Secret of the Snow Queen (Fire and Ice Book #1) *GOING THROUGH EDITS*

CH. 8 Dancing with the Devil 🔪🔪

                                                                         Aurora

The room stayed silent after I made my announcement, and I wasn't sure what to do next. Richard was staring at me with a cocked brow from where he was sitting while Luca got out of his seat and stood next to me. Lord Nilsen even seemed surprised.

"Why the change of mind?" Richard asked.

"I have given the idea of ruling as Queen some thought and decided that if my presence in Juvelia means so much to the people, then I'll stay." Luca cleared his throat.

"I have agreed to act as Regent so that the princess can tend to her son and take time to become familiar with her station. Rulers aren't born overnight." He stared Richard down, and I looked away.

Don't make it so obvious, Luca.

"A queen without a king and a fatherless prince." Richard scoffed. "Who will teach your bastard how to be a man?" Kelvin stood up straighter from where he was standing in his corner, and I tensed. Richard's words made me angry. I had to admit it, but it took everything inside of me to be the bigger person. I sighed and looked him in the eye.

"My son will have all the men here to teach him how to fight and do what men do. It isn't my fault that his father abandoned us." The room was silent then; all the men looked at me like a broken puppy, and I felt a little satisfaction.

It isn't all a lie, and I don't think the council cares anyway. After all, Nigel did mention the rebellion was young. There had to be some wiggle room I could work with regarding traditions. Richard wasn't looking at me now; there was a glint in his eyes that I'd never seen before. Was he hurt or just mad he wasn't going to become king? It didn't matter; I was done with it all and had a splitting headache.

"I will leave Luca to attend to business; I must retire to my quarters. My son needs me." I gave one last look to Richard, who was looking at me again, then turned and left. With my head held high, I walked through the castle halls as if I owned it; I technically owned the palace now that I was taking my birthright. It was weird thinking of myself this way. I had always thought Mary, my older sister, would become Queen; that was when we were children. I never knew what had happened to her. Had she survived, too, or had she been killed along with my father?

I shook my head; the council would already have her crowned queen if she were alive instead of bullying me into taking the throne. I turned a corner and continued my stride down the aisle when suddenly I felt a hand grab my mouth, and another arm grab my waist. I tried to scream, but his hand covered my mouth and now my nose. I couldn't breathe; I was going to die. He brought me into a small room, closed the door, and pinned me against it, pressing himself into my back.

"You little liar." I knew it was Richard. I panted as he pressed my face into the door. "All I have to do is tell the captain what happened. All those men are on my side, and when I tell them the truth, they'll find out who you really are, Aurora Arrianna Nikolaevna." I tried adjusting myself so I could breathe. When he whipped me around to face him, a dagger was at my throat now, and anger burned in his eyes.

"You can kill me now, Richard. Go ahead, show your true colors; how small of a man you are that a tiny woman can embarrass you in front of your peers." He pressed the flat against my neck, but I continued. "You're such a coward you'd orphan your son." He dropped the blade then, and it rattled loudly.

"What was that?" I heard a guard ask.

"I don't know," said a deep voice; was that Kelvin? It didn't matter; Richard's hand muffled my mouth and nose again before I could scream. Richard and I stared at each other until we heard their voices fade. He finally rereleased my face, and I gasped for air.