Page 15 of The Dread Prince (The Dread Descendant #2)

Alphard and Abraxas were already in her cousin’s study when she arrived early in the morning.

Abraxas poured a potion into his tea as he held the side of his face.

“Thank the Gods and Primus for your sister,” said Abraxas to Alphard. “Otherwise I’d never survive a hangover from that Aternian Absinthe. Curse Reeve, that bastard.”

Alphard whistled. “That Absinthe doesn’t mess around. My first night in Aterna, Reeve poured me so many goblets I couldn’t stand. It hardly affected him, though.”

Abraxas signaled to Maeve. “Good morning, cousin.”

He poured his drink and suppressed the urge to gag.

Alphard looked over at her and didn’t stand.

“Hi,” he said with a soft smile.

A smile she hated. A smile that plastered everyone’s lips lately.

A smile of sympathy.

Maeve couldn’t muster one back. Alphard’s smile faded.

“I’m sor–”

Maeve pulled her lips into a thin, tight line and shook her head.

Alphard paused, and nodded.

“I hear you’ve been in Aterna,” she said, taking a seat. “What’s it like?”

“The cities are a marvel, but nothing beats Reeve’s castlein Crystalmore. It’s in the name. Built into the side of these massive crystal formations, mountain like.”

“It’s made of crystal?”

“Basically,” said Alphard. “Nothing fragile about it though. An absolute fortress.”

Mal rounded the corner to the study briskly. Alphard and Abraxas shot to their feet. Maeve was slow to rise.

Alphard stood with his fist over his chest in salute.

Mal’s eyes raked over her.

“Are you rested?” He asked.

Maeve nodded. “Yes,” she replied. “Thank you.”

Mal nodded and looked away from her. “Swiftly, Abraxas,” he said. “I am heading back into the Peaks today.”

He was leaving, perhaps for weeks, again.

Maeve settled back into her chair. Abraxas looked at her.

“You’re the way in with Reeve. He wouldn’t let Alphard close. But he will let you in.”

Maeve’s lips parted. “You want me to spy?” She looked to Mal.

He met her gaze only for a moment before he looked back at the windows. “Spy is the wrong word. You need to get him to slip, let his guard down.”

Her mind drifted to the first and only meeting she’d been privy to with her father and Reeve.

“Reeve does not trust me or my judgement,” she said.

“He doesn’t need to trust you in order for you to manipulate him,” said Abraxas plainly.

She looked over at Mal. He didn’t look at her.

“You want me to go to Aterna?” She asked.

“No,” said Abraxas quickly. “Alphard will remain our ambassador. He is guarded around Alphard because he knows why Al is there. Hopefully, that will help drop his suspicions around you.”

“And what information in particular do we need? Are you just wanting to know if he poisoned that goblet?”

“That and much more,” said Abraxas. “We need to know about his Inheritor. His power. The number of Senshi Warriors they have. A secret kept incredibly well, I might add. We lost history and knowledge when our ancestors fled to Earth. Aterna retained it all. We have two Dread Artifacts we must find.”

Mal still would not look at her.

“You are quite clever and charming when you want to be,” continued Abraxas.

Maeve frowned.

“Can I speak to you in private?” She asked Mal.

Mal nodded towards Abraxas. He and Alphard took his leave without complaint.

“Are you serious?” She asked as the doors closed behind him.

“What’s not believable about it?” He asked tensely. “I’m told you had his gaze most of the evening.”

“Is that what your little speech was about?”

“Don’t patronize me,” he said lowly.

Maeve leaned back in the leather chair and looked up at the green-glass ceiling vaulting above them.

“I thought the goal was cooperation,” she said softly.

“Cooperation would have been a dream,” said Mal pointedly.

Maeve looked at him.

“I’ve realized something, Maeve. I’ve realized how weak I must have looked that day. Willing to take the scraps of a throne. It was easy for them to kill Ambrose because I made it easy.”

Maeve’s eyes lifted back to the ceiling as her throat dried.

“I didn’t boast that I had killed every last man of Kietel’s. I didn’t tell them I’d murdered my own father and grandparents out of pure spite. I didn’t show them what lengths I am willing to go to. And in return, they saw me as nothing more than the descendant of some barren land, with no true reign. I didn’t ask for anything but this throne, and they were thrilled that’s all I wanted. It was nothing to give it to me. But now I see. I see so clearly what needs to happen.”

“And what is that?” Maeve asked softly.

“All of it.”

Maeve’s heart kicked as she finally met his gaze. “All?”

Mal nodded. His relaxed, dark eyes were set on her. “All.”

Maeve sat forward in the chair. “You want Reeve to bend the knee.”

Mal shook his head. “I want them all to bend the knee.”

Her brows pulled together, and she spoke gently. “That is not what we presented before your coronation. That is not the world we said we wanted.”

“The world we wanted is gone, Maeve. It was destroyed the night of my coronation. Destroyed by fear and greed and hunger for power that was not earned.”

Mal crossed towards her and continued.

“I’ve spent many nights wondering what dark Magic lingered in that goblet. Was it meant for me? Was it purely by chance it was laced with poison? But I already know the answer, and so do you.”

Maeve swallowed. Mal’s words were ice in her blood.

“This is something I’m sure Reeve and Lithandrian can understand. The divine right to rule is something I was born with. And it does not stop with this crown.”

Maeve looked up at him.

“Your father supported my desires,” said Mal.

“Please don’t talk about him,” she whispered desperately.

Mal paused and then said, “You must find out who his Inheritor is.”

Maeve met his gaze. The tension between them was sharp again. It dug into her stomach with constant precision.

“I cannot protect us if I do not know who all my enemies are.”

Maeve nodded. “I understand.”

Mal nodded in response. “If there is nothing else. . .”

Maeve stared up at him with words desperate to flee her mouth. Desperate to fly into his arms. But she bit all those urges back.

“You did not punish Alphard the way you punished Xander,” she said.

His expression didn’t change as he said, “You think so lowly of me now that you believe I would kill a man you love?”

Maeve’s mouth opened, but Mal was faster.

“Xander is dead because he was no one to you. Alphard is alive because he does matter to you. I know you are the reason he finally has Victoria. I know because he sat on his knees before me, broken and begging for me to intervene and break his engagement with you. Make no mistake, I reminded him of his transgressions where you are concerned. Anything else?”

Maeve shook her head and suppressed the desire to ask how long he’d be gone this time.