The Spirit War(41)

She tilted her head, waiting for an answer. When none came, she continued. “Your cousin, Finley, will become king when I pass.”

“Finley?” Josef roared. “Powers, woman! If you had an heir, why did you drag me all the way out here?”

“Because Osera has no heir!” the queen roared back. “Finley’s not an Eisenlowe. He’s blood enough to take the throne in an emergency, but not to pass it on to his son. Honestly,” she huffed, “after all I spent on your tutors, I’d have hoped you’d remember something of Oseran law.”

Josef shook his head, but Theresa held up her hand, cutting him off before he could get a word in. “I’m not asking you to be king, Thereson,” she said coldly. “But I am asking you to do your duty to the family. There is only one royal blood line in Osera, and, tragically, that line runs through you. We have no other options. You must give Osera an heir.”

Josef recoiled in horror. “An heir? You mean—”

“A baby, yes,” his mother said. “I’m sure even you can manage that much. I know the princess can.”

This was enough to make Eli break his uncharacteristic silence. “Wait, princess?”

“Yes,” the queen said, raising her voice. “Adela!”

Josef pressed his hand to his forehead as the door to the queen’s chamber burst open and a squad of guards marched into the room. There were a dozen of them at least, but Eli’s attention was on the woman who led them. She was shockingly lovely. As tall as Josef and clad in shining silver armor with an ornate short sword at her hip. Her hair was deep brown, almost black, and braided tight against her head. Her skin was the warm, healthy tan of someone who spent most of her time outdoors, but her brown eyes were narrowed in the cold stare of an absolute professional as she marched toward them.

Eli raised his hands without prompting, but the woman brushed past him, going straight for Josef. Eli felt Nico stiffen, and he put a warning hand on her arm. The other guards were fanning out around them, cutting off the exits. Nico glanced at him, then at Josef, and then at the door, but Eli shook his head. Josef hadn’t moved yet.

Now that the door was open, another woman, older but also shockingly lovely despite her simple black dress, walked briskly into the queen’s chamber and hurried to Theresa’s side. Eli tilted his head, watching as the woman began to fuss over the queen. But Theresa shook her head and gently pushed the woman’s hands away.

“I’m fine,” she said. “Thank you, Lenette.”

The woman in black nodded and fell back, surrendering her place beside the queen to the young, armored woman. The circle of guards tightened, and Eli glanced at Josef, but the swordsman still hadn’t moved. He simply stood there, staring at the queen. For her part, Theresa was leaning back on her pillows, enjoying the turned tables.

“Thereson,” she said, placing her hand on the lovely young woman’s arm. “You remember Adela, don’t you?”

“How could I forget?” Josef grumbled. His mother arched an eyebrow, and he adjusted his tone. “Good evening, Princess Adela.”

“Prince Thereson,” the woman said with a nod.

Eli looked from the lovely woman to Josef and back again. There wasn’t much resemblance, but…

“Your sister?” he guessed.

“No,” Josef said. “That’s my wife.”

Utter silence descended. Even Eli was speechless. But it wasn’t Eli who recovered first. The voice that broke the silence was Nico’s.

“Wife?”

Eli groaned inwardly. Nico was staring at Josef, eyes wide with a look of complete betrayal.

“Wife?”

“It’s not what it looks like!” Josef shouted, stabbing his finger at the queen. “She married me in absentia last year. I didn’t even know about it until a few months ago.”

Eli took a deep breath. He knew he shouldn’t rise to it, that now was not the time, but for once his tongue was faster than his good sense. “Months ago?” he cried. “And when exactly were you planning on sharing this bit of important social news?”

“Never,” Josef said. “Because it’s not important. It wasn’t like I had a say. I can’t control what my mother does without my knowledge.”

Nico took a step back. She was still staring at Josef, her eyes so wide Eli could see the whites all the way around.

“Nico,” Josef said, his voice warning.

She took another step.

Josef looked at her, his face as close to panic as Eli had ever seen it. “Nico, listen—”

Before he could say anything else, Nico vanished. There was no sound, no flash. She simply snuffed out like a candle.