Page 171 of Uncrowned

“I am not,” I growled. “She was wrong to interrupt. I will agree with that. And I should have marched her away without letting her explain, but she is my Intended. She has the right to state her reasons. She made a choice. Had Penelope not stepped in, Marian might have not been able to go through with the ritual. Penelope inspired her.”

“And threatened The Order just like her friend. What about that part?”

My stare flashed to Penelope as she shook her head.

“She did not threaten The Order. She clearly said she wouldn’t forget this. She believes the guards need to be reined in. They’re becoming too violent. I happen to agree with her.”

“Is that right?”

The Magister’s head shook as he paced.

“Interesting. Do you see what is happening, Unavowed? I feared I was mistaken, but I’m not sure I am.”

“Mistaken about what? What is going on? This is not how The Order is run.”

“You’re wrong.” He turned more from Penelope to face me. “Women care. They’re soft. For Penelope to be your queen, she must lose those qualities. I had hoped after our last meeting over the trials that this night would end differently. That she would see the error of her ways, but I’m afraid time is not on her side.”

“Penelope is strong. She can have feelings and still rule at my side. She⁠—”

“Is not meant to rule at your side,” The Magister said, his voice deepening. “You will be king. You will rule England again. You will not rule The Order when that happens.” He gripped my shirt, jerking off his crown and veil. The man I stared back at, I didn’t know. He had dark eyes and darker skin. He had to be in his mid-fifties, but I wondered if he was older.

“Think,” he ground out. “The king is groomed to rule the world. What of the queen? What of your mother?”

“My…” I blinked through the memories, always getting stuck on her murder.

“Why do you think she was targeted before your father? It is not you we need to lead us. Your job is our country. We need her…”

“My mother… ran The Order?

Flashes. Colors. Laughing and instruction. Me, her, my father… He was in the throne. She was in the queen’s throne but… Her… talking to the former Reeve. Her socializing with Masters. Her. Her. Her. And my father… taking care of me. Teaching me how a king should behave. How he leads. How…

“My mother.”

“She was a fine queen. More than we could have hoped for. If you want Penelope to take her place, you have to let her go. She has violated our trust and must earn it back. From this moment forward, Penelope Taylor is cast out and is temporarily suspended from The Order. She will be protectively placed into the outside world, where she will continue training for the trials.”

“But it’s dangerous out there. King Lawrence⁠—”

“Will be a bigger threat if Penelope does not learn to take care of herself. If you want her to be queen, you must let her become one. Trapping her in a cage will not teach her to fly. If you want her at your side for life, safe and alive, all empathy must die. Her mind must mold to the manipulation of false martyr. You baby her⁠—”

“I love her.”

The words were out before I could stop them. The Magister got silent, pausing before he slowly nodded.

“Then you must agree. You are the risk, Unavowed. Because of this, you will step back and let The Order lead. We will protect her. We will groom her as we did you. It is the only way she becomes your queen. Otherwise, you become your father and she… your mother.”

Tears burned my eyes as I met the blue of Penelope’s.

Set her free? Allow her to live in the outside world… without me?

To train and become… the Main Mistress of The Order?

I felt sick.

Like I was losing her all over again.

But what was the alternative? A repeat of the past? Losing the woman I loved? The death of the Masterson line for good?

I couldn’t be Vaughn right now. I had to be king. I had to…

The Magister motioned to the door and The Reeve entered. His hesitation was clear, but I also saw his loyalty push to the front as he faced a man we’d both never laid eyes on until this night.

As he began to talk, I headed over, pulling down Penelope’s gag. My lips met hers, and I stepped back, cupping her face.

“You weren’t wrong. I know why⁠—”

“Stop.” She sniffled, leaning forward to kiss me again. “I hate it, but The Magister is right. I should have handled things differently. I should have been clear. I have so much to learn before the trials. I don’t want to fail.” Her eyes searched mine. “I don’t want to die… not because I could have been stronger.”

My lids closed.

“I could lose you either way. I can’t—I won’t.”

“The Order can keep me safe. We need this time, Vaughn. Together, we’re not weak, but we’re not going to make it to any palace. Not alive.” She sniffled. “Free, I can do what I meant to from the beginning of our separation. And together, we can cover more ground. We can be a team that no one expects. The evidence is out there. Let’s find it.”

I felt like the walls were closing in around me.

To keep her, I had to lose her. In a world where blood ruled and calculations moved the pieces of our society together, sacrifice was the only way to survive. Penelope had given so much already. It was my turn to bleed…