Ceremony of Seduction (28 page)

Stone chuckled and pulled her against the long line of his hard body. She sighed as she fitted herself perfectly against her husband and he kissed her hair. “Alyssandra, you should’ve seen yourself when you last spoke to the council. You weren’t playing a part. You
were
queen. It’s inside you. Just let it come out and take its rightful place.”

Alyssandra stepped through the door to the council chamber, her steps unhurried and leisurely. When she’d taken no more than three steps, the Council Head banged her
balda
gavel against the council table and turned to scowl at her and Stone.

Alyssa ignored her, continuing her slow walk across the council chamber, stopping along the way to greet citizens she’d met at the presentation ball or family and friends.

The Council Head cleared her throat, and Alyssa had to bite back a laugh. There were a few parts of this she would probably enjoy, and baiting the Council Head after the way the woman had spoken to Alyssa’s parents, was definitely one of them. She deserved much more than that for committing treason, but one thing at a time.

When Alyssa turned to greet her father and mother, she noticed Stone taking the same deliberate path behind her, slowly navigating his way through the crowd. His steady gaze met hers and she caught her breath against a sudden rush of arousal and love. She hoped there was never a day when she looked at Stone and didn’t feel those same wonderful emotions and sensations.

Darius brushed a kiss over her cheek and whispered against her ear. “I’m enjoying the show, daughter. And you look lovely.” He placed a gentle hand over her stomach. “Take care with my granddaughter. It’s a dangerous game you’re playing—but necessary.”

She smiled and moved away, finally stepping up onto the dais and settled herself in the chair appointed for the queen. She continued to ignore the murderous glare aimed at her from the Council Head, and instead watched Stone finish wending his way through the crowd until he took the stairs up the dais and then settled himself beside her.

The
balda
gavel pounded against the table in impatient bursts before the Council Head spoke. “Now that the new king and queen have seen fit to join us, we may begin with—”

“Actually, under the laws of Tador, the queen runs the Klatch Council meetings.” Alyssa stood and faced the audience of Klatch, turning her back on the council. She smiled as she noticed her guards strategically placed around the dais in case they were needed.
Probably Grayson and Ryan’s doing.

“I know from the last council meeting I attended that the Council Head graciously ran these meetings while my mother was ill.” Alyssa smiled down at her mother, who seemed to be trying to hide a smirk. “However, now that I’ve ascended, and am perfectly healthy, I’m ready to take on my full role as your queen.”

Cheers and applause rose around the chamber until the pounding of the
balda
gavel finally calmed them down.

“Perhaps,” the Council Head stepped forward into Alyssa’s line of sight, “until you get used to keeping order during the meetings, you will allow the council to continue as it has done successfully for many generations, my queen.”

Lady, you are such an amateur when it comes to intimidation. I’ve lived through the best and you’re not even in the same league.

Alyssa did her best impression of Sela and raised one brow, glaring down her nose at the Council Head. “Perhaps not. Thank you Council Head, that will be all.”

The woman’s eyes narrowed and her eyes sparked with barely concealed fury while her lips thinned into a hard line. Alyssa kept her eye contact for a moment longer and when the woman made no move to return to her seat, Alyssa cocked her head to one side and frowned down at her. “You may return to your seat, Council Head. That way if I require advice from the council, I’ll know just where to find you.”

Tense silence filled the chamber, but when Alyssa surveyed the faces of the Klatch citizens, most of them seemed to be trying to hide their smiles. Apparently, the Klatch Council was even more unpopular than she’d thought.

Finally, the Council Head gave the barest of nods, just skirting the line of being disrespectful and returned to her seat.

Alyssa ensured her energy shield was firmly in place and turned to address the citizens. “My fellow Klatch, I’ve come today to discuss an urgent issue with you that concerns the continued health and survival of Tador. As you all know, my mother, Queen Annalecia, fought a losing battle to keep the planet healthy and whole since I’d been abducted by our enemies, the Cunts.” Alyssa nodded toward her mother and several turned to look at her and smile, offering their silent support.

