“She cannot be serious!”
“This is an outrage!”
The placid smile fixed on my face as I stare down at the mob of furious men only seems to incite them further. It’s hard to pick out individual voices in the cacophony as yells assault me from all sides, but a few permeate the din.
“Prime Minister, I cannot believe you would entertain this farce!” Klingerton yells, practically frothing. “History will not stand for it!”
“Throw her out!” A man at the front snarls viciously. “As I have said before, a child has no place in constitutional matters!”
My eyes lock on him. I nearly flinch when I recognize Lord Sterling — Alden and Ava’s father. The vitriol in his voice is almost enough to make me flinch.
Almost.
“Order! Order, ministers! Order in the hall!”
The Prime Minister’s booming voice eventually manages to get the room under control, but a simmering rage remains even in the newfound quiet. There’s a violence in the air that wasn’t there earlier, honed on me in the form of a hundred and fifty male glares. I try not to let it shake my resolve, but I’d be lying if I said I didn’t feel very small and very alone, standing up here.
Mallory steps closer to me. His face is contorted in a grim mask. His eyes are narrowed to pinpricks. “Your Royal Majesty,” he says, practically choking on the title. “You seem to have misinterpreted our reluctance to pass this particular bill. It is not that we seek to exclude any particular group from running for Parliament…”
I try my best not to snort.
“…But Germania has a highly effective government,” he continues. “A system that has been working without issue for hundreds of years. To hastily alter it would be a grave mistake.”
“I am not suggesting anything hasty. In fact, I rather believe having female ministers is a step long overdue, if anything.” My eyes sweep around the hall, searching for a shred of understanding amidst the angry faces. “You are fathers of daughters. Husbands of wives. Sons of mothers. Is there truly no one amongst you who will step up for the women in his life? Who can see that this current system is fundamentally lacking in balance?”
“She is clearly too emotional to see reason, Prime Minister,” Lord Sterling growls, his cold eyes drifting to mine. “This kind of absurd display is exactly why we do not encourage your kind here.”
“My kind?”
Sterling’s pompous nose lifts higher in the air, an expression that immediately reminds me of his daughter. “It is well documented that women cannot be trusted to maintain any semblance of logic or level-headedness when confronted with the difficult scenarios we, as ministers, must contend with. Hormones are an unconscionable liability when it comes to legislation.”
Violent rage erupts deep inside me. My fingers itch to wrap around his neck and squeeze; I curl them into a tight knot instead. “Save whatever pseudo-science you’re about to spout for someone who’s listening, Sterling. Men like you are the exact reason we need to call for a popular vote. Maybe if you pulled your head out of your ass long enough to see daylight, you’d realize it’s the new millennium, not the Middle Ages.” I raise my voice until it fills the chamber, newfound determination stitched into every syllable. “Despite your resistance, you should all know… I plan to use every bit of royal authority I possess to support measures that empower the women of this kingdom against bigots and sexists. You can either support me in that endeavor, or… Well… I’d prepare to find a new source of employment, gentleman.”
Shouts break out again from the crowd.
“She can’t do this!”
“A queen has no authority here!”
“This will not stand!”
“Remove her at once!”
“We cannot allow a referendum!”
“Your Majesty, maybe you should step into my office, to discuss this in private—” Mallory butts in, moving closer to me with an intimidating look on his face. He reaches out for my arm and I fear he’s about to physically haul me off the stage.
“Queen Emilia will not be going anywhere with you,” Riggs says smoothly, stepping in front of me before Mallory can make contact. I didn’t even see him leave his post by the exit doors; in a flash, he’s simplythere, my human shield.
I’m so relieved, I could hug him.
Mallory’s spluttering something else about proper procedure, but I ignore it as Riggs glances over one shoulder to look at me.
“You ready to go?”
I nod.
Without another word, Riggs signals for the rest of his unit. They appear like ghosts, flanking me from all sides as I walk away from the Prime Minister, off the platform, down the small set of stairs, and through the gauntlet. Jeers and protests hit me from all sides, an unrelenting barrage, but I keep the smile on my face the whole way.