Ethan— my king— was next in line, and vulnerable. As his queen, the most powerful player in the game, I was the only piece that could stop them. I couldn’t do that if I couldn’t strategize. I had to get it together.
I wiped my tears away. I had to bring badass, bitchy Emma back. This sobbing mess that I’d been lately wasn’t going to solve my problems. My voice became steady. “Okay. So what should we do? Focus on the video of Gabby using dark magic?”
"The video is useless. That card has already been played. You must think of something else,” Magdalina said firmly.
My shoulders dropped. “I’m not sure what else I can do. Not without convicting myself, at least.”
“If you want to win in faerie court, you must exploit loopholes,” Magdalina said. “Emma, is there anything you know of that might cause Ethan to be favorable in the eyes of the court? Even the smallest detail might save his life.”
I bit my lip as I thought of the possibilities. It was risky… but therewasone thing I still had over Gabby. And it could change the outcome of this trial. That is, if we could pull it off.
I took a breath. “I have an idea.”
Chapter Three
Ethan
The second day of my trial was shaping up to be as dismal as the first.
High fae filled the courtroom, dressed in their best fineries. My trial was the year’s premier entertainment. I could already hear the gossip swarming around the courtroom, glee permeating the voices of all who’d been thrilled to hear that I, Prince Ethan Nowak, was on trial for treason; a dire fate none had dared to suspect me of. In all my public dealings I’d been pious, noble. I’d purposefully acted that way. Image in Malovia was everything, and I’d spent the years trained by my mother, carefully building up a reputation of stoic infallibility, and loyalty to my country.
Now that that image was tarnished and laid out to be a falsity, the public didn’t know who or what I was. And they were lapping it up like eager dogs hungry for a meal.
My cousin had been speaking for the last hour. His droning was starting to become very dull. He’d recapped everything we’d covered yesterday, as if the Circle needed a reminder on exactly what I’d done.
When there was a rare break in my cousin’s ranting, I broke in. “Why do you continue to waste the court’s time?” I asked. “You’ve found me guilty for a multitude of charges, any of which I could hang for.”
“In time, dear cousin,” Elijah told me with a sinister smile. “The country deserves to know exactly what you’ve done.”
He was toying with me. This was his way of getting back at me after I’d refused to side with him over his despicable ideals. He couldn’t give me the favor of a quiet execution.
Lady Magdalina gave me a staunch stare, telling me to be quiet. Elijah might be putting me on trial, but I was certain Magdalina thought she was running the show. She wouldn’t give up an ounce of control. The trial dragged on, but Magdalina seemed convinced that she had a plan. I could tell just by the way she was standing.
There was only one thing that was truly concerning. Where was Emma? I hadn’t seen my mate since the trial had begun. The rest of my friends were here, but when I looked worryingly around for my mate, I couldn’t find her. Stefan had mouthed to calm down, that she was nearby.
Perhaps that was for the best. I wouldn’t be able to bear her screaming when Elijah called for my head. Emma shouldn’t bear witness to this farce of a trial. It’d only upset her. I hoped she was somewhere safe, resting and avoiding the reality of my fate.
Elijah continued to list off infractions and violations. At this point, I was getting bored. Elijah had already taken away everything that mattered— my title, my freedom, Emma— what more worth was my life? Why did Eli continue to hem and haw over my fate when we both knew the ending result? I was growing weary of his games.
And it showed, because I yawned. Elijah’s face flushed in anger, and he bellowed, “You will show respect to the king when being spoken to!”
“Or what?” I asked with disdain. “I can’t possibly end up in a worse situation than I’m already in. Gods know you won’t move my execution along and spare us all the insufferable recounting of what a bad boy I’ve been. I’m half certain this is my punishment. Hell would be more comfortable than continuing to sit here listening to you blather on all day.”
Magdalina scowled, while the audience stifled a laugh. Elijah rose abruptly from his chair. “Silence!” he yelled. The court room went quiet. “I will not tolerate this kind of disrespect in my courtroom! I am the king!”
“Is that all you can say?” I asked. “I am the king, I am the king. Perhaps come up with something more original when being challenged. Logic might be a start.”
Elijah’s face reddened, and Gabby whispered to him. I’d pushed him to the verge of erupting. In a low voice, he added, “I can drag this on as long as I want to. Your degradation has merely begun.”
I made a skeptical sound. “You can try.”
He’d already humiliated me by taking away my prosthetic, and using his guards to drag me across the courtroom when I couldn’t walk on my own. It’d been perhaps the most embarrassing moment of my life, and before I died, I wanted to make Elijah pay for it. A flare of rage rose inside of me, and I dared to be defiant. He wanted to use my disability against me, but he would regret it before he cut off my head. He thought he was showing power by belittling an amputee.
All it did was show him as weak. He was terrified of a man without a leg, and now, it was obvious to the public. That’s why we were here today. Elijah had always been worried I would somehow take his place, even after the King’s Contest ended. I was business to be taken care of. Nothing more, nothing less.
Elijah might be king, and I might be a traitor on trial, but he was still jealous of me. It was comical, and made me pity him. At least I had a clear conscience. I was in chains, but they weren’t of my own making. My cousin was more of a prisoner than I was, trapped by his own envy. It was pathetic.
“If you continue to show insolence, I’ll overrule the Circle and demand your execution this moment!” Elijah roared.
