Page 196 of Onyx Cage: Volume II

I stepped out of the carriage, holding a hand out for my wife to ensure we presented a united front. Silence fell over the courtyard, but for the stray gust of frigid wind whistling through the trees.

It was appropriate, somehow, that a storm waited to beckon us home.

“Lady Mairi has betrayed us,” I announced, pausing for the gasps to sound throughout the crowd at my first words as their Duke. And for the inevitable suspicious glances cast toward my lemmikki, but I would address those soon.

It would have been impossible to hide all of the facts, so in the end, I had settled on something close to the truth.

“Alongside the man who proclaimed himself king, she plotted to murder my father in his sleep.”

I left out the part about how she had tried to blame either myself or Rowan, not wanting to convolute the issue or cast more uncertainties on us. That, at least, had been in the privacy of the throne room, and was not a story anyone was likely to want brought to light.

I scanned the crowd for reactions, noting mostly horror and shock, though there was fear, too. Of me? Of what it meant that our king was plotting against us?

Taras stood in the foreground, his somber blue eyes meeting mine. He, at least, knew perfectly well what lay ahead. I suspected he wasn’t alone.

I took a breath, continuing in my speech.

“Fortunately, your Clan Wife,” I gestured toward Rowan, who stood straight and stoic at my side, “was happy to exact vengeance on your behalf while I dispatched of the remaining traitors.”

The hardest part of my planning had been deciding what to do about the families of the traitors. My father would have executed them, but they had already paid a price for the dubious loyalties of the men who had been poisoned by Ava and Samu.

My people had suffered enough, so I chose not to divulge which soldiers died in defense of us rather than those who died at our hands.

“Rest assured, I do not step into my father’s role lightly. I am prepared to protect our clan against the threats posed by the false king, and from any threats that arise within.” I let that warning linger in the air, taking note of the lords who shuffled uncomfortably.

Finally, I squared my shoulders, keeping my features even as I took liberties with the truth.

“My father was a fearsome warrior and a steadfast leader. I will do his memory justice, and care for his people as he would have wanted me to.”

At least, some version of him would have wanted that, before his mind had betrayed us all.

A cheer went up, uncertain and not half as riotous as it would have been from Lochlannians, but a show of support, nonetheless.

It was enough for a start.

CHAPTER EIGHTY-TWO

We held the funeral the following day.

It was a tedious, pompous affair, and I was grateful that Mila had taken the time to prepare my wife since I had scarcely had a moment to breathe since we arrived at the estate.

At least, I assumed Mila had, since Rowan played her role to perfection, hosting graciously and not even grimacing when the lords stood to tell blatant lies about my father.

Though, some of it was true. Those parts were almost worse, remembering that he, too, had once been surrounded by men who gave their loyalty willingly, their respect without reservations.

Then the time came for me to officially claim my title as Clan Duke. Taras knelt before me, leading the customary vows as my official second-in-command.

“I am honored to serve my new duke,” he said at the end.

Each one of my closest men echoed him. Kirill’s voice rang out the loudest, but even Yuriy spoke in a tone that carried, alongside Henrick and Pavel and several others.

That wasn’t part of the proceedings, but Taras met my eyes solidly, as though daring me to argue with the change.

I nodded, accepting the faith I hoped I would keep in the months to come.

Through it all, Rowan never left my side. She was a small, steady presence, quieter than usual but no less fierce. I thought back to the first time I had seen her in the Council Room in Lochlann, the moment I had realized she was capable of acting like a queen.

Or a Clan Wife.TheClan Wife.