A Vow So Bold and Deadly (Cursebreakers, #3)(39)

“My sister said the same thing.” She studies me as I buckle my weapons into place. “I don’t want people to fear me, Grey.” Her voice is very soft. “Do you think that makes me a weak queen?”

“No.” I step over to the bed and press a hand to her cheek. “You can be a strong queen without being your mother, Lia Mara.”

The instant I say the words, I realize I don’t know if they’re true. The soldiers on her training fields would disagree with me. In Emberfall, King Broderick was certainly never known for being kind. And while Rhen is devoted to his people, he’s not opposed to being brutal when he sees the need for it. The scars on my back—on Tycho’s back—are proof enough of that.

Maybe Lia Mara can read the hesitation in my eyes, because she presses her hand over mine. “Nolla Verin thinks I am too lax.”

“Your sister is vicious because your mother expected her to be.” I pause. “She expected the throne, and she knows no other way to rule.”

She stares at me. “You … don’t trust her,” she says carefully.

“I trust her to behave exactly as Karis Luran would.”

She frowns. “Nolla Verin says I need to learn to fight for myself if I expect others to fight on my behalf. Mother would have agreed.”

“Nolla Verin is wrong.”

“She is?”

“You are queen, Lia Mara, and you took that throne by force. You already know how to fight for yourself. I’ve seen your strength and bravery countless times.” I lean down to kiss her. “Now it’s time to show your people.”



Jake is waiting in the hallway when I finally emerge. He’s leaning against the opposite wall, his arms folded across his chest. If I didn’t know any better, I’d say he was dozing, but I’ve learned that Jake is very good at looking bored and inattentive when he’s actually quite the opposite. His eyes widen, and he straightens when he sees me. I’m not sure what about my appearance is telling, but he hooks a thumb in his sword belt and smiles. “Well, hi, Grey,” he says, too casually. “Nice night?”

I was a guardsman long enough to recognize this type of taunting, so I ignore him and look at Lia Mara’s guards, two women this morning. I only know one of them, a stony-faced guard named Tika who was loyal to Karis Luran.

“No one is to enter the queen’s chambers without an escort,” I say to them both. “I will speak to the scraver Iisak about remaining at her side throughout the day.”

They exchange a glance, then Tika nods. Her expression does not change. “Yes, Your Highness.”

I turn to stride down the hallway, but I’m not surprised at all when Jake falls into step beside me.

“Don’t start,” I say.

“You do realize you’re blushing.”

I’m not. At least I hope I’m not.

He grins. Silver hell.

“You must be exhausted,” he continues, “after … ah, standing guard.”

I give him a look and wonder how much of this I’m going to have to endure.

“What?” he says innocently.

I mimic his always-irreverent tone. “Don’t be a dick, Jake.”

He lowers his voice and mimics my severe one. “As you say, Your Highness.”

I smack him on the back of the head, and he laughs—but he quickly sobers. He’s quieter as he says, “I’ve been waiting till we were out of earshot to tell you this, but … her guards were going to storm in there.”

“What?” I look at him in surprise. “When?”

“Around midnight.” He pauses. “Apparently there’s worry that you would cause her harm.”

I stop short in the hallway and round on him. “That I would cause—”

“Shh.” He doesn’t stop. “Keep walking.”

I keep walking. “She has had two attempts on her life while I was nowhere near.”

“There are a lot of rumors.” He pauses. “Their law says whoever kills the queen gets to rule Syhl Shallow, right? One of the strongest rumors is that you intend to kill Lia Mara and claim the throne for yourself.”

“Why would I need to? We are already allies.” We pass a servant in the hallway, and my expression must be fierce, because he quickly bows and scurries out of the way.

“They don’t trust magic, Grey. They don’t trust you.” He takes a deep breath. “There are factions in the city who think Syhl Shallow needs to take a stand against your magic. They’re worried you’re manipulating her to gain control of her army, and once they’ve marched on Emberfall, you’ll take control of everything. Then their queen will be dead, and no one will be able to touch you because of your magic—”

“Enough.” I sigh and run a hand down my face.

They think I am manipulating her because they do see her as weak. She wants to be a peaceful queen, but that means we will battle uphill at every turn. If I take control of her army by force, we will seem to be at odds. If I don’t … we will struggle to hold them together at all.

Not for the first time, I wish for Rhen’s counsel.

I want to shove the thought out of my head, but as usual, it lodges there. He was not without his faults … but he would not be in this predicament. He was raised to do this, raised to rule a kingdom. He has the skill to outwit his opponents when they make themselves known. It’s why he was able to run Syhl Shallow out of Emberfall the first time—and likely why he was able to keep Lilith at bay for so very long.