Page 68 of Somber Prince
I scrubbed a hand down my face. It was hard to concentrate with my thoughts swerving to her again and again. Even now, all I really wanted to do was to go to her. But the orders of the Queen of Alveari should not be ignored.
“Very well. Let’s talk.”
Alzali wrinkled her nose, glaring at the dishes on the floor. “It’d be best to have this mess cleaned up. Don’t you think?”
Her voice remained gentle, which didn’t make it sound any less condescending. It was not the way to speak to the Crown Prince in his own palace. But as the queen’s closest ally and advisor, Alzali got away with things worse than that. In this case, I also had to admit she was right. The room needed a good cleaning.
Biting down on my irritation, I summoned another guard and gave a few orders. As servants filed into the room to clean, I headed toward my sitting room with a gesture for Alzali to follow.
“I never knew about this room.” Alzali took a long, sweeping look around my private space.
I hated bringing her here. Other than the cat and a few servants who cleaned in here, no one entered this room but me.
It felt different from when I’d allowed Dawn to come in here last night to change into her new dress. Dawn had been observant and respectful, even when she tipped over my puzzle. Alzali’s presence felt like an intrusion, prying into my personal life. But I’d rather have this discussion with her here than out in the dining room with the servants cleaning and listening.
“The queen can have the thousand men she’s asked for,” I said quickly, itching to be done with it as soon as possible.
“And who will lead them?” she enquired ever so politely.
She leaned to pet Zala who woke up from her nap and now stared suspiciously at us both. Arching her back, Zala hissed then jumped off the cushions, evading the princess’s hand.
Alzali jerked her hand away with a grimace. “This cat is feral.”
“Hardly,” I disagreed.
Zala might be a stray, but she loved to cuddle. She was, however, extremely discriminating about whom she granted the privilege to pet her. Flipping her tail up, the cat slinked out onto the patio between the open windowpanes. She’d probably bring back a jerboa or two before the night was over. Quite a few of them hopped in the tall grasses of the city’s roofs and outer walls.
Alzali turned to me. “Can I report to Queen Abeille that her fearsome son will personally lead his men and women to execute her orders?”
Queen Abeille requested I send my warriors to help the High Lady of Sumakis fight the desert dwellers who’d been raiding her city located on the outskirts of the kingdom. Geographically, Teneris was closer to the High Lady’s holdings than the queen’s palace in Kalmena. That must be the only reason why the queen remembered her son’s existence in the first place.
As hard as Alzali tried to hide it, I sensed she was itching to lead my warriors. Desert dwellers were rebels who had abandoned the strictly regulated life in a city in favor of the dangerous and often deadly existence out in the desert. They raided merchants’ caravans to survive the harsh conditions outside of the cities. But that often proved insufficient, especially since the merchants had responded by organizing and increasing armed escorts. Now, the desert thugs resorted to attacking the cities. Sumakis was especially favored as an easy target.
The queen wished for me to fight the rebels, get their attacks under control, then catch and publicly execute their leaders. I’d done it before on many occasions and had been successful every time. But now… Now I had no desire to leave Teneris.
“My presence is required here,” I said, not elaborating on the reasons, especially since the main reason was currently waiting for me in the golden room, and I hated making her wait for much longer.
Alzali humbly inclined her head, concealing her ambition behind her long eyelashes.
“It’ll be my honor to lead your warriors for you.”
As the next female in line for the crown, Alzali held the title of a princess, but she had no city of her own and no army. She was the heiress to her father’s holdings, who was the queen’s younger brother. But I’d long suspected Alzali had her sight set higher. Technically, her place was behind me in the succession line—she was the niece of the ruling queen while I was the queen’s son. But as a female, Alzali’s claim was strong enough to rival my own.
From the beginning of time, the Kingdom of Alveari had been ruled by a queen. There had never been a king, and many wished it would remain that way. Unfortunately for them, I was Queen Abeille’s only child. She had no daughter.
Alzali laced her fingers together so tightly the skin on her knuckles turned from black to light gray. It’d be a perfect opportunity for her to prove herself in action, thus adding another achievement to her list, which she then could use to fight me for the crown. I’d be a fool to give her the weapon she’d inevitably use against me.
“Oskura will lead them,” I decided.
“Your lieutenant?” Alzali’s lips quivered, but only for a moment. She regained her composure quickly.
“Oskura is my general now, has been for a few years. My warriors know and trust her. She will lead them to victory.”
With her mouth pressed into a thin line, Alzali bowed her head.
“As you wish, Your Highness.”
“I will assemble the best men and women and have them head out for Sumakis as soon as possible. It may take a couple of days.”