Over the past week, Annalecia’s health and vigor had slowly returned. In fact, when they stood side by side, it was difficult for people to tell them apart—even with the age difference. The fact that her mother was healthy and whole once more was the only reason that the Council Head was still alive and well and on Tador. Alyssa wasn’t sure she would’ve been so hospitable if the damage to her mother had been permanent.

“Now that I’ve ascended the throne, I’ve used the considerable power at my disposal to heal the planet. However, Tador has no reserves of power, and if we don’t change something, before long, I’ll be fighting the same losing battle as my mother.” She placed a hand against her stomach. “And we don’t have the luxury of waiting another twenty-four years for the next queen to ascend.”

Quiet murmurs through the crowd assured her she’d hit a nerve.

“The king and I have spent many hours researching and looking for a solution and we’ve found one. If we are to save the planet and our way of life, we need to be creative in our thinking and look at the best long-term solution, so that our children don’t bear the brunt of this issue once more. In fact, I was surprised to find that Tador has been in similar circumstances before and has survived because the reigning queen put aside her pride and instituted what’s known as the triangle.”

An urgent buzz of hushed voices traveled through the crowd and the air of fear and uncertainty scented the room for the first time since she’d spoken. She held up her hands and the crowd instantly quieted. “Hear me out. The purpose of the triangle is to stabilize the power base and to allow three individuals to lend their power to the planet rather than just one. It consists of the queen, a Seer and a Healer. The last two are humans with special gifts who mate with full-blooded Klatch princes and help the queen harness her power and heal the planet.”

Outraged gasps of shock met her announcement and Alyssa mentally readied herself for a long battle. She had to make them see that this was the right course for everyone.

“My queen, you are too new to understand what you’re suggesting.”

Alyssa turned toward the voice in time to see the Council Head smile gently as if she were talking to a child. The woman’s eyes sparkled with amusement and she gestured toward the crowd. “There’s no need to concern the people with such outlandish ideas. You’ll only cause fear and uncertainty.”

Alyssa kept her stance relaxed and stared the woman down. “On the contrary, I used my time before the ascension well. I’ve read through all the queens’ journals I could find in the archive pertaining to the triangle and I’m convinced that its time has come again. The Klatch people need to hear the truth, not lies that make them feel better. Anyone who hides that truth is doing them a disservice.”

A quick flicker of fear flashed through the Council Head’s eyes before she hid it.

“
She knows we discovered that she spelled the journals in the queens’ archives, Stone. Be careful.”

“
I was about to say the same thing to you, love.”

Alyssa took a breath and continued. “Each queen who invoked the triangle was in a similar circumstance as we are in now. We can’t wait until the planet deteriorates too fast for us to save it. If the council were truly students of Klatch history, they would’ve been able to suggest it to me rather than me having to find it on my own.”

The Council Head stood and walked around the table to stand in front of Alyssa. She crossed her arms before pinning Alyssa with a glare worthy of any high school principal. “Perhaps your powers are not as advanced as we thought. Perhaps you aren’t capable of holding the throne without help, and this is your way to cover up that weakness.”

Stone stood behind her and his anger flowed through their empathic link. “Do you dare insult your queen in that manner? You forget yourself.” He took a menacing step forward and the Council Head blanched.

Stone took a deep breath before continuing, struggling to control his temper. “With all due respect to the many past queens of Tador, only a fool would not realize that a queen as powerful as Alyssandra has never been in symbiosis with the planet before. She’s proven many times over the extent of her power. Or were you not at our wedding ceremony, Council Head?”

The woman lowered her eyes and bowed her head before Stone’s wrath. “My apologies, my liege, I meant no disrespect for the queen or yourself.” She raised her chin to meet his gaze again. “I merely inquire as to the queen’s experience. You must admit that being raised by Cunts, serving alcoholic drinks in a bar on earth, and then watching the former queen in her duties for only a week hardly qualifies her to make lasting decisions for the planet.”

Stone’s anger turned white hot and sizzled against their link.

Alyssa placed a gentle hand on his arm.
“Stone, it’s all right. If I can stand up to Sela, this woman is a piece of cake.”

