Crown of Moonlight (Court of Midnight and Deception #2) - K.M. Shea Page 0,46

Spring Queen’s expression was still merry and bright, but for a split second I thought I saw her grip on the stem of her wine glass tighten. “I’ll win again this year.”

“You win most years the way it is—it makes one wonder just how long you’ve been cheating,” King Birch said.

“Ahh, but this year we have a true horsewoman, don’t we?” Queen Verdant cast her eyes in my direction. “Isn’t that true, Queen Leila? You did, after all, win the annual derby.”

I’d been watching Queen Rime—she’d stopped eating just as the conversation shifted to the hunt and gotten out her cellphone game.

I was wondering what she was playing, but at the sound of my name I unwillingly jolted back to the conversation. “Saying I won is a bit incorrect. My night mares did all the work—and technically five of them won all on their own since they didn’t have riders.”

King Fell leaned back in his chair. “Yes, the rapport you have with those brutes is remarkable. I cannot imagine how you can fathom communicating with such dark creatures.”

I stiffened in my chair. “King Fell, surely you didn’t just insult the night mares? They’re precious members of my Court.”

The Autumn King laughed. “Indeed, given the state of your Court I don’t find it too surprising they are dear to you.”

“Ahh, yes.” Queen Verdant smiled radiantly. “The Night Court—is it doing any better? I’d heard you lost a great deal of land in the last shrinkage, and that the castle stands on the brink of collapse.”

I was fairly sure they were trying to embarrass me. And yes, it was a sore point for me—only because the Night Realm was a very vivid reminder that the previous queen had left my Court in shambles and I had to do something or we were going to crumble even if I managed to scare all the infighting out of my people.

But she brought up a good point.

“We did in the last shrinkage—which was a few months ago. How often do you guys experience your barriers faltering?” I looked from monarch to monarch.

Silence.

The monarchs stared back at me, their expressions dark—except for Solis. He was yawning.

Do they think I’m trying to get dirt on them or something?

“I’m trying to figure out how often I should expect it,” I explained. “I’m not trying to make anyone look bad.”

Fell scoffed. “With your current reputation level it is not within your abilities to make any other monarch shamed.”

I rolled my eyes. “Yeah, I got it. But how often? Are we talking just once or twice a year? Or more?”

As one, the monarchs looked away from me.

“Consort Flora, you’ve hardly said a word all night,” King Fell said. “Tell me, how is your health these days?”

Fear flickered across Consort Flora’s expression, and she glanced at King Birch.

He didn’t even look at his wife. He was too busy inspecting his half-filled wine chalice. “Very thoughtful of you, Fell, to ask—except you know how shy Flora is. She has no wish to bother anyone with concern for her.”

My eyes bugged—at both Birch’s callous comment over his own consort, and the way they’d sidestepped the conversation.

Are they really so at odds with each other that they’re not even willing to answer a simple question about something we’re all dealing with? Things are this bad, and they won’t even pretend to work together?

Their unwillingness to even help me a little was a bitter taste in my mouth.

This was what I’d have to deal with for the rest of my life? I was never going to get them to stop struggling for power. I’d be better off hoping they all died before me and then swooping in and befriending whatever fae took their place.

And isn’t that conniving in a different way?

Chapter Eleven

Leila

I glumly stared at the food I couldn’t risk eating.

It was then that Solis, in his seat next to me, leaned in. “The frequency of barrier failures depends on the Court,” he said.

I glanced at the Day King, fighting my instinct to hug him like I would a favorite uncle or cousin.

The other rulers may be pukes, but Solis makes up for it.

Solis quietly continued—though I could barely hear him over King Fell and King Birch. “If it’s unstable, the barrier will fail more often.”

Great. The Night Court is the textbook definition of unstable with our money issues, the assassination attempts against me, and everything else going on.

“On average I’d say you can expect it at least once a season, if not more,” Solis