Revenge Read Online Free PDF

treachery.
    Alyssa imagined herself being hung upside down, her belly split open and her entrails pulled out to lie steaming on the dusty earth whilst the scavenger dogs and crows feasted on them. She shivered.
    ‘Take this chance, my dear, with both hands and clasp it tight. You will soon become a force in the Kingdom.’
    The Queen held her breath. She had played her trump card.
    ‘Nyria…’ Alyssa had never addressed the Queen so intimately before, ‘if someone killed your husband—’
    ‘But he was not your husband, child,’ the Queen interjected.
    Alyssa bit back the obvious retort. She would keep that secret. ‘Nevertheless…what would you want to do if someone killed Lorys?’
    ‘I should immediately wish the person killed in return,’ the Queen replied flatly. ‘But then I might think about it. I would measure the situation. If it was an eye for an eye, that would be retribution. But in Tor’s case it was not so. He was convicted of a very serious crime against the Kingdom. He knew what he was doing; I gather he was well counselled prior to his departure. And Tor was ever the one for the ladies, Alyssa—I’m sure you already know this. He left a scattered trail of broken hearts across the capital, which made it all the more important for him to understand and abide by the ancient laws of Caremboche. Precautions were taken.’
    Alyssa nodded sadly. ‘Your majesty…he saved my life.’
    ‘He saved my life too and I will admit it has never sat comfortably with me that we took his life from him.’
    Alyssa was shocked to hear this. ‘Why didn’t you stop him, your majesty? A word from you would—’
    ‘I did try, my child. I begged him. It was to no avail. Lorys has faithfully followed in the footsteps of his forebears. He is a good King, and a good man. I believe he thought it was the right thing to do, eventhough I imagine he has not slept comfortably since he executed a person he admired very much. He lost his best friend through it, too. Merkhud left Tal moments after Tor’s death and there has been a mighty hole in Lorys’s life since then. I’ll say this only for your ears, child. I believe that if Lorys could have that moment again, he might choose differently.’
    Nyria looked at Alyssa hard. She took her hand and squeezed it for emphasis. ‘I want you to forgive him…as Tor forgave his King before he died.’
    It all came back to Alyssa in a rush: that terrible moment when she heard Tor’s lovely voice offer his forgiveness. She began to cry. ‘I don’t know how to forgive him,’ she whispered.
    The Queen took Alyssa into her arms and soothed her. ‘You will learn how when you start to give him a chance. See him for the good man he is, and for the excellent King he is to his people. He has compassion, Alyssa. Trust me, just give him a chance. This is all I ask of you. Nay, child, I beg it of you. He needs you and I need you to find the strength to try.’
    Alyssa sniffed. ‘I’m frightened by my feelings towards him, your majesty.’
    Nyria snorted. ‘Don’t be. Use that emotion. Lorys will benefit from having a female perspective in the throne hall. I’m not suggesting that you will be able to behave differently immediately. I’m just asking you to try. Take on this position. Embrace the opportunity, use it wisely and perhaps somewhere along the way, you might start to allow that old wound to heal.’
    She watched Alyssa struggle with the decision anddecided to press her point one last time. ‘Tor broke our most sacred rule and was punished to the full letter of our law. He’s dead, Alyssa, and you continuing to hate the King will not bring him back. So turn it around. Make something of yourself that would make Tor proud. Become someone the sovereign can lean on. You will have everything you’ve ever wanted for yourself and for Gyl.’
    They both smiled at the mention of Gyl.
    ‘He’s wonderful, isn’t he?’ Alyssa said shyly.
    ‘He’s magnificent. I’ve seen him