A Queen Conflicted (Alys Book #3)

Chapter 30

Every minute that Endolynn sat on Leoford's lap listening to the sound of Maajida's weeping stoked the hatred the queen held for her brother-in-law.
She would kill him. As soon as she could do so without risking the princesses' safety, he was dead.

After Maajida's pinkie finger had been severed clean off her hand and Leoford had made his control over them all clear, he opened his court.

For hours, Endolynn sat on his lap while he solved silly squabbles and concerns of the people coming to him.
The sheer volume of the people attending Leoford's court disturbed Endolynn. As more and more came, she realized that his power and influence had built up far faster and larger than she and Dastrehan would have ever thought possible.
From the accents of the people, Endolynn was pretty sure that they were Cateshians. The realization only chipped away more at any hopefulness she held for being rescued; if they were indeed being held in a castle in Catesh, it would be much harder for Dastrehan to find her. The politics alone would be a nightmare.

But what disturbed her the most was the how of it.
How had Leoford managed to gain so much power in a kingdom that was not even his native-born lands?

Yes, there had been rumors that he had fled to Catesh and was scheming with King Barda, but no one would have been able to guess that he would be so powerful in such a short amount of time. It was not like Barda did not have a son.

Just the memory of Prince Jaspar made Endolynn's blood boil.

No, as she looked around the massive room at the leagues of guards and the many common folk attending court, she could not believe what she was seeing. None of it made sense.

Escaping Leoford's grasp would be impossible with this many people under his influence.

***

Leoford kept the women with him for most of the day. As much as Endolynn loathed every moment she had to sit on his lap, she was relieved that nothing more was being demanded of her.
At least, for now.
Food was brought to them for the noon meal during a brief pause in the influx of people coming to court, but Endolynn could not force herself to eat. If she did, she knew she would not be able to keep it down while being forced to sit with Leoford.
The other princesses ate in silence, though Maajida was still whimpering from the loss and pain of her severed finger.
Leoford tried to get Endolynn to eat, even taunting her that she needed to keep up her strength, but Endolynn refused. At least for now, she cared not of keeping up her strength.

Besides, she could not trust the food. Maybe it was poisons, not a broken spirit, that had hollowed out the fierceness in the other women that was no longer there.

Every part of her own body was filled with dread, so the feeling of hunger was not a priority. She felt heavy and weak, like the dread was weighing her down to Leoford's lap.

"I wonder what my dear brother is up to right now," Leoford's voice pulled Endolynn out of her whirling thoughts and back to the present. There was another lull in the stream of peasants coming into the room, leaving Leoford's attention unoccupied.
She cared not; she was not here for his entertainment.
When she made no attempts to reply, Leoford snickered to himself and then continued.
"Do you think he has figured out you are missing?"

Yes, the queen answered in her head, Krea got away. She will have gotten word to Dastrehan somehow.

She hoped.

When Endolynn still did not answer, she could tell Leoford was growing impatient.
"Maybe he does not care to come find you," he hissed in her ear, making her skin crawl all over her body from his proximity, "You provided him an heir. He does not have to worry about me laying claim to Tarkam. At least, not so long as your son lives."
Endolynn's defenses shot up even more than they already were. But she would not reply and give him the satisfaction of knowing how upset she was.
Ayleth had been close to her mind ever since she had seen Leoford the night before.
And here he was, threatening another one of her children after killing her first.
No doubt, he had tried to kill the twins several times while she had been carrying them. Maybe even since.
Endolynn would not put anything past the wretched man.
Another group of people moved their way into the room, and Leoford directed his attention to them, sparing Endolynn from enduring more of his words.