FOR HER, HE WILL SET EVERY KINGDOM ON FIRE.
Kyron LeFur never wanted to be king. He may have united a torn people and ended a bloody war, but none of that matters without his queen. She sacrificed her crown for him, and now he will stop at nothing t...
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II remove my crown and toss it on the oval conference table. The iron and gold whooshes around the shiny surface before wobbling to a halt. Everyone packed into the strategy room falls silent, their debate over Raelle's rescue forgotten. My black hair falls over my eyes as I drop my face into my hands, covering my pursed lips and furrowed brows.
"I don't understand why this meeting was even called," says the council woman with pink ringlets framing her beige skin. "If you rescue the Lucent queen...your parah, you will thrust this kingdom into another war. The Allaji tactics are barbaric, and we don't have the means to fight them head on. We urge you to abide by the treaty your mother made. It is the only thing keeping our people safe."
The council members seated along her side of the table feverishly nod. They're my biggest opposition, representing those who do not wish to fight and want the amplification ceremony reinstated. The resentment they and those they represent hold toward me grows every day. The only reason they won't commit treason and break away from our kingdom is the Possada. Their addiction to power has them clinging to a false hope that I will change my mind. Perhaps I feed into that hope with sly words crafted to keep them in our ranks. I can't afford to make new enemies, and I will need every single body for what lies ahead.
"With all due respect, Your Majesty." A middle-aged man with a bushy beard and bland attire lifts his finger to catch my attention. He was once Micah's liaison to the Lucent people, now he sides with those who don't approve of my rule. "What is the difference between saving the former queen and any of the other Cyffred held captive by the Allaji? The families of those who were taken want their loved ones returned just as much as you want to rescue her. What kind of message are you sending to the people? Are only those who have worn crowns important?"
I rub my temples and inhale slowly, hoping it will calm the irritation boiling inside me. "The kidnapped Cyffreds are a priority. The difference between the two is that our top military strategists believe they've located Raelle, and we have yet to find a way to infiltrate the camps where the Cyffreds are held without risking their lives."
The pink-haired woman scoffs. "Of course they found a way to rescue her. She has been your focus since she was taken. And what price will this kingdom pay for her return? A war that will drain our coffers and weaken our army."
The purpose of this meeting was to share my intent with my council, not to put Raelle's rescue up for debate. For minutes, I've sat here and listened to them talk about her like she is worthless—a mere object that I obsess over. My blood has heated in my veins with each snide remark they have made, and now it is ready to explode.
I slam my fist down on the table. "Countless lives are at risk while we sit in this room debating. I, for one, refuse to find contentment when a portion of my people are enslaved to the Allaji. Each of you at this table should be outraged at our lack of action. Instead, you ask those taken against their will to pay the price for your safety. If that is the way you feel, you are free to excuse yourself from this meeting because I'm done doing shit-all. Today, we will devise a plan to save Raelle, and then we will fight to bring the others home."