His muscles flexed under her fingers, but he nodded. “You’re lucky, Council Head, that my wife prefers to speak for herself. I am not quite as forgiving.” He glowered at the woman before resuming his seat.

Alyssa pursed her lips trying to hide her smile at the discomfort on the many faces of the council. “I can speak for my experience.” She stepped forward, invading the council leader’s space. “You’re absolutely right, I’ve held no leadership positions that would uniquely qualify me for this job. And yet, all of you trust me to maintain the planet. There was never any talk of my qualifications when the choices were to have me ascend the throne or let the planet and all of you die. Purely because I was a blood descendant of the reigning queen, you willingly handed over the reigns to your planet, your survival and your way of life to me—a woman without experience. I wonder who is the more foolish of the two of us, Council Head?”

Whispers from the crowd rose in a low hum.

Alyssa continued before the woman could retort. “From what I’ve read in the archives, all of you were born to the positions you now hold. None of you were elected or had to show any special talents to retain your jobs. Only an accident of birth keeps you serving on this council. An accident of birth, and the support of the reigning queen.”

Outraged gasps sounded from the entire council, but she ignored them and pushed forward. “The law says the council’s purpose is to advise the queen, to support her and to help her in matters of law and precedent. However, apparently, none of you have read the law because it also states that the queen has no obligation to accept your advice and that she can replace the council at will—either individual members or the entire council.”

“How dare you!” The council leader’s hands balled into fists and her eyes narrowed to slits. “This ruling body has served the people and their queen faithfully for thousands of years.”

Alyssa crossed her arms under her breasts and stared across at the Council Head. “Actually, according to the queens’ journals in the archives, this council served faithfully until my grandmother’s reign. It was then the council took much of the queen’s power and convinced her into a position of a mere figure-head.”

She waited until the Council Head took a breath to speak before she barreled on, cutting her off. “From what I read of my grandmother, she was a shy woman and welcomed the council’s help, and my mother was ill for much of her reign because of grief and then from the toll of keeping a deteriorating planet supplied with energy. But now…now you’re all stuck with me. I’m not ill and I’m certainly not shy. I’m a woman perfectly capable of ruling this world and ensuring its longevity and that’s what I intend to do.”

Alyssa took another step forward as the swirling energy inside her increased, howling in outrage as her anger fueled it to dangerous heights. She was dimly aware that the Council Head’s hair stood on end as if static electricity flowed around her. The woman’s eyes widened in shock. “Today, I take all the queen’s power back. I’m the one who maintains the symbiosis with the planet. The king and I researched the law and I’m the one who carries the heir.”

She turned and stepped away from the Council Head, allowing her temper to cool before energy exploded in all directions—being pregnant had also increased the volatility of her power, but not its intensity. “Over the next few weeks, the king and I will meet with each council member to evaluate if they will continue on the council or be replaced by someone willing to do the job as stated in the Klatch laws.”

Alyssa turned back toward the Council Head. “I already know there will be an opening for Council Head at the very least.”

The woman’s mouth dropped open in surprise and outrage. Then suddenly, she raised her hand and blue lightning zinged toward Alyssa. Alyssa flinched, but the energy bounced harmlessly off her energy shield and rebounded on the woman.

The Council Head’s scream reverberated through the chamber as her flesh slowly burned from her bones as if she’d been hit by toxic acid like an old movie Alyssa remembered from the Sci-fi channel. The charred body collapsed onto the dais in a smoking heap, the smell of burning flesh filled Alyssa’s lungs.

Another blue bolt sizzled from behind the council table, but before it even reached Alyssa, dozens of answering bolts of energy hit the Council Head’s son squarely in the chest, knocking him off the back of the dais to fall with a loud thud to the
balda
floor below.

Chaos ensued and the guards swarmed the dais to fan out around the king and queen. Alyssa stood stunned, her hand resting protectively over her stomach. “She didn’t just want to hurt me. She wanted to kill me…” Her words were lost in the chaos, but Stone must have heard them through their empathic link because he threaded his arm around her waist and pulled her back against him. A surge of comfort and borrowed energy flowed through her and she leaned back against him absorbing the wonderful sensations.