The King's Mother by Val Saintcrowe

Author:Val Saintcrowe [Saintcrowe, Val]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Punk Rawk Books
Published: 2023-12-24T16:00:00+00:00

“ARE YOU IN love with her?” Catriona whispered it.

Soli turned, startled. He hadn’t seen her when he came into the room.

Catriona had been here, in Soli’s chambers, waiting for her son, for some time. It had been a trying day, and she had spent the evening and half the night here, waiting for Soli, because she thought she must speak to him. Soli and Elske were close in a certain way, of course, but there was nothing like the bond between a mother and her son.

Returning Bethana to Aster had secured Aster’s cooperation, but Aster hated them all more than she ever had. She despised them.

Leon had no reason to lock Elske away now, not with all complaints withdrawn, not with anyone to accuse him. But Leon had already taken steps to dismantle the entire council and remake it, with men that he obviously thought he could control, younger men.

This had left the entire court in disarray, for that was not how things were done. The members of the council felt betrayed by the young king, and they were already grumbling to each other about how they could wrest their positions and their power back. They were not going to go quietly.

She and Elske had been dismissed from their positions to the king. Neither were to consult with the king in any advisory capacity. This was all Leon could do to Elske now. It wasn’t devastating, but it was quite bad.

Then Elske had told her everything, all of the things that Soli had said to him, Soli’s ambitions, the fact that Soli was now angry with Leon for killing Herrick, the fact that Soli was scheming to impregnate Bethana, likely to use her in some attempt at a coup.

Catriona had listened, and then she’d retreated to the nursery and had her grandsons squirm onto her lap while she clutched them close and read them a story, seeking some inner peace, some calm, and finding nothing.

Then she’d come here, to wait for Soli.

She’d been waiting for hours.

“Mama,” said Soli softly. “It’s not easy to sneak up on me.”

She managed a smile. “You are tired? Maybe taking on too much?”

“I suppose Pepe has told you everything.” Soli gave her a rueful smile.

“You don’t love her, do you?” Catriona shook her head at him. “She’s some kind of strategic trump card you are intending to play. She means nothing to you.”

“Who are we talking about?” said Soli.

“Bethana, obviously,” said Catriona. “Haven’t you just come from her? Isn’t that why you’re coming back to your room so late?”

Soli shifted on his feet, looking actually embarrassed. “I don’t want to talk about that with you.”

“I don’t need to know details,” said Catriona.

“You want me to be in love with her? If I was doing it because of love, some mad desire to have her, borne out of a childish crush when I was barely old enough to understand such things? If she had haunted me, only the second woman I ever made love to, the

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