“Yes, again! You daft monster, it is my right to allow who I shall to pass upon my lands. I am the King! You are nothing! You and your people feed from the fear of these gentle Fae folk, and I say it ends here! Who is with me? Stand with me, and the Mages will rid this world of him and his brethren!” Dresden continued.
“You poor, misguided being, you allowed the Mages into Faery. They came here via your lands. Can you guess what they did after you’d allowed them passage to kill the Horde King?” Ryder asked as his eyes challenged Dresden.
“They made an attempt on your concubine’s life, which sits fine with me,” he grinned coldly.
“Nope, guess again,” I said as I smiled back at him.
“That is the only thing they wanted!”
“Nope, they came in and used a spell on the Tree of Life, which wrapped it in ice. You allowed Faery’s enemy in, and you allowed them to harm her. That alone is treason against Faery, Dresden. What do you say to the charges?” Ryder asked, his eyes watching his enemy with deadly intent, which he was barely containing.
He looked at me and Ryder and opened and closed his mouth several times before he sneered. “Then depose me!”
“Is that what you have to say to the charges against you?” Ryder asked, as his eyes took on a deadly intent.
“You won’t depose me! You’ll do as your father before you would,” Dresden hissed.
“If you won’t depose us, then why are we here?” Tatiana demanded.
“Because I will depose you, sister,” Madisyn said sadly her eyes watching her sister as she said the words.
“Because I will depose you,” Lasair smiled, and whispered it against the top of Madisyn’s head. Liam nodded as his brands slithered over his arms.
“I will also depose you,” Kier said as he stepped out with his wife, and Adam, who also agreed and echoed his words.
“Dresden, Tatiana,” Ryder said as he released his hold on me and stepped forward. “As the Heirs and royalty of Faery, together we’ve decided your offences against Faery cannot go unpunished. You will be stripped of your titles and removed from Faery henceforth. You can seek refuge with the Mages if you decide to, since you’ve already taken a side against this world, and chosen the enemies’ bed. Your children may remain, and if Danu so chooses to pick one as the Heir, we will welcome them. You have one day to exit Faery, or you will be forcefully removed. The Light warriors will be made aware of your imminent departure. Alazander put you on the throne, as you were Danu’s chosen Heir at the time, I am sure Danu will remedy that decision in light of your treachery. A steward will rule in your stead until the Light Heir is found, or another has been chosen.”
“You can’t do that! You have no bloody right to kick us out of this world!” Dresden shouted.
I watched as Ryder transformed effortlessly. The entire assembly took a step away from him, except me. “I have the right given to me by Danu when she chose me as Heir of the Horde; what you have done is treason against this world, our world. I did not make this choice alone or without the council of the other Castes. This wasn’t me just taking you out, which would have been a simple matter. I am not my father, but I am the King of the Horde and I have his beast, one which I can fully allow out if you choose to stay in Faery. The hounds will patrol your borders tonight, and if any of the Mages remain, they’ll be slaughtered in the name of Faery. This was the Blood King’s choice for you as well,” Ryder said and tilted his head to Lasair. “The Dark King thought you shouldn’t be allowed to live; I fear you made a decision out of cowardice, and so that is how you will live. I suggest you choose your location and activities wisely. Do not make war with us, for we, unlike you, are the Heirs of Faery. You’re dismissed.”
Tatiana stared at me. “You little bitch,” she hissed. “This is not over!”
“You are also dismissed, Auntie,” I said calmly, keeping my anger pushed down and harnessed.
“You said they would come to us! You said nothing would happen to us, or our Kingdom!” Tatiana cried as she turned her anger to her husband. We watched as the Guards escorted them from the throne room, and then I turned and smiled at Adam and Liam.
“I am glad you guys are here; we have a lot to discuss,” I said and then hugged Adam as he walked over to wrap his arms around my waist and twirl me in the air.
“I’m glad I’m here too…” Adam stopped and set me down as he watched one of the older children from Dresden and Tatiana’s union approach the throne.
“I am Shea, Princess of the Light Fae,” she said in a meek tone that told me she was timid, or had been in the shadow of her parents. She looked around our age, which could mean she was a thousand years old for all we knew.
“Shea, it’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said, and then pushed Adam from behind when all he did was gawk at her. “This is Adam. Sorry for his gawking, he’s the Heir to the Dark Kingdom.”
She blushed. He continued to stare. I smiled. I knew she wasn’t the Light Heir, but they could have some fun together in the meanwhile. Suckers.
Chapter Twenty-Eight