Total pages in book: 79
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 77730 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 389(@200wpm)___ 311(@250wpm)___ 259(@300wpm)
“Because you were too young and too green and not nearly ambitious enough yet to take over. And your father had a lot of men ready to take what was rightfully yours.”
“And why would you have any loyalty to me?”
“I have loyalty to the people. And who will serve them best. That’s not Grimwood. Or Carver. Or Thistlegreen. Men just as greedy and selfish as your father.”
“And you think I’m not?”
“Greed has no appeal to you. You were born with everything you could want. There is nothing left to aspire to own.”
“And selfishness?”
“You think I don’t know how work camps have been liberated when you’ve traveled? The people who have been let out of the dungeons? That you were perfectly capable of giving the true death to the redcaps your father kept on your heels. You threw rocks at them or let them fall off cliffs of their own stupidity.
“You married a woman you knew wasn’t Gemma Grimwood. You sent out your guards to get her lake water when you realized she was ailing. You had gardens set up so you, your guests, and the staff could eat without starving your people.
“I’m not saying you’re perfect, Jet. But I am saying you could be a good ruler. If you keep your morals. And you listen to your advisors.”
“Meaning you?”
“No one is more experienced,” Tove said, shrugging as he tossed the last of the pages into the fire. “But not just me. Your wife. Vishen. Nira. Hell, even Mendalyn here.”
Mendalyn’s brows rose.
“Yes, I know about you, your women, and your mission.”
He knew.
But didn’t tell Cass.
Didn’t act on it.
Because if my father got wind of that, he would have sent in the military to torture and drag those women back to work camps. And Mendalyn to the dungeons.
It was another bit of proof that he was telling the truth.
“He didn’t stop Cass from drinking the Stillwater I put in his wine,” Serin added.
“It was a solid plan,” Tove said. “Especially after Grimwood collapsed. Grimwood, who was the frontrunner for the one to take control of the throne. He’s been lobbying hard against the other wealthy and powerful families. If both Grimwood and Cass are out of commission, the other families will be scrambling and fighting. It gives you the chance you need to take control.”
“But Stillwater won’t last forever,” Serin said.
“How long?” I asked.
There was a talk to be had about steeping poisons, about keeping it from me. But now was not the time. And never in front of someone else. If we were going to take the throne, we had to be a stable, united front.
“The redcaps are starting to stir,” she said. “But the poison I gave Grimwood and your father steeped for longer. And they each had a lot more. I can’t say for sure, but I think you have a few days at least.”
My gaze slid to Tove.
“It’s not long. But it could be long enough if your plan is solid enough.”
I looked to Mendalyn next.
“It can be done. Once you have the rioting outside the palace contained and take the throne without objection from the people, the other families will fall in line and pledge their loyalty.”
“They will continue to be a threat,” Tove added. “But that is nothing new. It’s part of leadership. The best thing you can do is have your people behind you. Then the powerful families will be more skittish.”
“Or,” Serin said, making everyone turn to look at her.
“Or?” I asked.
“No, never mind.”
“No, tell me. I’ve clearly been underutilizing you. What is your idea?”
“Get ahead of it,” she said.
“How do you propose that?” Tove asked.
But Serin ignored them, focused on me.
“Send the military to round up known threats to the throne. The men like Grimwood. And the agitators outside. Not all of them. Just a few to make an example of.”
“Imprisoning them will only fuel resistance,” Tove said.
“No. Not imprison,” Serin said. “You line them up. And you take something from them,” she said, looking at me, knowing how I felt about using that power. “Not all of it. Just a chip. Enough to feel it.”
“And?” I prompted. “And you tell them that they can earn it back by proving their loyalty. And you do this in public.”
“What am I missing here?” Tove asked.
I glanced at Serin, something spreading warm and bright through my chest.
“I think you just heard Serin show herself to be an extremely capable Unseelie Queen.”
CHAPTER TWENTY-FIVE
Serin
Tove was willingly brought to his quarters with an armed escort working for the statuesque, keen-eyed Mendalyn—a woman, it seemed, who helped save Jet when he’d been stuck outside trying to find me.
Another of these women was planted outside of Cass’s door once he was moved to his bed to rest.
“What do you plan to do with him?” I asked Jet as we made our way up to our floor with Mendalyn following silently behind.