Page 41 of What Fury Brings (Wrath and Fury #1)

“At first, she wanted me to scare them off. Then she requested I get physical. That’s when the queen noticed what was happening and stepped in.

I was ten, and Auntie said we should spend more time together.

She gently showed me what my cousin was doing and taught me that family doesn’t demand so much of us.

When I confronted Glenaerys about it, she seemed horrified that I would think that her love only came if I was doing things for her. ”

“You grew distant after that?” he asked.

“No. We remained close until we were fifteen. It’s the age women must reach before they are permitted entrance to the brothels.

For her birthday, Glenaerys wanted to go, insisting she couldn’t bear to arrive by herself.

She wanted me there, too. Even though I was not quite fifteen.

I gave in, thinking I was hardly about to become more mature in another three months.

We went to an establishment specifically for female differres.

“Because we’re part of the royal family, the proprietor didn’t blink at my appearance when he saw us enter.

In fact, he was flattered that we’d chosen his establishment for our First Nights.

He said the evening was on him. We could go through as many of his studs as we wanted until the sun came up. ”

“But you didn’t…” Andrastus felt the need to clarify.

“I’ll tell you exactly what happened if you can stay quiet.”

He snapped his mouth shut.

“At the brothel, the doors have small openings at eye level that latch open and shut so guests can peer inside. If someone doesn’t want to be observed, they can lock the latch from the inside.

Otherwise, the prostitutes who are unoccupied leave their latches unlocked so anyone can look inside and make their selections.

Glen and I took our time, looking through every single opening to examine all the pretty men.

” Olerra still remembered when they’d stumbled across the unlocked window of a door that already had two occupants.

Glen and Olerra had peered within, side by side, as they watched the woman riding the man.

She’d thrown her head back and moaned as soon as she’d realized she was being watched.

As though such a thing excited her even more.

Olerra didn’t say that part aloud. “When Glen decided on a man, I waited in the hallway. Told her I wasn’t ready.

She didn’t give me a hard time about it at all.

She simply went into the chosen room and said I could go.

I’m not sure why I stayed. There was something erotic about the hallway, listening to moans and cries of pleasure.

I’d never witnessed anything like it. All my instructions up until that point had been done with books and mannequins—but then something new cut through the space.

A cry that was different from the others.

One of pain. I ran for the proprietor, but when we arrived, it was already over.

Glen was exiting the room, and she left a barely breathing man back on the bed.

Bruises were already forming around his neck, and his arm was bent at an odd angle. ”

Olerra paused, remembering her shock from all those years ago.

“She’d hurt him. She’d realized early on that pain made her more aroused, and she relished in it.

She was banned from the brothel, and she blamed me for tattling on her.

But more than that, I finally realized who she really is at her core. ”

Olerra turned to Andrastus. “I’m not a perfect person, but I’m leagues above my cousin. I’m not going to gain more power by picking on those I know to be weaker than I am. I’m not going to kill my once sister for a throne. I’m going to win it from her and bask in her defeat.”

She was honorable, and she was loyal, even when others weren’t deserving. Sanos admired that about her.

“What of you?” she asked in return. “Have you ever considered taking out your brother to inherit the throne of Brutus?”

Gods, he hated lying to her. “I am not politically ambitious. I don’t have any desire to rule.

” Well, he supposed that wasn’t exactly a lie.

The only reason he wanted his crown was because it meant his father was dead.

Otherwise, he wanted nothing to do with a legacy that once belonged to his father.

Atalius and his ancestors could shove it up their asses.

But Olerra had shown him the changes for the better he could make in his country. For women. For the poor. There was so much he could learn from her still.

Even if that all seemed empty if she couldn’t be there by his side.

“What do you dream of, then?” she asked.

With her large eyes and dark hair and pink lips, he couldn’t deny such a powerful truth. “Do you know what? I think I was dreaming of you all these years.”

She gave him a look that suggested she did not believe him, so he was forced to continue.

“I haven’t gotten close to many people. My father is a jealous man who likes complete control.

I could do nothing but dream of connection.

I dreamed of friendship. I dreamed of courtship, even.

I knew I would be wedded off for political advancement.

” He reached out to take her hand in his.

“I dreamed of physical touch. Of hands that didn’t beat me but soothed me. Excited me.

“I didn’t realize that being taken by you was the thing that I needed most.”

Olerra brought their clasped hands to her lips and kissed the back of his hand.

“You need never be alone again,” she said.

He knew she meant it.

Thunder rumbled through the room, which was strange considering there was no storm. A second later, the door was kicked off its hinges.

The first face Sanos saw was Athon’s. He was quickly followed by Glenaerys, and then members of her personal guard filtered in behind the pair.

“What are you doing?” Olerra demanded. Her hand went to her hip, but she didn’t have any weapons on her.

She’d taken them off for the evening while the two enjoyed their alone time.

Sanos swiveled his head around the room, trying to tell where she’d dropped them so he could get them for her.

Or use them himself. Whichever seemed more prudent at the time.

“Cousin,” Glenaerys said. Then she turned to Sanos. “Prince. Look at you out of your manacles. Alone with Olerra. Who is still breathing.”

“Is she?” he said with exaggerated sarcasm. “I hadn’t noticed.”

Glen’s eyes narrowed. “We’ll get to you in a moment. First, I need to test Olerra on something. I have a hunch she’s been keeping secrets.”

Olerra was certain her heart had stopped beating at the words.

No.

She couldn’t know. She couldn’t .

“Restrain them,” Glen said to her guards.

“Touch me, and I’ll have you all executed,” Olerra said to the women fast approaching. They didn’t slow.

Andrastus stepped in front of her.

“Don’t you dare,” she said to him.

