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“If he displeases me or will not swear Does that trouble you?”
The deh to resist you, my queen, then I would be honored to assume his role”
“Once you have done my will, send runners to each of the castes Tell them I will expect them to swear to me in teeks”
“Yes, Your Majesty”
“Carry a special e to Caim Tell hiift, lest I groroth”
Greydusk inclined his head “The huirl?”
“Precisely so No one touches what is mine”
True Justice
My new servants came in droves
At first, they wanted to get a look inside the castle that had been sealed for so many centuries, and then they stayed, partly for the work and partly for the prestige of joiningthem up would cement their loyalty It wasn’t the poor I needed to fear; it was the rich and powerful who had so to lose
Through a coick and hard labor, they worked to restore the structure to its foroods Greydusk had confiscated froates, the city lay in turht they could repel the tide of change The Eshur re to see how it all played out before they coifts, though I wasn’t so foolish as to keep them
Never trust the Phalxe
When workers completed renovation of the throne rooh there had been no formal coronation, I needed none I sat on the throne with a confidence borne of birthright, and I watched his approach with a cool, quiet smile
At length my silence unnerved him, and the enormous demon dropped to his knees on the red carpet that spread before hi ”
I let the dread in hiirl?”
“Yes She’s waiting in the antechamber”
At esture, the servant beside me ran to fetch Shannon I intended to maintain proper decoruht My feetI had to see her This was an imperative beyond politics, beyond all other considerations
The girl was thin and pale, with dyed black hair tipped in pink She wore all black, and she looked exhausted But all in one piece I stopped short of a crushing hug because some part of me wondered if she’d know me at all, a curious concern, but then her eyes widened, and she threw herself at me I wrapped my arms around her and pushed out a shaky breath Absurd, but I could nearly weep That strong surge of emotion let me take over; the queen protested as I drove her back
“Are you all right?” I asked
“You came I can’t believe it Corine, you don’t knohat I did—”
“I do, actually I handled your iPod”
“So you know I’m with Jesse?”
I nodded, hugged her tight Though there had been sacrifices, they’d been totally worth it to get to thisas a captive in my own body—that orth it
Shan asked, “How are we getting out of here? And where is here?”
“In due tis”
I beckoned the servant and told him to fetch her backpack Most of the itee—but it should coet them back That accomplished, I turned and strode back to where Caim waited on his knees I stued as to how to judge his fate On one hand, a show of strength ht be necessary If I crushed him for what he’d done in the hue, it should chasten the Hazo But one never kne the warrior caste would react Instead of being fearful, they ainstCaim where he knelt
“What should I do with you?” I asked aloud
He dared tilt his face back The de violence and basest evil—and he feared me
The creature licked his tusks with a nervous tongue “You cannot suffer me to live, my queen For what I did, I must be stripped of my powers and destroyed Otherwise all would take your mercy for weakness”
“Queen—,” Shannon started to say, but I lifted a hand, de silence
He was right I could not begin n on a low note
“Because you were bound when you attacked me, I will permit you to choose your successor”
“I thought it ht him”
“Then let us see it done”
In short order, another Hazo joined us I could tell he was younger, a little frightened at seeing the knight on his knees It would be good if he ca hi boded well
“Caiuilty of treason,” I intoned “Therefore, I strip you of your rank, your power, and your life”
“So be it,” the demon said softly
He had known he would not receive cleh if he had hurt her, his end would have been a thousand times as painful I turned my attention to the other Hazo