Page 14 of Retrograde

I acted like I didn’t care he was there and glanced at one of the butlers. “We can watch it in here. No reason to stand on formality when this is breaking news. We can have the news playing quietly during informal meals like this or if there are events—whatever reasonable requests our guests have.”

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

I made my plate and was comforted when I was flocked by the right people when I sat. Darren had had papers and work all over, but he moved to my table to be a shield. So had others, and since Velle and Myriam had come in as I did—I was pretty well covered.

And I needed it.

Especially seeing how horrible the Alpha looked. He appeared completely different from less than a week ago. He’d lost weight and appeared like he hadn’t slept at all. His mate was in the same state and I didn’t even like her. She was a vapid woman who talked about other women like submissive mares to give birth to important men.

Yeah, someone you just wanted to smack. Tradwife bullshit who looked down on working women and whatnot.

If you wanted to be a stay-at-home mother and could afford it—awesome. Truly. Be happy and live the life you wanted because we only got one life.

But don’t judgeothersconstantly. A woman’s life wasn’t only complete if she had children. She didn’tloseherself and her femininity by working or—any of that bullshit was just bullshit and weaker women were brainwashed on it.

Not this woman.

And I would beat it out of Thovudin in my rule even if it cost me my sanity. Maybe make a de-brainwashing program. That thought made me almost chuckle, which would have been horribly inappropriate at the moment.

At least my dragons found it amusing.

“It is with a heavy heart and shame I have never known before that I stand here to tell you all that my son, Loraviel, drugged our queen Sagan De la Rosa.” He nodded when people gasped. “Many of you have reported that the castle recently went into lockdown and speculated what happened. Wereangry that the media was locked out—it was because the queen is kind.

“She was never going to hide this, but against her family’s wishes—the people who love and care about her—she gave my family time to decide how to handle this situation. She was benevolent and gave us time to come to terms before everything that comes next.” He let out a shaky breath and reached for his mate’s hand. “We’ve failed as parents.

“We accept that. Full stop. We taught our son wrong or—I don’t know where we went wrong and that will haunt us for years to come. What I do know is Lori isn’t a child who made a foolish or understandable mistake. He—the proof is undeniable, and the queen allowed us to see it all before this was made public.

“We were allowed access to the investigation, unlike other families ever have been, and she did that for peace. She did that for the stability of our nation when things are already too precarious given the transition of leaders and the wrongful deaths of her parents. Our queen iswiseand fair, and I thank her for how she handled all of this because we needed the time.

“To handle this as a leader and with a cool head, putting Sunborough and Thovudin first, I needed that time. I amhumbledby our queen because she did not. She was thevictimand immediately acted like a leader and thought of Thovudin and our people. Not herself. Her family—I’m getting ahead of myself.”

His mate patted his arm and moved towards the mic, which surprised him, but he allowed it. “I agree with my mate, and I know I’ve been a harsh judge to our queen—most female leaders, but maybe I’m the one who is wrong. MaybeIam simply not a woman meant to be a leader because I fell apart and could only think as a mother and emotionally.

“I reacted in hate and cursed my queen thinking she had to be lying to get out of this contest. I thought—horrible things, but none of that is true. The evidence is clear and she wanted us to know that and keep peace because that is always her focus. Not once did she focus on her own trauma of being drugged inher homeby a potential mate.

“Not once. Our queen is—we arealltoo harsh on her and my ownsonhas done something unspeakable. We are lucky she is so smart and her parents went to such lengths to educate her in everything she would need to survive such a harsh and unforgiving nation.” She sniffled loudly and wiped her eyes. “My son drugged her and I can never apologize enough.

“He tried to bring on both their heats for—a stupid plan. A stupid,stupidplan that could only work because people are horrible to her and Thovudin is too sexist. Get caught in bed and she would be forced to mate? What year is it? And she would be unable to function while pregnant, so the elder who brought him this plan would take over? That easy?”

“That’s her angle,” a male voice muttered. “She’s not really changed. She’s trying to throw it all at the elder’s feet. Whoever else was involved.”

I shared a look with Treena… And then Myriam, Velle, and even Maple. I decided to share with the men present the reality everywomanthere knew.

“She went through the same,” I said evenly but loudly. “She’s speaking as a victim who is reliving her own pain. Knowing her son she gave life to did the same to a woman as she suffered.”

“How can you know that?” a different male voice asked, not in judgment but confusion.

I shared another look with Treena, not sure what to say, but she did.

She always did.

“Every woman here knows it,” she answered. “We all have friends who went through something they shouldn’t have at the hands of men. We all know that look in her eyes—that crack in her voice that it’s not just this situation, but one she’s lived.”

“She also realizes she’s part of the problem for not having said more sooner and done more when she could have—should have,” Maple added before turning and leaving the dining room.

I glanced at Fraser with worry, but he shook his head. Either he didn’t know what I was silently asking or it wasn’t her but someone she knew.

“She means she should have done more so you don’t suffer now as you do,” Treena said under her breath. “She’s said it more times than I can count. Maple would give her life to make yours easier and constantly regrets just being a pretty princess. She blames herself that your—”