk curving his lips. “I see I’ll have to teach you proper behavior. Well, you won’t be the first one who has learned that lesson at my hand. Right, Tes?”

Burning red rage clouded her vision, and her palm stung from where she gripped the pommel of her sword. He dared to mock her mother’s pain? Her pain? Decades of abuse—centuries—all reduced to a taunt. It was intolerable.

Tes might have frozen in front of him before, but she wouldn’t again.

This time, she would kill him.

Chapter 58

Immobilized

“It’s time foryouto learn a lesson,” Tes said, taking a step forward. The handful of bodyguards who had managed to accompany them shifted with her. “You can only betray people for so long.”

Ryenil chuckled. “Is that so?”

In reply, she pulled the crystal globe from her pocket and activated the spell holding his words. His callous comments rang loudly through the nearly empty throne room, and several of the guards visibly flinched when they heard him say,“Every person in this palace can die, so long as they do so in pursuit of my glory.”Two of the archers even lowered their bows.

But too many still appeared to be loyal. Apparently, some could be betrayed longer than others.

“Where did you get that?” her father demanded, the humor gone from his face.

Ber spoke up behind her. “Perhaps you should be more discerning when accepting gifts.”

Gifts?She had no clue what he meant, but Ryenil flushed, his gaze narrowing on Ber. “That globemaker,” her father muttered. “She’s behind this.”

“She’s innocent of wrongdoing,” Ber said. “I’m the one who decided to use the object for spying. You’re the one who was caught saying such cruel words.”

The king scoffed. “They were only words said in anger. When have I ever sacrificed one of my loyal men?”

Ber stepped up until he was almost even with Tes. “How about the man you sent to the gardens to try to assassinate me? You knew he would die. In fact, you guaranteed it by placing a spell on him to kill him if he told the truth. Any guard who doesn’t have doubts about following you afterthatis a fool.”

“Not just guards,” Tes said. “I was in the secret tunnels when you murdered Duke Aony. I heard it with my own ears and felt it with my own magic.”

A cacophony of voices poured through the open doors, but Tes didn’t look back. She’d already guessed that the most meddlesome of the courtiers wouldn’t have been able to resist listening to this confrontation—especially Lord Vulwin. With him here, the entire kingdom would probably hear within a day.

The flush of color was gone from Ryenil’s cheeks as he straightened on his throne. “You have no proof.”

This time, it was Lady Selesta who spoke up. “I knew of my brother’s death immediately. The power of the dukedom passes to the next in line as soon as the current titleholder dies, much the way the power of the Centoi monarchy does. I am the Duchess Aony now.”

“Impossible,” Ryenil snapped. “Your brother was the duke before your parents died.”

“The transfer doesn’t have to be forced,” Selesta said, her voice cold. “It can be freely given. Regardless, it is proof that Queen Etessa speaks the truth.”

Tes’s palms went damp as her father leapt to his feet. Why had Selesta called her queennow?It might have been true to her belief, but it would enrage the king faster than anything elsecould have. And that meant Tes would have less time to win the remaining guards over.

Ryenil’s hands balled into fists. “QueenEtessa, is it?” Her heart gave a leap at the fury lining his face—the expression that always led to pain. “You left here as Princess Lora, and that’s how you were meant to die. I should’ve kept a stronger lock on you while you were pregnant. Then I could have trained your son to be a biddable heir.”

Out of reflex, Tes’s hand went to her abdomen, but she jerked it back in a breath’s time. Even so, her father’s gaze caught the motion, and a satisfied smirk eased some of the fury in his expression. But it wasn’t a comforting shift.

Oh, no, it wasn’t.

“Has he bred you again, little Lora?” Her father stepped from the dais, stopping between two of the archers. “Ah, but the old plan is no more. I’ll have a duchess to wife soon, or I’ll raze her entire duchy. What need do I have for another little challenger to my throne? In fact, the first to slice the brat from your womb will receive a title and lands.”

And with those words, chaos descended.