Clarissa slowly met my stare, betrayal shining in her eyes. She pulled out of my grip and took a step backward.
My breath caught in my throat. Did she believe I had any part in this? That I would doanythingto hurt her?
“Clarissa, no—I didn’t tell her—” I tried to reach for her, but she recoiled at my touch. My heart pressed against my chest, cracking and shattering at the look on her face, the wide eyes, the furrowed brow, the parted lips.
“You see?” Mother gestured between the two of us. “I speak the truth. It’s been her the entire time. She’s the one behind the failed assassination attempts, and she’s finally succeeded.” She moved forward, motioning once again for the guards to seize Clarissa. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Rose and Leo leap from their seats, but more guards held them back.
“What about Lord Reaux, Your Grace?” the head of the King’s Guard prompted. “Is he involved in this as well?”
Mother stopped when she reached me, placing a cold hand on my cheek. I jerked away from her.
“My son is loyal to Mysthelm.” Her blue eyes lanced through me like a dagger. “You’ve done beautifully, dear. Thank you for your help to the crown.”
“You’re lying,” I snarled. The guards yanked Clarissa’s hands behind her back. “Stop! You can’t take her.” I struggled to get to her, but one of them blocked me, shoving me farther back. All Clarissa did was stare at me in defeat. My mouth went dry, every muscle in my body fighting against the guard. “Clarissa, I promise, I?—”
“Not only has she been plotting against our king,” my mother interrupted me, raising her voice to drown out my plea, “but she has brought a new threat into our kingdom.” She waved her cane toward the front row, where Rose and Leo were still wrestling with guards. “Veridians. They have crossed over our borders, without permission from the king, to hide among us, spying on our people.”
Gasps rose in the crowd. Members of Galen’s council seated on the second row exchanged angry glances.
“The regents were right—they’re invading our land,” Lord Sadim barked. “Penworth was afraid of this. There could be more of them. Spies, entirearmies, and there’s no way to protect ourselves—not when they have magic.”
Some of the guests nodded in agreement, anger evident in their features.
“How do we know she’s not the reason the blight came?” my mother called out, and my mouth fell open in shock. She wasblatantlylying. She knew exactly how this “blight” happened, and it had nothing to do with the Veridians. “Did our land not suffer exponentially more when she agreed to ally with our king? When she set foot on our soil? Look at what her mere touch has done to him.”
Many in the crowd were now standing and hurling accusations toward the front of the hall. Mother was riling them up. Priming them to attack, to demand retribution. They looked as if they wanted to tear Clarissa apart.
“Mother, stop this!” I grabbed her hand and spun her to face me. “What are you doing? You know none of this is true!”
“I’m doing what I should have done long ago.” She stepped closer, icy hatred blazing in her eyes. Her features were set in sharp determination. “Putting someone worthy of the title on top of that throne. And if you want your little plaything to live, you’ll keep your mouth shut.”
Her words sent a chill down my spine. This…this wasn’t my mother. This wasn’t anyone I recognized. Cold, calculating,vile.
I couldn’t believe I’d ever trusted her.Believedher. After all the years of her standing by my side, the nights she would rock Marigold to sleep as my little girl cried for her mother, the way we were there for each other when our worlds fell apart. Everything had been a lie.
Every consoling word she used to soothe me, to manipulateme…it was all for this. Soshecould have the power. Soshecould sit on that throne. As if this had been her plan all along.
She whipped back to the guards still holding Clarissa captive. “Take her to the dungeons to await trial. May the Fates have mercy on her soul.”
59
Thorne
Imade sure Marigold was safely tucked away with her nanny in the servants’ quarters before following my mother outside the grand ballroom.
“You’ve gone too far, Mother,” I said. “You have no authority in this palace. With Galen dead?—”
“Well, I certainly don’t see the Dowager Queen doing anything to stop me.” She slowly turned, keeping her weight on her good leg as her gown swirled across the floor. “And do you truly think thatforeignerhas any power here? After that sham of a wedding? Please, dear.” She scoffed. “Nobody in this kingdom would follow her rule.”
“And you expect them to followyours?” I spat.
“With the support of our fellow regents, I’m sure the kingdom will come to an agreeable solution.”
I let out a derisive laugh. “How diplomatic of you, Mother. Why don’t you say what you really mean? That this was what you wanted from the beginning—yourself on that throne, even if you had to wade through bloodshed to get there.”
“No blood has been shed. You’re being dramatic, as always.” She pursed her lips as she stepped toward me. “You were involved in this from the start, Thorne. Do not forget that.”
I stood my ground. “No. You willnotkeep manipulating me. You know I refused to play along once I realized what an asset Clarissa would be to this kingdom. How she couldsaveus.”
