Surrogate for the Alpha Prince in a Coma novel Chapter 341

Chapter 341

Josephine’s POV

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“Don’t be ridiculous,” the Queen said, a harsh, forced laugh in her voice. “Who would rebel against me? Why? This is probably less of an army and more of a few disgruntled ex-servants.”

“My Queen, with apologies, this threat is real. Their number rivals that of our own reserves – ”

“Do not trouble me with such ridiculous lies,” she snapped. “Even if they are many in number, they cannot all be warriors. They are everyday people, yes? Farmers and the like. Easily crushed.”

“I… am unsure…”

“Kill them,” she said. “Every last one of them. Put them in the dirt they love so much. Every single one of them are traitors and deserve worse than a warrior’s death.”

Even this guard, who seemed to love my mother so much, paled slightly at such an order. I hoped, if only for a moment, that he might be brave enough to stand up to her. But in the end, that was simply too foolish of a hope.

“I will make them pay for standing against you, my Queen,” he said.

She lifted a hand and brushed the back of her fingers down his cheek. “My hero,” she said with some awe. He straightened like he was preening. Whatever doubt had been on his face before entirely vanished now. She played him perfectly.

“Do not worry, my Queen,” he said.

The shared one last longing look, which made me sick to my stomach, before he turned and left.

She stood where she was, as she addressed me. “Because you are my daughter, I will give you one last chance. Leave my chambers and do not bother me.” She turned her head enough to glare at me. “If you attempt to betray me again, I will have you killed as an example to others. That you are my daughter will make no difference in the end.”

She turned away, then.

As tears filled my eyes, I fled the room. I ran, not even knowing where my feet were taking me. Eventually I came to a door and desperately knocked.

As the door opened, Reginald was there, and I knew my feet had led me to one who gave me comfort. A friend. An ally.

“Josephine,” he said, and the sound of my voice on his lips soothed me. “Come inside.”

It wasn’t proper for an unmarried woman to enter the bedroom of an unmarried man, but with the threats my mother made so fresh on my mind, I didn’t particularly care about proper at the moment. Propriety seemed the least of my troubles.

I flew into his room, and after closing the door behind us, he followed me.

“What’s happening?” he asked, and I explained, nervously telling him all that occurred.

I pressed my hands to my cheeks. They were still stinging, though it didn’t hurt nearly as badly as the pain in my heart.

When I reached this part of the story, Reginald stepped into my frantic pacing path, stopping me short. He reached up, clasped my wrists and pulled my hands away from my burning cheeks. He looked at the skin that felt

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so raw, and a dark, murderous thundercloud crossed his eyes.

Does it look bad?” I asked, then felt embarrassed for asking that. What did it matter how it looked? Why would I care about that?

But I already knew the answer. I could try to lie to myself but it wouldn’t work.

My heart was already stirring with affection for Reggie.

“This is one more reason she will pay,” he said, his voice a deep grunt.

“She’s lost,” I told him. “I had to try once more to convince her what she was doing is wrong. She repaid me with this. She said if I stood against her again, she would kill me.”

“She will never have the chance,” Reginald said. “I will stand between you and the sword, Josephine. You have my word.”

I wasn’t a warrior. Having his assurance… My heart fluttered in my chest, and though I ached for my mother, the stings on my cheeks, at least, didn’t hurt so badly anymore.

We spoke a bit more, farther detailing what occurred, including the interruption by the guard and his news of the approaching rebel army.

“We should get to the throne room,” Reginald said. “Grayson and Lily could already be there. We need to be ready when the coronation begins.”

“Yes,” I said, more convinced than ever now that we were making the correct decision. My mother was not fit to rule this kingdom.

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