Page 82 of Death of a Mortal

“Tell the world I stand with the crown and that the rebels need to give up the fight.”

“Oh, Naci… I’m so sorry. At least you’ll look beautiful when you do.” Her sad smile was killing me inside.

I hugged her again, pulling her close, squeezing her tight.

“We’re gonna figure it out, okay? Keep folding those linens and letting Halden kiss you on the cheek and gossiping with Ott and Moe.”

She let out a small laugh. “I have so many linens to fold without you.”

I managed my first genuine smile since I walked into that dining room almost a week ago.

Her smile dropped as she asked the question I knew was coming, but, nonetheless, wasn’t prepared for. “And…your mom?”

I swallowed hard, shaking my head. “Dead,” was all I could get out.

Her eyes welled up with tears. “Naci, I—”

“Time, let’s go,” grunted the guard who spoke earlier.

I shot daggers at him with my glare. “Be good, okay? Don’t do anything crazy, stay out of trouble, and keep your chin up.”

The guard grabbed her by the wrist and pulled her away from me.

“Don’t worry, I’ll be fine. I love you.”

“I love you too,” were the last words she got out before the guard had her out the door, followed by the maidens.

The other, far more rotund guard handed me a small piece of parchment covered in thin, scrawling letters. “Your speech.”

If the thought of this speech had instilled dread in my heart, it was nothing compared to the effect the actual words on the page had.

* * *

All too soon,we arrived. Me, Round Guard, and Dumb Guard, in a sitting room with an empty fireplace and doors open wide to an outside balcony.

I realized then that I had not been outside since the rose garden with…where I had dinner all those weeks ago. The smell of fresh air on the gentle breeze was deceptively inviting, for it was coming in from the balcony upon which I would deliver this abominable speech.

The room was small, scarcely decorated, with only one painting on the mantel and one mostly empty bookshelf.

“Sit. Read.” The dumb guard was beginning to really live up to the name I’d given him.

I sat down in a chair facing the fireplace and read the speech that had been written for me.

By the time I reached the end, my stomach was in knots, dropping further each time I read through. Over and over, I read it until my eyes stung as badly as my heart over what I was about to do.

The king and queen entered, flanked by two more guards, hands resting on the pommels of their swords, looking at me menacingly. Caedryn and Malvina were in their full regalia this time, green and gold mantles hanging from both of their shoulders, crowns upon their heads. I was surrounded by fae, which set my heart pounding faster.

The queen nodded to me encouragingly while the king scrutinized my every detail.

The silver lining was that Varyn wasn’t here.

“They’ve opened the castle gates to let the citizens into the courtyard. In a few minutes, I’ll deliver my speech, followed by yours, on that balcony. You will see, I am a king of my word.”

King of his word… That carried two meanings. He said he would not let harm come to Nella if I agreed to this, and he hadn’t. But he also made a promise that, if I didn’t behave, he would kill her. And that was a word I knew he would keep, the threat clear in that statement.

So, several minutes later, I took my place beside the king on the balcony, and I took in the hundreds of fae in the courtyard below.

And then this puppet danced.