Crush the King (Crown of Shards #3)(120)

“Well, at least you won’t have to worry about Maximus and Mercer anymore,” I said. “Your mother made sure of that. If nothing else, I admire her for protecting you.”

“Yes, she did. I still can’t believe that she killed Uncle Maximus. And that Nox killed Mercer.” Leonidas didn’t seem as happy about the developments as his mother did, and I could smell his worry, fear, and dread.

“You don’t have to go back to your mother or to Morta if you don’t want to,” I said. “You and Lyra could return with me to Seven Spire. I would find a place for you there and make sure that no one bothered you or your strix. The two of you would be free to come and go as you pleased. Perhaps you could even learn a trade. I’m in need of an apprentice for the new royal jeweler I wish to hire.”

Leonidas jerked back, clearly stunned by the offer. “You would do that? You would help me, protect me? Even after everything that my family has done to yours?”

I shrugged. “Well, I would certainly enjoy rubbing your mother’s face in the fact that you chose me over her. But you saved my life, and Lyra helped me free the strixes that Maximus wanted to use against me. Kindness is often in short supply in royal courts, and things like that matter a great deal to me.”

Leonidas stared at me, and I could see the struggle in his eyes. It was no small thing to give up the life and the family you’d been born into, even if someone was offering you a chance to take an easier, safer path. To escape your birthright and all the horrors that came along with it. In the end, he shook his head, although I could smell his minty regret and dusty resignation.

“I can’t abandon her,” Leonidas said. “She might not realize it yet, but she’s going to need me now more than ever. Mother protected me from Uncle Maximus, Mercer, and all the others as best she could. Now it’s my turn to protect her.”

Brave, stupid boy. My heart ached for Leonidas and everything he had suffered, and everything he would suffer in the future, but I admired his devotion to his mother, and I had to respect his decision. “Very well. If that’s what you want.”

He tried to smile, although the expression quickly melted into a grimace. “We very rarely get what we want. Mother said that when she killed Uncle Maximus in the arena. But I suppose you know that better than anyone, don’t you?”

“I certainly do.”

Maeven finally swanned over to the corner where I was standing with Leonidas. She held out her hand to her son, and he stepped forward and took it.

She squeezed his fingers, then tilted her head to the side. “Go say hello to Nox. Then later we’ll see about getting you and Lyra back to our camp where you both belong.”

He smiled at her, although the expression slipped off his face the moment Maeven glanced away. Leonidas shot me one more regretful look, then squared his shoulders and shuffled over to where Nox was standing with some of the Mortan nobles. They warmly greeted the boy, as though he had been one of them all along, and not just something they were suddenly interested in now that his mother was queen.

Even more sympathy filled me. I knew exactly what that was like, and I wondered what sort of life I’d doomed him to. But I’d given him a choice, and he had made it. Still, Leonidas was far stronger than he knew, and I thought that he would be all right. At least, I hoped he would.

Maeven pivoted back to me, a wide, triumphant smile on her face. Paloma and Sullivan were standing a few feet away. They both tensed, and Paloma dropped her hand to her mace and raised her eyebrows, silently asking if I wanted her to try to kill Maeven. I shook my head.

I had already beaten Maeven—the smug bitch just didn’t realize it yet.

I studied Maeven the same way she was studying me. “Being queen agrees with you. Even I have to admit how stunning you look tonight.”

She preened a little at my words. “Well, if the crown fits, I might as well wear it.”

I couldn’t help myself. I laughed.

Maeven frowned. “Why are you laughing? And why are you smiling at me like that?”

“Because I won—I finally, fucking won.”

She stared at me like I was crazy. “You didn’t win anything. You didn’t kill Maximus. I did.”

Her words made me laugh again, and it took me several seconds to get my merry chuckles under control.

“Well, one could argue that we killed him together. Clever of you to stand back and let me do the hard work of destroying his magic before you moved in to strike the fatal blow.” I shrugged. “But let’s not debate the semantics, not now, when I’m so happy.”

She blinked. “What? Why are you happy?”

I shook my head. “You really don’t see it, do you?”

She frowned again. “What do you mean?”

“You did exactly what I wanted you to. You’re right. You killed Maximus in the arena, not me. Everyone saw you do it. And then, even better, Nox cut Mercer’s throat. Everyone saw him do that too.”

Maeven kept staring at me, still confused. So, for once, I decided to show her some mercy and explain what I’d done.

“I actually have to thank Felton,” I said. “He’s the one who first gave me the idea when I visited him in the Seven Spire dungeon a few months ago. He’s still rotting down there, in case you were curious.”

But Maeven didn’t care about Felton, Queen Cordelia’s traitorous secretary, only what he’d inspired me to do. “Idea for what?” she asked in a sharp voice.