The air seemed to change as the queen turned her face to stare down the king.
Basil wanted to run for the hills at the glint in her gaze.
Just breathe. Don’t remind them you’re here.
Basil’s heart stuttered when she gave her husband a cold amused smile, the edges of her lips sharp like the tip of a blade.
“Are you saying this is my fault?” she asked, her tone a little too sweet so that even King Randa had the good sense to pause his pacing and drop his pointing finger. He sat slowly on his throne once again.
The king knew what kind of creature he’d married.
Tread carefully, Randa.
“Never, my dear,” the king said slowly, backpedaling. “I’m just angry. That girl was meant to destabilize the Loriian throne so that we could seize mines and land that were stolen from us, not start an all-out war.” Randa pulled on his curly auburn hair. “Need I remind you that if he doesn’t die and it is revealed what we have done ... we could lose everything.”
“Don’t be so dramatic.” The queen sighed, her piercing hazel gaze latching onto Basil. He almost took a step back at the hate and malevolence in her eyes. “The girl... where is she?”
The steward swallowed hard, wishing he didn’t have to utter the words. “In the wind, Your Majesty.”
Dread pooled in his stomach when her smile grew a touch wider. Queen Allium held her hand out and seemed to be absently admiring the gems adorning her fingers. “No, she is not. People like her are predictable. She will attempt to reunitewith her family. That will make her easy to find.” She chuckled. “I have a feeling she will come right to us.”
Basil sagged a little when she turned her attention once again on the king. “Send your...slumlordfor her brother and her mother.”
“And once we have them?”
Basil held his breath.
“We will kill them and blame Loriia. Our people will rally for their princess.”
“I thought we didn’t want all-out war,” Randa said tightly.
“True, but we’ll just have to put our second plan into place. That girl was just the first move.” She laughed—the sound so sinister, goosebumps rose on Basil’s arms. “If the king survives, he’ll be so busy fighting his own people that we’ll take the border swiftly.”
The steward gritted his teeth, hating that he needed to speak up. He bowed low once again. “Forgive me, Your Majesties, but our soldiers have not been compensated for many months.” His words hung in the air for a second.
“They should be proud to fight for their kingdom,” Randa snapped.
Basil slowly straightened to find Queen Allium studying him. “Our dear steward is right, my dear. Our world is one of coin.”
The queen wasn’t wrong. But how would they pay the soldiers? It was true that the Loriians had given them part of the dowry, but he knew that Randa had been draining the coffers on gambling and whores. Going to war would truly bankrupt the kingdom.
Allium clicked her nails against the arm of her amber throne. “Do you know what is better than coin?” she mused.
“What?” Randa asked, exasperation in his tone.
“Greed and hope.” She leaned forward, her gaudy emerald dress rustling with the movement. “We give our men something to fight for. A stake in the mines.”
Basil blinked slowly.
The soldiers were desperate. If they were given the opportunity to own part of the mines, to fight for something that was theirs, that offered a brighter future than their prospects were now... It just might work.
It was brilliant, really.
They’d be so busy trying to fight for their stake in the mines, they’d forget all about what was owed to them.
Part of Basil felt sick at the little glimmer of awe he felt at the scheme.
King Randa reached out and took the queen’s hand in his own. He kissed her fingers. “You are magnificent.”
