Hopefully that was the only snake in this pile of things.
Lying in my chair—people left the important notes in my chair and not on my desk for fear it would get lost in the sea of papers—was a simple note. I read it, then snorted a laugh.
The letter was from Royce, a simple two lines:Congrats again on being king. Can you double my funding?
So very typical of him. I looked up at Roland and said, “Double Royce’s funding.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.”
I’d thought I would mind being addressed as such again, the title sitting uncomfortably, considering how hard I’d fought against regaining it. Strangely, though, the appellation didn’t feel the same as in the last lifetime. Not nearly as terrible or weighty, merely familiar and oddly reassuring.
Edwin would struggle with the formality for a while, though. The look on his face whenever he was called “Your Majesty” amused me to no end, like he wanted to argue but knew he couldn’t. Poor love, but he’d adapt. I knew he would.
The office door burst inward, and I jumped in alarm. What was the emergen—oh.
It was only Victor.
I sighed, already tired, and the argument hadn’t even started yet.
Look at him, breathing hard, all red in the face. He looked like he’d had dirty closet sex with a diseased mop. Had he even bathed in the past two days? Why did he reek of stale beer, cigarette smoke, and putrid sweat when he hadn’t been out ofthe palace? Or had he recreated his own favorite den of iniquity inside his rooms?
He likely had.
“You,” he seethed, wild eyed and nearly screaming. “You are not king!”
“Shall I pull out the document so you can see the signatures and seals yourself?” I locked eyes with him and waited him out.
I think he wanted to call my bluff, only the serious look on my face told him it wasn’t one. I could produce said document. Easily, in fact, since it was currently sitting in my office safe.
Victor rallied. “My parents would never have just handed you the throne without a single word to me!”
“Victor. I know they were stringing you along, dangling the throne like a carrot to make you behave, but surely you must realize the throne isn’t something you can have. They’ve already exiled you. That’s how little they think of you. Frankly, the only reason you’re still here is because you’re engaged to Valentina, and I can’t legally kick her out. The second I find a way to manage it, you’ll be thrown back into exile as well.”
He flinched, looking lost and devastated.
I couldn’t quite dredge up full pity, though. Maybe, like, ten percent. He’d done so much to harm everyone around him without any care, it was hard to feel any sort of sympathy for him.
“I want…I want you to turn over—”
“No.”
“This is my birthright!” he screamed so hard spit came with the words.
I only rolled my eyes. “No. Victor, no one wants you to be king. Not a blessed soul. Judge Galbraith will never sign off on it.”
“That foggy bastard doesn’t approve of anyone!”
“He approved of me. And Edwin. Chuckled in delight as he put his signature to the page.”
Victor rocked back on his heels, stunned. “Edwin… Wait, your secretary?”
“I’m shocked you remember him. Yes, the same. Well, former, now. He’s co-ruler as of two days ago.”
“You made a commoner king?!”
“The commoner was already doingyourshare of the work before I ever arrived. Remember? You’re wholly unnecessary, Victor. You made yourself redundant. People learned they could get along swimmingly without you. In fact, it was better to cut you out entirely rather than rely on you. Why would anyone want you for a king when you couldn’t even do the job of a prince?”
Again, that lost expression. Like he couldn’t wrap his head around the idea. “But Iama prince!”
