The Queen Read Online Free PDF

biting
back the anger, but did as his King commanded.
    “Good boy,” Cadman whispered with a wink,
causing Baylin’s blood to boil.
    “Now, Cadman,” Ashmur said, “please explain
your actions in Mirstone. And please, no more lies.”
    “Explain myself?” Cadman sneered. “It is not
I who needs to explain anything. You are too soft. You always have
been. You were handed the crown because you were the firstborn. No
one ever considered if you had what it took to be the High King of
the Keld.”
    Baylin ground his teeth together; his jaw
aching from the tension. He dares to speak to my father in such
a way?
    “Where is this coming from?” Ashmur asked,
brow furrowed. “I raised you as a son. I put your welfare above my
own!”
    “You put everyone’s welfare before mine!”
Cadman screamed, standing and taking a few heated steps.
    Baylin stood, putting himself in front of
his father.
    The guards drew their swords and converged
on Lord Cadman. He struggled against several of them as they
grabbed his arms and pulled them behind his back.
    “Stop!” called the King. “Do not harm
him!”
    “But Your Grace—” started one of the
guards.
    “He is my brother. He will be treated as
such,” Ashmur commanded.
    The guards slowly released Lord Cadman and
got back into formation between him and the King. Baylin
reluctantly took his seat.
    “You see, you’re soft,” Cadman hissed. “You
can’t even defend yourself. How are we to expect you to defend the
entire realm?”
    “What is it that Mirstone wants? What do
they expect to gain from their treachery to the crown?” Baylin
asked. “Your element of surprise was lost when I escaped
Mirstone.”
    “Baylin is right,” said the King. “Whatever
your plan was, you have lost the advantage. Grasmere’s forces
outnumber that of Mirstone’s.”
    Cadman took a few steps back and sat in a
chair, crossing his legs. “Yes, I suppose they would be at a bit of
a disadvantage… if they were alone.”
    Baylin looked at his father then back to his
uncle. “Do you mean to imply that Mirstone has reinforcements?”
    “Perhaps,” Cadman said slyly, examining the
silver ring he wore.
    “We didn’t ask you here for cryptic
messages,” Baylin shouted, standing to his feet. “Who have you
aligned with?”
    “Why would I show you our biggest asset?”
Cadman said smugly. “Just be sure that they will wash over you like
the waves upon their white shores, but certainly not as
calmly.”
    “White?” Baylin questioned.
    “What?” Cadman’s face screwed up in
confusion.
    “You said white shores. As in, white sands?”
Baylin continued.
    The color drained from Cadman’s face while
he tried to fake an air of indifference. “White, yellow, red… It
doesn’t matter.”
    “But it does,” Baylin shouted, crossing the
distance between them and grabbing Cadman by the collar of his
tunic. “Kardell is the only Kingdom in Wintervale to possess white
sands upon their shores.”
    “Kardell?” piped in King Ashmur. “Mirstone
has aligned with Kardell to betray us?”
    Lord Cadman glared eye to eye at Baylin.
“This doesn’t matter. You will still loose!”
    Baylin pushed his uncle back down in the
chair, letting go of his collar, and walked back toward his
father.
    “What is it that you want?” Ashmur rasped.
“What will it take to avoid such needless bloodshed on all
sides?”
    “Your death,” Cadman hissed. “Your death,
the death of your son and his bastard heir!”
    “Seize him!” called out Baylin.
    Cadman threw up his arms. “If I do not
return, unscathed, Mirstone and Kardell attack. They will spare not
one man, woman or child.”
    The Prince looked to the King. Ashmur feebly
made it to his feet. “In that case, please escort Lord Cadman
through Fagin Forest to ensure his safety.”
    Cadman sneered at two guards who walked
toward him.
    “And,” Ashmur continued, “should Lord Cadman
make any action that your men feel endangers their lives or the
lives