“Cassius, shut the doors.” Cass obeys Kallin’s command, posting up at the right of the door and resting his hand over the hilt of his sheathed sword.
My mother pats my hand. “It’ll be alright.” Her voice is deceptively calm, and it instantly sets me on edge.
“Let us get right to the point. Ever since His Highness, Prince Nox, has returned from his mission in the Mortal Kingdom, things have transpired in our kingdom that have left a lot of this council scratching their heads. Our goal as advisors to the Crown is to make sure that the people’s safety is at the forefront of their ruler’s mind.” He shifts his beady eyes to look at my father. “Sadryn, you have been a dutiful servant for many years in your role as king. Were it not for recent events, you might very well have continued to have our support for many more.”
“No,” I whisper, my body going rigid. They are going to officially remove my father from the throne. And with Nox’s disinterest in it, they’ll erase the Daxel line altogether. We’ll be relegated to nobles, still able to live within the palace if we choose, but the access tomoreinformation will be leftcompletely up to the council’s discretion. Our words will hold no weight. We’ll be at the whim of whoever the council puts in my father’s place.
Kallin’s eyes move to me for a second, long enough for the corners of his mouth to twist down, before he looks back out over the table. “As of a vote yesterday, the result of which was six to three—Hadrik, Arav, and Balen as the dissenters—we are removing King Sadryn Daxel from the throne immediately.”
My eyes shoot to my father, his face set in a stern sort of apathy that I would believe if I didn’t know him so well. His finger taps idly on the tabletop for a few beats before he stands and brings his hands behind his back. “It has been the greatest honor of my life being king. I have approached this role and my duty as I approach all things that I love—with honor and respect and the utmost dedication.” I hate the way his voice cracks as he stares down at our mother, as if she is his tether to steady ground. “Thank you for guiding me as king when I needed it, and though I cannot say that I am happy with the council’s decision, I will abide by whatever course of action they choose to take next if it is in the best interest of the kingdom.” He takes his seat again, lacing his fingers through hers as she rubs the side of his arm with her other hand.
Nox steps out of his broody corner and into the light cast by the chandeliers above, and it takes everything in me not to audibly gasp at his appearance. He somehow looks even more exhausted than when I saw him a few days ago, with dark circles beneath his eyes bruising his pale skin. My gaze narrows on him, but he pointedly ignores me as he holds Kallin’s glare. “Let’s get this over with.”
The head councilman clears his throat, gesturing to Nox. “The council also voted on whether Prince Nox, the current crown prince, should be allowed to step fully into his role as king, considering hismanymissteps the past few months.”
Pointless, considering Nox just told me he doesn’t want it.
“It has been decided by a unanimous vote that Prince Nox will be allowed the title of King of the Mage Kingdom effective immediately.”
My lips part as I stare at my brother, wishing he would fuckinglookat me so I might be able to decipher where his head is at with all of this. But he simply folds his arms over his chest and leans against the edge of the table—right where Councilwoman Mora would be seated.
“This is atrialrun, Your Highness,” Councilman Borris says with evident disdain. “Perform your duties aswesee fit, and you’ll officially be declared king once a reasonable amount of time has passed.” He lifts his chin, a barbed smile pulling his lips apart. “And once you’ve regained your magic, of course.”
“And if I don’t feel like following all of your precious rules?” Nox retorts, and I think I see sweat gleaming at his temples. His forced nonchalance is worrisome, as is the way his body seems to be curling in on itself.
Councilman Borris’s face turns predictably red as he takes the verbal bait Nox has dropped for him. “Either you do thingsourway, or we will lock you up and—”
“Councilman!” Kallin barks, silencing the sputtering idiot across from me.
“I’m sorry, did you saylockhim up?” A chair scrapes the ground behind me where Daje and Haylee are sitting. They had been two last minute additions to the meeting, one forcing his way in while the other had been invited to attend. Daje stands, his hands fists at his sides. “You were going toimprisonthe prince—”
“And why wouldn’t we?” Borris interrupts him, lacing his sausage fingers together. “He repeatedly disobeyed the council’s orders regarding thatwoman, his actions leading to security breaches that put the entire kingdom at risk.”
“And let’s not forget the three innocent people he viciouslyinjured,” Councilman Osiris jumps in, his lips in a taut line. “Prince or not,royaltyor not, no one is above the law.No onewill be allowed to put the kingdom at risk.”
“Rhea isnota security threat, I can assure you,” Nox says, and despite the fact that his power is drained and he is noticeably weaker, everyone at the table still stiffens at the threat in his voice. “And I did not wish to harmanyone, though I regret immensely that it happened.”
“I will make sure to relay yourregretto the family members,” Borris says under his breath.
I push away from the table, my chair screeching over the stone floor. “Howdareyou—”
My mother gently grasps my wrist, drawing my attention as she shakes her head. “He’s not worth it,” she whispers.
“Bahira, a word, please.” Nox jerks his head to the door, already walking towards it. I shoot every council member a glare, only sparing Hadrik who sits at my right, before I follow Nox, Cass giving me a wide berth as we pass. My brother strides to the opposite wall, leaning back against it as his gaze lands on mine. “You need to calm down.”
“You didnotjust tell me to calm down, asshole,” I snap, taking a step before halting at the smile that curls his lips.
“No. I mean, Idid,” he laughs, holding his hands out in surrender. “But I don’t mean it. You have every right to be upset.”
“I know I do!” Taking up a spot at his side, I tip my head back against the cool stone. The hall is empty, save for a few guards who are lingering at the very end near the main foyer. “Were you lying about not wanting to be king?”
“No,” he answers immediately, turning his head to look at me. I meet his gaze with my own, noting the way his eyes haveshifted to a darker shade of gray, those silver flecks even less noticeable than before. “Everything I told you is true.”
“Then why? Why pretend to appease them?”
Nox sighs, running a hand through his hair. “Borris wasn’t joking when he said my options were to do as they say or get imprisoned. This way, they have the illusion of getting what they want and the kingdom won’t go to someone who will contest Rhea. It’s what you suggested from the very beginning.”
“And what do you get?” He smirks, and I aim a pointed look in his direction. “I know you’re not doing this simply because it will make things easier for the time being. That hasn’t exactly been your style lately.”
