Divided Throne

It had been surprisingly easy to pinpoint Clarisse once Lily had the comb. It had looked familiar; she knew she'd seen one of the maids wearing it before. She just couldn't remember if it was Clarisse or the more brash, outspoken maid that had been questioned with her. Lily had entrusted Lucian to Belle and Tobias and went to the servants quarters, doing her best to look frazzled and harried as she started asking what would be best to feed Lucian in his condition.

"Light broth, milady," one of them answered, looking sympathetic. "Something that will be easy on his stomach, the poor thing."

"Broth. Yes, of course. Thank you." Lily spotted Clarisse and the loud-mouthed maid; Eliana; among the faces regarding her with pity. She turned to go and then stopped, as if suddenly remembering something.

"Oh, and I found this in the throne room. I assumed it belonged to one of you. I wished to return it." Lily pulled the comb from her pocket.

"It's Clarisse's," Eliana said. "I keep telling her maids shouldn't wear such things when they're working. I knew she would lose it."

Lily pinned Clarisse with an icy stare. So the timid meekness had all been an act. Clarisse seemed to see the realization in Lily's eyes. Her face twisted in rage and she shoved Eliana out of her way. The other maids gasped and cried out as Clarisse shoved past them and out the back entrance. Lily spun and ran back the way she had come, snapping at every soldier and guard she passed to raise the alarm.

"It was Clarisse," Lily said, bursting into her room. Belle and Tobias looked up, startled. Princess Annemarie was with them, making a little teddy bear dance to entertain Lucian. Lily wanted nothing more than to sweep him into her arms and never put him down again. But she had an invading king to stop and a would-be assassin to destroy.

So she took a breath and yelled for Myron and the others. They came slinking into the room.

"Is he feeling any better?" Dugan asked, gesturing to Lucian.

"He'll be fine," Lily said. "Now get in here and close the door. We need to stop Rufus and help the others, and this is how we're going to do it."



Now she found herself and Belle tied up in Rufus's tent, which was exactly where she had expected to end up. She felt confident that Lucian was safe; Tobias had enchanted a cloak for Annemarie that kept people from looking at or noticing them. Lily had been adamant that no one tell her and Belle where they would be hiding, even though it pained her not to know where Lucian was. At least Alec and the others seemed unscathed, and even though poor Holden was a mess he was alive.

Rufus sat at the desk that had been set up in the war tent, casually sharpening a giant broadsword. Clarisse was standing behind him, arms around his neck. Lily fidgeted, wanting nothing more than to tear the woman to pieces and use her as kindling.

"Do you need to compensate for something by showing off that sword?" she asked mockingly. Rufus ceased his sharpening and appraised her for a moment.

"When I take over this kingdom from your pitiful husband, I'll be more than happy to show you I have no need for compensation," he replied. Lily felt Alec tense beside her but Lily kept a haughty gaze on Clarisse and Rufus.

"How does it feel, Clarisse?" she asked. "Here you were, acting as his spy, putting your life on the line for him, and he's so quick to cast you aside for another woman?"

Color flooded Clarisse's face. "Shut up," she hissed. "He doesn't care about you. You're just a spoil of war."

"It doesn't seem like he cares much about you either," Lily said mildly. "He used you and you failed in your mission. Bungled the whole thing by dropping a silly comb. And now he's going to lose and look like a fool, thanks to you."

"Shut up!" Clarisse shrieked. Rufus banged a hand on the table, rising from his chair.

"Enough. You're proving to be quite the pain in my ass, Your Highness."

"Trust me, I can be a lot worse."

"Lily," Alec hissed. "What are you doing?"

"King Rufus, there are reports of the Aegaeran army headed this way." A brawny soldier stuck his head into the tent, throwing a smug smirk toward where they were all tied up.

"Excellent," Rufus said. "Just in time." He strode over to Lily, hailing her to her feet.

"Let her go," Alec growled. Rufus pulled Lily closer, slowly removing the pins from her hair. Lily thought Alec looked ready to commit murder with his bare hands. Her own body was rigid with fury and disgust but she forced herself to stay calm. She couldn't do anything with so many of Rufus's men around.

