House of Kings(41)

“Yes, your highness.” And it’s the first time ever someone has said it to me. The first time it’s felt right, because I’ve just given my first order as regent in a time of war.

She’s gone in an instant.

“Gather the others into the ballroom,” I tell Markov. He gives a nod before walking back down the hall. “Rath, I need a map of town.”

Rath gives me a slight bow before he walks away. And the motion feels completely wrong coming from him.

I wait in the ballroom, pacing back and forth. It’s Cyrus who first walks in, and in his hand is my crown. “It should most certainly be worn when giving your first command as a regent.” He offers an approving smile as he places it on my head.

“I am sorry this happened the night of your party and in my region,” I say sincerely.

“Oh, my dear,” Cyrus says with a slightly condescending smile. “Do you think you are the only area with insurrection and war? There is a reason we do not have a larger population. We have a tendency of killing each other off.”

Raheem walks into the ballroom, and when I meet his gaze, there’s distance in his eyes.

“As my most accomplished spy, I would have expected you to catch such an event as this,” Cyrus chides. And his tone grows colder with each word.

“My mission here in Silent Bend has been accomplished,” he says, not intimidated by the King in the least. I remember him saying that he was too valuable to the King for him to be disposed of. I wonder what secrets he possesses to hold the guarantee of his position. “You never gave another assignment.”

“Fair enough,” Cyrus concedes as others begin flocking into the ballroom.

The front door opens, exposing the now dark night outside, and the others from the Institute flock inside. One by one, they gather around me.

I stand before the crowd, my head held high, my hands clasped behind my back.

“Something unspeakable has happened in our town,” I say as I look out over the seventeen House members and eight Court representatives. “I’m sure you can smell it, if you pay attention. Outside our doors is blood. The blood of our own kind.”

I study the faces, looking for readiness. Will they fight if it comes to that? Do they feel the need to keep our species hidden? Do they see the injustice that has been done in creating this army? Do they recognize the lives that have been lost and the choices that have been taken away?

“Someone has been building an army for some time now,” I say, my voice growing louder. They all watch me quietly, with baited breath. “At first, we thought it was a few isolated incidents. I myself was attacked by what was thought to be a rogue Bitten when I first arrived in Silent Bend. But since then, there have been more and more people that have gone missing in this area. People are being turned. They are being weighted with a Debt they cannot fight.”

I step forward, and the crowd parts around me. I stand at the center of them. “The sad thing is that I saw this coming,” I say, my voice quiet and low. “The Bitten have been slaves. They have been looked down upon as little more than bloodlust accidents. I do believe this is the beginning of a civil war.”

“So, what the hell are you going to do about it?” I turn to see that it is Lexington who’s spoken up. He stares at me with judgmental eyes, and I have to remind myself that he’s only just left the House that was just slaughtered last night. He probably would have been dead, too, had he not been traded.

I walk toward him, holding his gaze. “We’re going to search this town. And if we unearth them, we will end this army.”

Cameron gives out a war cry. It was all for show—I know he’s not going to be the one leading the raid. But it has his intended effect when the rest of them raise their hands into the air and cry out, as well.

“Anna will give you your perimeters,” I call loudly as Rath hands her the map of Silent Bend. “Do as she says. She will not lead you astray.”

And for the next ten minutes, I watch from the back as Anna sections off the town, doling out assignments, areas to search. They will all go out and scour in groups of four. If they find the army, they are not to engage until they’ve received the reinforcements of our entire House.

We’re outnumbered in this. But the Born are stronger, faster, more coordinated, and none of us are hindered by a Debt.

“Well done,” Cyrus compliments me as the last group leaves. “Your first case of insurrection and you handled it like a much more experienced leader.”

“Thanks,” I say absentmindedly. I walk through the ballroom, out onto the front porch. I lean on one of the great pillars, looking out into the dark night.