I can’t show on my face how his words send a trill of terror down my spine.“I never thought you were one to share.”
His hand squeezes mine, crushing it. I can feel the tiny bones grate against each other.
“You’re right. Once I have what I want from you, then I’ll throw you to the wolves. Once you’ve given me an heir, I won’t have the need for an uppity bitch like you. You always thought you were too good for me. Always had your sights set higher.”
“What of your son and daughter, are they not good enough?” I will die again before I take Galen to bed.
“They’re part nymph, practically useless to me, but you...I thought we had something once.”
At the change in his tone, I glance at him. I have no idea what he’s talking about, but I refuse to tip my hand that I don’t have all my memories back. “Maybe once. But any hope you may have had at rekindling such fondness flew out the door when you stabbed me in the chest. It wasn’t enough for you to leave me lying there for your brother to find, you had to let him think…” I can’t voice it.
“I let him think that I tasted from the Goddess of Spring, and I watched it eat him alive. It was almost as satisfying as when I twisted the knife and watched the life leave your eyes. It’s going to be even better when I am crowned King of the Underworld and I kill my brother for taking what was mine. When I do, I’ll make sure he knows the babe that quickens in your womb is mine.”
Even thinking that he has won, he’s unhinged. I cannotbelieveI didn’t see through him earlier. The signs were there, and I ignored them all like an asshole because he showed me what Essos couldn’t. Galen is so unbalanced, I can’t believe that Xavier would allow his brother to act with impunity. He of all people preached about the importance of not setting that precedent, and yet… I need to gather allies, people to help me put an end to Galen, but I don’t know who I can trust.
Essos said that Galen felt I belonged to him because he met me first, but trying to remember how that happened makes my head pound.
“Promises, promises.” I say, before twirling across the floor. “Be careful what you wish for.” I twist away from him as the song ends.
He’s the God of War, God of Pain, God of Suffering. Raping and pillaging are his expertise—why should his brother and this realm be any different? Xavier was right to be worried—killing gods is a slippery slope. It’s a shame Xavier is too much of a pushover to do anything about this. Posey has been calling the plays for centuries; it’s why when Xavier tires of a task, he hands it off to Essos, accomplishing two things at once—pissing off Posey and getting work off his desk.
I focus on playing the consummate host. Without my husband, it is my job to greet and welcome people—this is my home, after all. The lower gods and goddesses come out of the woodwork to welcome me back. Everyone congratulates me on my return, some more tentatively than others, mostly those loyal to Essos. The faces of people start to click as I remember those around me—the snakes and the true friends. I know that I need to be careful with my next move.
Xavier whisks me onto the dance floor and away from a dull conversation. He holds me at an appropriate distance. I remember not hating him as much as I hated Galen, but we were hardly the picture of functional in-laws. He did almost marry his sister.
“Your Highness,” he says with a dip of his head. I keep my focus on the room around me, not looking at Xavier. “Where is my brother? He needs to relinquish control to Galen.” I force my eyes to meet his cold blue ones. This entire family has blue eyes of varying degrees. I used to love being able to look at my husband’s siblings and be reminded that they have a little bit of him in them, but this betrayal runs too deep, and I get no comfort.
“You won’t find my husband unless he wants to be found. Galen will not be king until we are wed; the crown on my head assures that. My blood assures that,” I say icily. It was a gamble, walking out in my crown, but having the citizens of Solarem still recognize me as queen, even a long-lost one, helps to bolster my precarious position. The annoyed look on Xavier’s face confirms we’re all playing fast and loose with the rules as we figure out this uncharted territory. Knowing Xavier, there was no plan in place if I didn’t choose Essos, and why would there be? I should have known him regardless. And maybe I did. I was so drawn to him, but Galen’s voice, Galen’s meddling, ruined it.
“You forget your place, sister.” He twists my wrist. “You married into the regency, not the other way around. That little drop of blood shared during your wedding ceremony may grant you some protection, but Galen is a blood-born prince. If you want to keep that crown, you will need to marry Galen, and you will need to convince Essos to hand over his powers. There is a bloodless way of doing this, and being an obstinate bitch for the sake of it is only putting your ‘beloved’ at more risk.”
I retaliate the only way I know how; I stomp on his foot, and he does his best not to visibly groan.
“You seem to forget that I am the Queen of the Underworld. I may not be one of thebelovedoriginal gods, but I will not be disrespected again. Mymurderwas disrespectful and set the precedent that you are so afraid of. When Galen and I wed, he can assume his desired role as king, but I am the queen, and this ismydominion.”
“That is correct—you will wed Galen. Your marriage to Essos ended when your heart stopped beating.”
“There is nothing you can say or do that will change that Essos is my husband. He is my king. What of Callie, Galen’s wife? Has so much changed that we’re polygamists now?”
“No one has heard from Callie in over a thousand years,” Xavier tells me stiffly, but he doesn’t answer my question.
“So glad to learn your wife still has you by the balls, that you will bend every which way to appease her. You may be content ruling on the sidelines, but I’m not. I will set my own course and rule my realm until you pull your head out of your ass and end this coup.”
The song ends, and Xavier steps away from me. “Long live the queen,” he says with a flourish before walking away.
Helene grabs my arm and drags me outside and away from the party.
“I would greatly appreciate it if your family would stop manhandling me,” I snap before she pulls me into a hug.
“I’ve missed you.” She releases me only to slap me across the face. I hold my cheek for a beat before turning to face her. “You ruined everything, Daphne. What the actual fuck happened?” Cat and Zara step outside, closing the door behind them. I wave my hand, and the door locks, preventing anyone from following them out.
“I’m going to let that one go, but don’t ever strike me again.” I hold her gaze, refusing to blink first. Helene might sit on the Council with a crown of her own, but I’ve been walked over enough tonight to last a lifetime.Helene looks at Cat and Zara, whom I turn to embrace.
“Holyshit,” Zara says, taking in the whole look of me. The crown, the dark eye makeup, and the dress. She drops into a curtsey.
I force a laugh, holding Cat’s hand. “Don’t be silly,” I say, shaking my head, grabbing Zara’s arm and pulling her upright.
“What the hell just happened?” Cat asks.