"Cause of death," the forensic pathologist examined his paperwork, "a large dose of poisoning."
Something obvious. The main killer in the Ice Palace for the last few months. Each of the three women on the table before us dropped dead after tasting my meals. Breakfast, lunch, and dinner. Three deaths on the same day. This had never happened before. Not since the attempt to take my life began. Yet the minute the rumor of Arson's proposal floated around, three people died on the same day.
"Updates," I choked out.
"They all came to work at the palace several months ago," my Deputy Private Secretary informed me. "Alga, the death from breakfast, came in search of a home. An orphan and nineteen on the day she died."
My eyes widened. She died on her birthday. Oh, God.
Emotions clogged my throat. I didn't dare move. They were not going to break me. I was a strong Queen. Emotions were weaknesses Kings never had. I could be as powerful as any king. This would not make me cry. I would not give them the satisfaction of it.
"The second death," my Deputy Private Secretary continued, "Maltaya, she was the daughter of one of the merchants in the city. Maltaya started off as one of your personal servants. Two weeks ago, you ordered her to be a taste tester."
In other words, I killed her.
I forced air through my nose. The ache in my chest grew with every breath.
"She was twenty-one." The secretary paused a little before carrying on. "The third victim is twenty-five-year-old, Lameil. She came to the palace in search of a job to take care of her sick mother and six-year-old-son."
A child was involved. The poor child would grow up without a mother.
Nausea fought its way up my esophagus. I swallowed several times to keep it at bay.
"How should I proceed, Ma'am?"
I dragged my gaze from the dead females to my secretary. "Give them a proper burial. And for those who have family, make sure they are well taken care of. Find the best doctor for Lameil's mother and someone who will tend to her son. I don't want that child to want of anything."
The short man bowed. "As you wish, my Queen." With that he backed out of the room and went on his merry way.
I wished I could follow him. My feet refused to move. I…
What kind of Queen was I? How could I expect my people to fight for me when I couldn't even protect the youths? Three women died the same day. The fucking same day! I couldn't let this continue.
They needed a King. I would give them one. I couldn't afford to let any more young lives be lost because of my stubbornness.
"Your Majesty?"
I glanced at a young soldier.
"The royal council has called for an emergency meeting."
Of course, they did. If three dead bodies weren't enough, they needed to rub it in.
I took one last look at the girls, then turned to the soldier. "Lead the way."
***
I walked into the reception room with square shoulders. The twelve council members sat adjacent to each other. With a large table absent, smaller coffee tables nestled between each seat. The space in the middle of the room could not be any wider. The room grew silent at my presence as each one of these hypocrites stood to acknowledge the head of the Kingdom. A head they made it clear they didn't want.
I settled in the large chair at the head of the room next to the King's chair. God forbid I ever sit in that one. They would have my head.
The men resumed their seats. I glanced at the newcomer which no one alerted me about. Because why would they? They all saw this as a fucking joke. Gosh, I wanted to kill them all. Watch them choke on their own blood. But I couldn't. Kings were not ruled by their emotions. Neither should I.
They couldn't break me. They couldn't break me. I got this. I was just as powerful as any King.
I cleared my throat. My eyes on the young female near the second to last chair. I couldn't forget those eyes anywhere. She once came to the castle a few times with her mother. Her father was one of Father's advisors until his death three months after my father's. The seat on the council had been empty ever since. Since his eldest son was off to another Kingdom on court business, no one filled the seat. The last time I heard from them, the Marchioness—this female's mother— left the court.
The young woman rose at my stare. She moved to the middle of the room in front of my seat and bowed. "Your Majesty, as the daughter of the late King's advisor, and a holder of the Marchioness title, I beg for your acceptance of me filling the empty seat on the council."
The skin in my forehead tightened. "Have you discussed this with your brother? Is he relinquishing the seat?"
She froze for a slight second. Recovered just as fast. "My brother passed away."
Her words were low but audible enough for the room to hear. I swore my heart stopped beating. How? Why? What happened? He was supposed to be in the Kingdom of Sollio. Away from the mess of Cordal.
I darted my focus around the room. Nothing but wide stares and disbelief painted their faces. My eyes lingered on Velron. Though his poker face was on, the news must have slapped him the hardest. He and the Marquee's son were really close. Complete opposites of each other but managed to stay friends.
"Please grant me your permission to stay." The woman's words attracted my eyes.
It was the least I could do. Her father did wonders for this Kingdom.
"Permission granted," I declared. It would be nice to have another female on the council. A young one at that. The old snubs could go eat shit.
She rose and returned to her seat.
I straightened my spine. "Let's begin."
The Earl couldn't wait until I got the full statement out. He first spoke. "The Kingdom is going downhill. Instead of fixing it, you are out romancing a prince who doesn't belong here." Of course, he would say that. I didn't choose to marry his son.
"I can assure you Arson is fit to be king." More so than any of their children.
"The boy is the third son of the Fire Kingdom," Duke Markiece spoke out. As Velron's father, he often talked down to me. The man was a snake. Velron didn't hide the monster he was. His father did. He acted noble but deep down he had a similar darkness to Velron. I hated that I didn't know if he was to be trusted or not. "He is known to be kind and loving. Qualities that will run us to the ground. He won't be able to do what needs to be done when or if the time comes."
I gripped my armrest. "Arson is as strong of a person as anyone else. If I marry him, not only will I have the support of his brothers but the entire Fire Kingdom. Cordal will be seen as equals to the Fire Kingdom. No longer will we be second to them. No longer will they look down on us. We will rule side by side. When people talk about the Fire Kingdom, they will think of the Ice Kingdom as well."
The men shared a look. The agreeable look I expected them to have from my little speech. They have always wanted to outdone Azoria. This was their chance.
"That all sounds lovely, but we can't 'rule side by side' if that boy ruins our Kingdom before it happens," Duke Markiece persisted.
My grip on the chair tightened. His idea of referring to Arson as a 'boy' didn't sit well with me. I shouldn't even care. Yet somehow it annoyed me a little too much.
"Yes, Prince Arson does have a soft side, but he gets things done. He isn't called the Just Prince for no reason. People love him." I stared each of them in the eye, demanding they listen to me. "He cares and people love that. And what Cordal needs is a King who can also connect with his subjects. A King people feel like they can relate to."
"But how far can such kindness take us?" Earl countered.
I was all but ready to murder them at that point. "Prince Arson is just as strong as his brothers. He may not show it, but he, too, has a dark side. We just have to get him to show it."
"And how will you do that?" the young female asked.
I almost forgot she was here. I squared my shoulders. "I can show you all how strong he is at this point before he takes the King's title. After which I will marry him by week's end."
The men shared a few long stares. I dared them to refuse my offer.
One of the Jurisconsults crossed his arms. "As long as he seems fit to rule, you can marry him even in the next two days. The faster Cordal gets a King, the better for us."
Asshole! What was I? Did I mean nothing?
I forced a smile. "Two days is too early to get the news about our wedding to the other Kingdoms. A week is fine."
They all nodded in unison.
I pushed to my feet. "Then it's settled. I will be getting married within a week. Meet me in the courtyard for the demonstration within the hour." I didn't await their response before I added. "You're all dismissed."
They could not get me down. I was freaking Queen and I would rather die before I allowed those bastards to tell me who to marry. Arson was going to stand by my side on that throne whether they liked it or not. I am Cordal's true ruler, and no one was going to take that from me.
If they needed a King so badly, I was going to make sure they got one. One they had no option but to accept.
I exited the room, avoiding any small talk. They could kiss my buttocks for all I cared.