One of the guards laid a hand on her prince, and Olerra grabbed the woman’s wrist in one hand and drove her elbow down against the bone with the other.

There was a crack.

“Quickly now,” Glen said, unimpressed.

When three tried to step toward Olerra simultaneously, Andrastus threw a punch. And the fight was on.

Olerra grappled with anyone who came near her. They tried to herd her into a corner, but she kept on her toes, circling. Unfortunately, that meant she lost sight of Andrastus and didn’t notice more women spilling into the room until it was too late.

Blades were raised, and one woman brought a knife to Andrastus’s throat. Olerra raised her hands in defeat.

“What are you going to do?” Olerra asked. “Auntie will throttle you for this. You won’t get the throne with foul play!”

“It’s only foul play if I’m wrong. You see, the prince here mentioned that you kept him chained up at night, and I thought that very odd.

Even I don’t need to chain up my less enthusiastic men for bed play.

What purpose could my cousin possibly have for doing such a thing?

And then I got to thinking. Over the years, I couldn’t recall seeing you physically overpower a man. Not once.”

Dread curdled in her stomach. Olerra’s world was about to crumble around her.

“Of course, obtaining proof is extremely difficult,” Glen continued.

“I’d wanted to do it publicly. Drugging Daneryn was supposed to prove it without a doubt, but the prince was just too eager to step in and lend his muscles.

Then I persuaded little Jaron to shove you in the hallway.

I assured him you were too softhearted to see him punished for such a thing.

But when I asked him if you’d had a chance to steady yourself before he laid hands on you, he said he couldn’t be sure. He’s useless.

“And then our dear aunt has been away from the palace with her wife these past two weeks, enjoying some quiet time. I couldn’t very well risk a positive result and not have her here to witness immediately, but I’ve just learned she’s returned. So here we are. Athon?”

The big man stepped forward. He clasped Olerra’s raised hands within his own.

Olerra’s eyes met Andrastus’s. He looked afraid for her. Worried. But she was more concerned about what would happen to him when all was revealed.

“Shove him away,” Glen said.

“Excuse me?” Olerra said.

“Show me your strength. Shove. Athon. Away.”

He was so much bigger than she was, and while Olerra could lift Andrastus, she very much doubted that she could do the same to this man. Still, she heaved in a heavy breath, gritted her teeth, and shoved.

Athon didn’t budge.

The blades weren’t necessary because Olerra no longer needed to be restrained. She let herself drop to the floor, her eyes on the floor in shame. She’d been found out.

Soon everyone would know.

She’d been a fool for thinking she was strong enough. Strong enough to hide her secret. Strong enough to be queen when she didn’t even have the Goddess’s Gift.

“That’s what I thought,” Glen said gleefully. She turned to two guards standing behind her. “Send for the queen.”

Olerra couldn’t look up. She couldn’t bear to meet her cousin’s gaze or her prince’s. She felt small, defeated. Unfit. She couldn’t stand her cousin, but she couldn’t even fault her. If Olerra had found a similar weakness in her cousin, she would have exposed it immediately.

The queen’s guards came in first, easily identified by their pointed helmets. They took up position around the room. There seemed to be so many of them. Too many to witness her defeat.

This was where she lost everything.

She still couldn’t look at Andrastus.

When the queen entered the room, she said, “Call off your hired hands, Glenaerys. Whatever this is, there’s no need for such a show of force. You will send half of your guard away.”

Glen was too thrilled by the situation; she didn’t even seem put out by the order. With a couple of hand motions she shooed some of her women out the door. Athon remained, though he took a step back from Olerra, as though to give the queen a better look at her.

“Now what is it?” Lemya asked. “Why is Olerra on the floor?”

“Your Majesty, I’ve just proven that Olerra doesn’t have the Goddess’s Gift.” Glen wasted no time at all to spill her greatest secret.

Olerra’s chest felt too tight. Her breathing became strained. This must be what dying of humiliation felt like.

She couldn’t bear not to look.

Olerra met her aunt’s gaze.

“Is this true?” the queen asked her.

Olerra couldn’t find her voice, so she nodded.

The queen did not react to the admission. Lemya stood tall, hands at her sides. Not a soul in the room moved.

Olerra waited for the verdict. Waited for anything at all to happen.

“So what?”

The words came not from the queen, but from Andrastus.

Olerra loved him for it.

“So what if she doesn’t have the Gift? She’s earned her rank as general.

She’s won every battle she’s overseen. She’s strong and brilliant and will make a great queen.

Who cares if she doesn’t have a little bit of magic?

She’s already unstoppable. You all didn’t even notice until now, so how necessary is it really? ”

“You will remember your place,” Glenaerys said to him. “Olerra may let you run your mouth whenever you like, but you will not do so in my presence.”

“Don’t talk to him. You are in my rooms, and he can do whatever he likes here!” Olerra snapped back.

“That’s enough,” the queen interjected, and everyone returned their attention to Amarra’s monarch.

“You kept this from me,” Lemya said. “Why?”

Olerra was still on the floor, and she hung her head. “I was ashamed. I didn’t want to disappoint you.”

“For something that was out of your control? Why?” she demanded again.

“Because if the goddess didn’t even see fit to give me her power, then how could I expect the people of Amarra to choose me as queen?”

Gods, she felt broken. Torn inside out, her deepest fears and weaknesses laid bare for the woman whose opinion she cared for most, and the cousin who used every weakness to hurt her the worst. The guards around the room were unmoving, but they had ears.

The news would spread faster than even the queen could contain it.

Everyone in the whole kingdom would know in a matter of hours.

“There’s more,” Glenaerys said, clearly not a fan of the silence or lack of scolding directed at Olerra.

“More?” the queen and Olerra said simultaneously.

Glenaerys grinned as she turned to Andrastus. “Would you like to tell them or should I?”