Element [The Darkling]

Chapter Thirty-One

I wanted to murder someone.

After the Royals arrived, Alina and I were forced to endure eating with the family instead of with our friends.

"Why must you always play the diplomat, Nikolai?" Vasily demanded in his unsettling arrogance. "Grisha dining beside true Ravkan soldiers is a bit much for all our stomachs." He sneered. Nikolai sat between Alina and his idiot brother, while I was stuck at the end of the table, and it wasn't far enough away.

The three of us nice people weren't eating. Too uncomfortable to stomach the presence of Vasily and his parents.

"We are all Ravkan here." Alina said firmly.

"Doesn't need to be us versus them." Nikolai backed her up.

"General Kirigan should have thought of that before he tried to murder my father and stage a coup." Vasily retorted.

"They should've thought of a revolt before." I snapped, and they looked at me in shock and anger. "You can't claim to be innocent. Not considering what you've done to all Grisha..." My eyes moved from Vasily to the King and Queen accusingly. "Or a select few. With your bare hands. Among other sins." I sneered coldly, and the Queen shifted anxiously under the weight of my accusing stare, while Petyor was too out of it to take into account anything being said.

"That said, absent their darkling the Grisha are easy to manage." Vasily continued as if I'd said nothing, and I stared straight ahead, the tether of my patience at its end.

"And by 'manage' do you mean 'execute', moi tsarevich?" Alina challenged bluntly.

"That fate is reserved for traitors to the Crown, Miss Starkov." Vasily lied.

"And who decides to manage members of the Royal family who are traitors to Ravka?" I snapped, and Vasily glared me down.

"If the Second Army requires a leader loyal to the Crown to assure their fealty, then I will lead them." Alina hissed, and I covered my surprise well. Vasily laughed.

"Why should I believe either of you have any loyalty to my family?" He questioned.

"Oh, see, that's the thing. I have no loyalty to your family. Just to Nikolai... and the people of Ravka. I'm more loyal to Ravka than the three of you have ever been." I added viciously. I rose to my feet. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I think I'd rather dine with true Ravkans. I have no interest in dining with monsters." I added venomously, getting up and walking over to the table my friends were occupying.

I sat down next to Nadia, across from Zoya. "Do you still want to kill me?" I asked, grabbing Tolya's wine and downing it. "Because I would very much like it if you would." I added. Zoya smirked.

"You lasted longer than I thought you would." Tamar remarked from Nadia's other side.

"You're very fiery." Tolya commented with pride.