My teeth ground together. Maybe not.
Before breaking for tea, Devon insisted on discussing one final order of business: my coronation.
“I want no fanfare,” I said. What would be the point? It wasn’t as if this were some sort of celebration. I wanted to take the throne the same way I’d lived most of my life: in silence. “Only the necessary members of the council will be present.”
Lord Devon glanced at his fellow counsellors before clearing his throat. “With all of the darkness that has clouded these past few months, Vellana needs something to celebrate. I would suggest just the opposite.”
Typically, a new monarch wasn’t crowned for months to give everyone time to grieve the previous one. After losing Alrec and now my father, we needed to show our allies and our enemies that we had not fallen apart. But that didn’t mean we needed to throw a bloomin’ party.
“Does everyone agree with Lord Devon?”
Heads bobbed from one end of the table to the other. Everyone but Kerrington’s. “For once, I agree with the prince. The fewer people know he is our king, the better.”
Lord Devon’s face turned the same shade of red as his hair. “How dare you speak so disrespectfully of our king.”
The bastard had been disrespecting me for years. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from saying what I really wanted to. “Out of my respect for your father, I will not remove you from this council. But if you wish to keep your seat, I suggest you learn to hold your tongue.”
I waited for him to bite back—hoped for it, actually. Instead, Kerrington shrank in his chair like a dog with its tail between its legs and swallowed whatever retort lived on his tongue.
Maybe being king wouldn’t be so bad after all.
* * *
After the meeting, I invited Broderick to share a private lunch in the privy chamber. He sat rigidly on the chair across from me at the small table set for two, looking as uncomfortable as a nun in a bawdy house. Wine had been served—which Broderick had yet to touch. He’d eaten all of his soup, though, and was steadily making his way through the vegetables on his plate of braised beef.
“Do you have family in Vellana, Broderick?” Being an emissary required a good deal of travel that wouldn’t suit a family man.
“Most of my kin hail from Airren, sire. But the majority of them have passed on.”
“Airren, you say? What part?”
“Just north of Gaul.”
The area north of Gaul was near the Tearmann border. “Have you ever been?”
“Once. A long time ago.”
“I hear it’s beautiful there.” Alrec and I had never been permitted to visit. I’d have to remedy that.
“It is.”
“Very different from the Black City.” It was rumored that King Tarren’s stronghold had been built into the side of a mountain, carved into stone as black as pitch. An impenetrable fortress that only a fool would dare to attack.
“I suppose I’ll find out next week.”
I set my fork aside, the food no longer appealing. What if Broderick had accepted earlier only to save face in front of the council? “You do understand that you can turn me down, and I will not be offended. But I feel your talents are wasted here. Unlike my brother, I do not need a babysitter.”
He stopped eating long enough to give me a small smile. “No, your highness. You certainly do not.” His knife and fork clinked against the plate when he cut another slice of beef. “As I said earlier, it would be an honor to serve you in any capacity. If that means traveling between here and the continent, then so be it.”
In a world where everything felt as though it was crumbling around me, at least one thing seemed to be going right.
“I appreciate that more than you can imagine.” My first act as king, and I knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that it was the right one. If only every decision could be as simple.
Like the decision to maintain peace. I wouldn’t cower once I took the throne, but I had nothing to prove to King Tarren or anyone else. If they attacked us, I would defend our people and our borders. Hopefully, it wouldn’t come to that.
Broderick lifted his serviette from his lap to wipe his mouth. “Too many lives are lost over pride and greed. I will do my best to assure the king of your intentions.”
“Thank you, Broderick. Your loyalty means more than you know.” At least there was one person in this world who had faith in me.