Page 50 of A Taste For Lies (The Apex Kingdom #1)

Chapter 50

TARAN

M aeve sweeps into the ballroom, Astrid by her side. It’s time.

“Are you ready for our announcement, my dear?” I ask the insufferable woman standing beside me, a glittering white mask concealing half her face.

Victoria gives me a simpering look. “Of course. I can’t wait to tell everyone I’m going to be your queen, Tare.”

I clench my jaw at the nickname on her lips. “Where’s your father? I want him by our side when we announce our betrothal.”

“Oh, he won’t be able to make it. Something came up.”

My blood freezes in my veins. I grip Victoria by both arms and stare down at what I can see of her scheming face.

“Taran, how inappropriate,” she complains, but her eyes say she’s thrilled by the contact.

“Where’s your father? Why isn’t he here?”

Her pink lips curve into a smug smile. “Not to worry, my love, we have his blessing. He’s just taking care of a little something. Think of it as a wedding present.”

My lungs are robbed of breath. “What. Did. You. Do,” I bite out .

Her icy-blue eyes narrow. “This has gone on long enough, Taran. It was one thing to look out for her when we all thought she was an Elite lady. I understand you have your mother’s protective instincts, in fact, I love that about you. But now?” She shakes her head, her ridiculous antennae bobbing back and forth. “That girl is a thief and an animal. She came here to steal from us, from your family!”

My blood roars in my ears. As if from outside myself, I watch my hands fall away from Victoria’s pale arms. “Your father has her.”

The deranged woman pats my chest. “He’s likely using the amulet on her as we speak. I’m sorry, Tare, you’ve lost. My father and I have known for years that you and your cousin have been after the amulet. It’s only due to our continued intervention that the king and queen don’t suspect.” Her eyes shine with a manic light. “Marry me, Taran, and you’ll get your throne back, I promise you. Daddy understands. He’ll back you with the other lords.” She grabs my hand in a claw-like grip, nails forming crescent moons in my skin. “You’ll be king, I’ll be your queen, and our son will be your heir, just as it always should have been.”

I rear back, horrified. My gaze darts frantically around the ballroom of masked courtiers, looking for the black of Maeve's feathers. The royal family sits atop the dias, clad in taupe masks and attire like a pride of lions. I finally catch my cousin’s eye, and she starts towards me, her mouth tight with concern.

Victoria sighs. “Give it up, Taran. No one will hurt your precious cousin if you just accept your fate. We can put this ill-begotten rebellion to rest and concentrate on more important matters, like our future as the rulers of this kingdom.”

“Taran?” Maeve appears at my side. “Lady Winters? What’s going on?”

“Nothing that concerns you,” Victoria sneers.

Choking down my disgust, I slide my arm around the lady’s shoulders and begin to herd her towards the exit. Maeve follows on my other side, Astrid trailing us .

“Where are you taking me?” A note of caution has finally entered Victoria’s voice.

“Somewhere we can’t be overheard. You’re going to tell my cousin what you just told me so she can help us take the throne.”

Victoria relaxes at my words, allowing me to guide her out of the ballroom. “We can’t take too long,” she says, that fucking smug smile sliding back into place. “We have our announcement to make.”

“What announcement?” Maeve interjects, feigning ignorance of the betrothal ruse.

“You’ll see,” she sings.

I practically push her into the first room I find, a small smoking parlor, blessedly empty. Maeve and Astrid follow us inside, Astrid closing the door behind us.

Victoria’s smile widens, her eyes shining with victory. “Do you want to tell her, or should I?”

“I will,” I say, and then in one quick movement, I wrap my arm around Lady Winters neck, cutting off her airway. She bats at my forearm with increasing urgency until her movements slow and I feel her body sag as she drops unconscious. Still, I hold on.

“Taran,” Astrid barks.

Another moment of hesitation and I relent. Victoria’s body falls to the ground with a thud.

Maeve jumps back about a foot, her mouth wide open with shock. “Lumos, Taran! What the hells was that?”

“He has Alora,” I choke out.

“Who?” Astrid asks in an urgent tone.

“Winters. Victoria told me he’s going to use the amulet on her. They know , Maeve. They know we’ve been trying to steal it all this time.”

Maeve claps her gloved hands over her mouth. “Lumos save us.”

I pull the second vial of my blood from my pocket and hand it to Astrid. Her jaw is set, but she maintains her steady gaze. “You both need to come with us. Grab gold and whatever you can carry and get to the marina. The ship is called The Sea Witch . Take the passageways.”

Maeve’s eyes are fixed on Victoria’s limp body.

“She’s alive,” I grumble.

“Ought we…tie her up somehow?” For perhaps the first time in my memory, my cousin appears out of her element.

“I’ll take care of it,” Astrid assures me. “We’ll meet you there. Where are you going?”

“To catch Carter before he gets caught trying to break Mei out. And then, to get my thief back.”