Page 145 of Exiled Heir

“With all due respect to my elder, perhaps ayoungerhand is what our house needs,” she said sharply. “Someone who might lead us in a new direction. After all, Leon was passed over for the crown when the last King Bartlett was born.”

“I think it’s clear that everyone believes we’ve had as much new direction as we can take,” Leon said.

He straightened in his chair and wiped a fingertip across his brow. A golden crown took shape, gleaming with jewels.

“All hail the king!” someone to his left said. The cry rose up around the table.

Cade trembled under my hand. “Youcannotbe serious.”

Leon stood, his expression grave. His shoulders slumped forward. “Unfortunately, they are. The discussion has been going on since you were incapacitated. Cade, I truly regret what I must do next. As king, I must protect this house. My first act is to formally strip Cade Bartlett of his title, power, position, and any assets which belong to House Bartlett. Cade, for the act of treason, I sentence you and the werewolf Miles to death.”

I reacted before he finished speaking, throwing myself in between Cade and the rest of the table, using one hand to press him behind me, shielding him with my body. My teeth grew long, the growl coming out of my throat low and rumbly.

“He’s going to kill us!” someone screamed hysterically.

Shadows darted out from behind me, encircling us, and for half a second, I let myself feel sheer relief. Cade had this. We were going to be okay.

For half a second, the world flickered as Cade took us somewhere else. Then he screamed, collapsing forward against my back, twitching. I roared, searching for whoever had hurt him, but there was nothing around us.

“Cade?” I said.

“I don’t have enough magic,” he said. I smelled the salty tang of blood.

“Cade Bartlett,” Leon said, leaning on the table. “Do not do this. You were a prince of House Bartlett. Act with more restraint.”

Mages began circling the table, trying to get around us. I kept Cade tight against me, turning my body and growling, letting my wolf come to the front. If they were going to take Cade, they would have to go through me.

One of them ran forward, his magic like a shield, but I was ready. I shifted my hand, punching down at his exposed legs. He collapsed, his magic shivering away.

Another came forward, and I shouted, “Basil!”

The snake slithered over my hand, and this time, I punched directly at the magic, the explosion sending the mage flying into the darkness. I smelled smoke, and someone screamed. When I looked over to my left, Cade wielded a tattoo sword against a council member. The man stared at his charred arm, then looked up, gaping at Cade.

“Anyone else want to try and take us?” Cade demanded, his voice a shout.

“Cade,” Leon’s voice boomed from across the table. “Do not do this.”

“What? We should go easily like lambs to the slaughter?” Cade snarled.

“Do not let this be their last memory of you,” Leon pleaded.

“No,” I said, realizing in an instant what was going on. “You want their last memory of him to be small and pathetic. The boy who was never really a prince, never really royal to them anyway.”

“How dare you? He hasalwaysbeen my prince,” Leon said.

His golden magic lanced out from him, moving as quickly as a snake in the grass. I barely had time to raise my hand to slam Basil into the wall of magic coming at us. The explosion rebounded on me, cracking my ribs and sending me toppling into Cade.

I tried to roll off, to scramble up, but the magic bore me down, crushing both of us. I could barely breathe, and beneath me, Cade groaned.

Sonja stood, the sparkle of her red magic glowing around her. She turned away from us, staring straight at Leon.

“It appears you have this in hand,” she said. “With your permission, my king.”

She bowed her head, Tyson dropping to his knees on the floor behind her.

Leon’s face pinched, and he extended a hand. There was an unfamiliar ring on his finger, sparkling gold that matched the crown on his head. Sonja’s spine stiffened, but then she walked toward him, bowing low over his hand and kissing the ring.

Leon’s magic ground me down harder, and I shut my eyes, straining my body, pushing with every muscle I could still use so that I wasn’t crushing Cade. I strained, but it was like straining against the ocean. No matter how much I pushed, there was always more magic.