The ice queen, as Lexi would forever think of her, rose from her seat and slowly approached with the aid of one of her courtiers, who steadied her by the hand. The closer she drew to Lexi, the more her sneer of disgust deepened. The woman looked as though she had just smelled the worst stink in all creation.
She halted in front of Lexi and reached out to take hold of her chin, but before she could do so, Jeros caught hold of her wrist and stopped her. The entire room gasped as one.
“Ye will not touch my dear one,” Jeros said. “She is not some bauble brought here for yer amusement.”
“Ye will unhand yer mother,” the queen said, “and remember yer place.”
“Ye will not touch my dear one,” Jeros repeated through clenched teeth while his knuckles whitened with his tightening grip of the queen’s wrist, “and my place does not have to be here. Ye ken that as well as I.”
“Nyna,” the king said from where he remained on the throne. “Enough.”
She yanked her arm free and tucked it to her chest, but her glare remained on Lexi.
A low, warning growl clicked deep in Aylryd’s throat as he leaned in close enough for Lexi to feel the heat of him through her gown. The Fae tiger did not like the queen. Lexi agreed. She didn’t like that woman either. She stood taller and glared back at her.
“Lower yer eyes, flawed mortal,” the monarch said, hatred dripping from her tone.
“No,” Lexi replied loud enough for all in the room to hear.
Jeros covered her hand with his. “She and I are one, Mother. Like it or not, someday, she will be queen.”
His mother snorted and turned so fast that the courtier supporting her nearly stumbled on the steps. She marched back to her throne, but didn’t sit. Instead, she remained standing with her back to them. Another collective gasp went up from all those in the room. Then, one by one, they all turned their backs and shunned them. As far as Lexi could see, they didn’t have a single ally brave enough to remain facing them. Only the king and Commander Wrekas had yet to turn their backs.
King Salfan slowly shook his head. “This is not how this should be,” he said to Jeros.
“Are ye not the king?” Jeros asked, his voice ringing out and echoing off the high ceiling. “Either accept my lady of the prophecy or choose Warlen or Ganan as yer heir.”
“Yer brothers are idiots.”
Lexi wet her lips, praying that the king would side with Jeros. With the Fifth Kingdom threatening the Realm, they didn’t need this divisiveness within. “As Margaret Wolfe Hungerford said, ‘Beauty is in the eye of the beholder’.” Lexi slowly turned and glanced around at all the backs turned her way. “Where some find this room glorious with all its extravagant finery and opulence, others prefer a cozy little place with a warm fire, fuzzy socks, and hot cocoa. Just because I don’t fit your definition of perfection doesn’t mean I am not perfect, just the way I am.”
Sadness shimmered in the king’s icy blue eyes. He looked weary. Spent. As if he were tired of fighting. He slowly pushed himself up from his bejeweled chair and made a sweeping gesture at all in the room. “So says the Realm. Therefore, so must I say. A king is only as powerful as the support of his subjects, especially with revolt at our doorstep.”
Jeros wrapped his arm around Lexi’s waist, and she was glad of it. The air swelled with an ominous heaviness of something even worse about to happen.
“I accept my banishment,” Jeros said, “but know this: my warriors, my armies stay with me. Sevenrest shall be my kingdom. Ye can battle the Fifth Kingdom on yer own.”
“We need yer elite guard,” the king said, his tone strained and bordering on panic. “Those ye have trained are the bulk of our protection.”
Lexi nervously chewed the inside of her cheek, doing her best not to fidget. She didn’t like this game. From the sound of it, no one would walk away a satisfied winner.
The queen spun around and pointed at Lexi, jabbing the air with a shaking finger. “Assassins! Rid us of this stain!”
“Darkcord!” Jeros drew his sword and shoved Lexi behind him. Commander Darkcord took a stance behind her, standing with his back to hers. Aylryd roared and reared up on his hind legs, unsheathing his claws and swiping at anyone or anything that came too close.
The room erupted into chaos, boiling with the shrieks and shouts of courtiers, servants, and the monarchs’ royal guard.
Lexi huddled against Jeros’s back, wishing she wasn’t trapped in silk and gemstones. Not that she was a warrior, but if she were in her jeans and boots, she could at least land a few good kicks and punches. Mammaw had fully supported her when she’d signed up for self-defense training, then later on, she’d taken martial arts classes, finding them as good a therapy as an analyst. She might not fight like a superhero, but she could fight.
“Kill her!” the queen shrieked again from behind the wall of her personal guard. “Without her, he will marry the Fifth Kingdom’s princess and save us all from war!”
“Lexi!” Jeros shouted without turning to face her. “Lexi!”
“I’m here. I’m fine.” She hugged closer and patted his shoulder. “Darkcord has my back, and Aylryd has my flank. What’s the plan?”
“Never forget that I love ye.”
“What?”
