I nodded. “Thank—”
The king lifted his palm so very close to my face, then shushed me with apap.
“But”—I should have known there was going to be abut—“I still believe that he should be punished for his actions.” He looked towards Marshen and hissed, “You disobeyed my direct orders and were a second away from sullying my innocent cousin.” His voice turned into a misty roar. “Who was not yet of age!”
I imagined King Ryvar using his Strongman force to flog Marshen’s back with one of his dangling whips as punishment, but instead he said, “As your king, I decide on your whereabouts. Marshen Deucane, you will not be executed, but you are not allowed to set foot anywhere on my Land or anywhere near Blanca. Now get the fuck out of Silch.”
Whatever little colour Marshen’s face had drained completely. I remembered what he had once told me.I don’t want to die either…but I want to return home more.
“You can’t change what Boreas has chosen for us. She’s of age now, you cannot control—”
“Don’t bringhiminto this! And yes, I can. I dare you to disobey me. Iwishfor you to disobey me. I would have good reason to chop off your head then.”
Always his fucking nightmare.
Marshen was a hair’s breadth from lunging at Ryvar, but I reached for his elbow.
“Kneel,” I hissed at him.
“What?”
“You said you’d do anything for her and I know it’s the truth, so kneel.”
The sight of Marshen kneeling before me gave me mixed emotions. It felt empowering, yet the way I had complete control over him settled somewhat bitterly in my stomach.
“Marshen Deucane, do you swear it on your soul to always respect and protectme, the Queen of Ilma,mypeople, andmyLand?”
“I swear it,” he said, confirming it with a firm nod.
“You dare defect from your king? The god you so much love?” Ryvar spat.
“My god? Never. You, with pleasure.”
“Then I bind these words from your soul to mine, for I know you tell the truth.” I gave Marshen a small nod and a subtle smile. “Get up, Marshen, you are now under my care.”
“You cannot just do that,” Ryvar protested.
“With the oath of tears, I just did.”
“I didn’t see you put his tears in your mouth—the oath doesn’t count,” Ryvar commented flatly.
What a big baby.
“I already have.” And as I turned myself around to face the king, I felt a tiny tug pulling at my soul. A minuscule trickle of a bond that stretched from myself to Marshen and made its way back to me. The king’s eyes darted from mine to my necklace, and they widened as he witnessed its blue stone shimmering. Once the glitter muted and the pendant returned to its original colour, the tug ebbed, but I knew that the bond between Marshen and me remained.
I turned towards Marshen and said, “As my sworn and bound, you may go wherever I say you go, and I—”
The king cut me off. “You only have that right over nobility so—”
I cut him off right back, my words directed at Marshen. “Oh, and I almost forgot, you are now the royal advisor of the Queen of Ilma, and you go wherever I go.”
The king’s golden skin reddened.
I went into that prison cell with one goal in mind—I would not come out of it unless Marshen was at my side.
Today, I will not lose.No, today I am queen, and today, I win.
“I guess the shit show’s finally over,” Ryvar grumbled. Then he looked at his brother and flatly said, “The glittering necklace and glowing blue eyes convince me. I’ll set up a meeting with the others; they need to hear about this first thing.”