"I was going to wait, so I could be sure she saw me kill you. But on second thought maybe I'll just make it clear to you and your pathetic 'army' that this kingdom, and everything in it, is mine."

His lips curled up in a cruel smile, his hand moving from her hair to her bare shoulder. Lily wished her hands were free, she would scratch his eyes out.

"Don't you dare touch her," Alec snarled, his eyes fairly shooting flame.

"Don't worry, little King Alex," Rufus taunted. "I'll let you watch. You might learn a thing or two."

"I'm going to kill you," Alec said. Rufus just laughed. He took Lily's arm in a bruising grip and dragged her from the tent. She caught Alec's eye, trying to let him know she'd be okay.

"Your little boy king is awfully possessive," Rufus mused.

"He's going to beat you," Lily said. "You're not going to win this fight, Rufus."

"Your faith in your husband is commendable, even if it is misplaced."

"Like Clarisse's faith in you?"

His grip on her arm tightened. "Don't make me ruin that pretty face of yours before I even have a chance to enjoy it," he warned.

"Don't make the mistake of thinking I'm afraid of you. I spent the first fifteen years of my life being tormented by petty little men like you. I gouged a man's eyes out of his head when I was twelve. You are nothing."

Jaw clenched and eyes dark, Rufus flung open the flap of a more elaborate tent she assumed must be his personal one. He forcibly shoved her and she fell to the ground with a grimace.

"Sir, there's a bit of a situation out here."

Lily never thought she'd be relieved to see Paul Dugan. Of the four of her personal servants, he was the only one large enough to pass as part of the Jalecian army and he was now dressed in one of their uniforms.

"I'm busy," Rufus snapped.

"It really can't wait, Sire. The Aegaeran army is nearly upon us and some of our horses have escaped. With the supply wagons. I really think you should-"

"Fine," Rufus said angrily. He bellowed for Clarisse.

"Keep an eye on the Aegaeran wench until I get back. I'm not finished with her yet."

"Of course," Clarisse purred and Lily rolled her eyes. Clarisse sprawled across the furs piled in the corner and studied Lily.

"You're not all that pretty," she sniffed. Lily snorted.

"Your lover seems to think I am."

"He's just trying to get a rise out of Alec. He'll make me his queen when he wins this war."

"You poor, stupid little thing."

"You're lucky Rufus wants you alive and unharmed. Otherwise I'd kill you right now."

"You couldn't even successfully kill a baby. Why would Rufus ever make you queen?"

She had struck the right nerve. Clarisse flew at her, trying to stab at her face with a new comb she had acquired to replace the lost one. Lily twisted her head away, biting down on the small seed she'd been hiding in her cheek. It didn't cause any serious harm, but when consumed the seed of the Red Lady flower induced vomiting. And it stained the vomit red, so it looked like blood.

Lily made a grand show of choking and flailing as she spit up red bile in Clarisse's face. Clarisse flailed back, looking at once disgusted and terrified. Lily gave a last dramatic gag and fell still, her eyes closed. Clarisse raced to the tent flap and called to one of the soldiers.

"I think the Aegaeran Queen is dead!" she cried. "Find Rufus!"

While her back was turned, Lily heard the sound of canvas ripping and then Myron appeared next to her, cutting the ropes at her wrists. Clarisse turned and saw him, her mouth falling open in shock. She prepared to scream for help but Lily launched herself across the tent and punched Clarisse in the throat. The woman wheezed and doubled over, her eyes watering.

"You know, I may have shown you some mercy," Lily said quietly. "But you hurt my son. And for that, I'm going to kill you."

Myron handed Lily a knife, which she twirled casually through her fingers.

"Please...don't," Clarisse choked out. "He...he made me do it!"

Lily grabbed a fistful of Clarisse's hair and pulled her head back. "Then you should have told him no."

She slashed the blade across Clarisse's throat with a smooth flick of her wrist. Clarisse was still for a moment, making an unpleasant gurgling sound before toppling onto her side, her dress stained red.

"Come on," Lily said to Myron, wiping the knife on Clarisse's skirt. "I need to get cleaned up and call in the reinforcements while everyone thinks I'm dead."