“The goddesses are against this.” I raised my voice over all the others, coming to the center of the room. The area fell silent as I sat at the base of the stairs that led to the throne’s dais, staring up at Cameron with resolve and without fear.
Charlie paled; he was worried about me speaking out, what the repercussions would be if I stood against his father. He didn’t want me to get hurt.
But I wasn’t in any danger, because Cameron blanched the moment he set eyes on me. He hadn’t realized I was there. His fingers turned white as he gripped the armrests of his throne, acting as if I was a specter personally come to haunt him.
Everyone in the room waited for my next words. I turned my head as I spoke to them all, raising my voice so everyone would hear. “Caralyn and Idril want us to have courage. We should take action to rescue the fae.”
“And how do you know? Have you heard Caralyn or Idril speak to you? How could you without any magic?” Cameron sneered.
“I don’t need to hear their voices to know what you’re doing here is wrong, and the most foolish thing you could do. The goddesses would not support this mockery you’ve made of their empire,” I said plainly. “You have a lot of nerve, insulting one of my ladies and threatening to behead one of our strongest allies.”
Cameron’s lip quivered, but he managed to keep a straight face. My eyes surveyed the room and landed once again on Oberi… and the glint of the metal collar he bore. “Why is that collar still on my Familiar?”
“He’s not your Familiar anymore,” Cameron seethed.
I raised an eyebrow. “We’ll see about that.”
I snapped my fingers. “Oberi. Come here.”
He dutifully trotted over, the collar dangling on his neck. That collar prevented him from using magic, from shifting, from being who he truly was. He would be restrained no more.
I hadn’t taken it off yet, because I knew the moment I did there’d be no going back. I had to be sure of the moves I was making before I made them. But I was done with waiting, and it was past time to execute my master plan. I needed to make a statement.
My fingers inched to wrap around the collar. Cameron began to bluster. “Don’t you dare remove that collar, or I’ll?—”
“You’ll what? What will you do?” I challenged.
“Anyone who removes that collar from that animal shall be put to death!” He stood from his throne, daring me to make another move.
I dug into my pocket, withdrawing the throwing knife Danny had given me. Then I fit it into the lock on the collar, using the lockpicking skills Kallie had taught me to break it loose. The collar came apart in two pieces, freeing Oberi. He shook his entire body, glad to be free of it.
I turned toward Cameron. I then let the collar drop from my hand, and it clattered against the floor. “Then do it.”
A vein bulged in his temple. The entire room danced upon the edge of a precipice. He didn’t order anyone to move to kill me, and nobody dared to pick up a weapon.
Cameron sat back down, fingers grasping the wooden arms of the throne.
“I thought so.” I stared at Cameron, and he stared back. No one dared to make a sound.
The Emperor cleared his throat. “Everyone, leave us. I will speak only to the princess.”
In stunned silence, the throne room began to clear. The guards surrounding Kazim and Sigrid looked to Cameron, but he waved his hand, and the fae were released from their chains. Kallie guided her brother out, giving me a nod of thanks. She knew I had this handled.
Oberi licked my fingers, a thank you for setting him free. Charlie pushed through the crowd to get to me, face stricken. “Ava, I can’t leave you alone with this maniac,” he hissed. “My father’s capable of anything.”
“I’ll be fine,” I told him. “You need to trust me. Go.”
Charlie balked, unsure whether to walk away. Then Oberi nudged his legs, and Charlie managed to depart the room with the others, leaving Cameron and I alone.
The moment the area was empty, Cameron let out a groan, shoulders sulking as he rubbed his temple. “You have no idea the burden this realm has placed upon my shoulders.”
“Then step down,” I said plainly. “You don’t want to do this, anyway. You enjoy having the title of Emperor, and the glory that comes with it, but you hate the responsibility.”
“What do you suggest I do? I can’t get out of it!” His voice, a desperate wail, echoed off the walls. He stepped down from the raised dais, coming closer to me. He took a seat on a nearby bench. I came close, daring to approach.
“Pass it on to me,” I stated. “Give me your council and your Associates to command. I’ll take over running the empire, and the task of defeating the Warden. I’ll handle all the stress and pressure of winning the war. You can continue doing all the things you enjoy— the parties, the feasts, all of it. There won’t be anything for you to worry about except continuing to be the figurehead people want you to be.”
“I would be Emperor only in name!” Cameron burst.
