The Alpha King Marked Me. I Still Haven't Told Him I'm A Girl novel Chapter 130

Chapter 130: One Hundred & Thirty

Valka

When Rafael’s guards come to get me, I am ready for a world class act. Kohl runs down my face in streaks. My hair disheveled from running my fingers through every second. My clothes are stained with dust, my nails broken. And my eyes are filled with sorrow and anger.

Before his summoned court, I am forced to my knees.

The air swells with formidable pressure and I pray to the gods that Rafael is stupid enough to eat the words right out of my mouth.

"How do you plead?" he repeats, voice echoing through the chamber of his great hall.

I raise my head, furious tears filling my eyes. "How could you?"

Rafael pauses. His dark brows furrow with confusion. Every member of his court freezes at the dastard question flung out at him in the open. Lilith who sits beside him has enough sense to look worried.

"Excuse me?"

My voice shakes, carrying over the crowd. "You took me from my mate against my will. You killed him. Still I swore fealty to you. I denounced him and bent the knee to you. I saved you from the traitors scheming in your castle and you repay me by locking me up in your dungeons and starving me. And our baby."

Rafael jerks forward in his seat. "Have you gone mad?"

I mirror the rage I feel inside. "No, have you gone mad?"

He blinks. Nostrils flare wide. The guards close in, no doubt to hit me for the blatant disrespect, but Rafael raises a hand. "Leave her." To me, he says, "I will overlook it this one time, but speak to me like that again and I will tear out your tongue."

After seeing the horrors in the dungeons, I now understand that he isn’t bluffing.

His fingers clench tightly around the throne’s arm. "Speak."

I start sobbing. Ugly, snotty tears. Murmurs begin to stir in the room. "He said no one had to know. He called you an overconfident fool. He said the war would not be won because the King of Voss had betrayed you."

Nonsense. Utter nonsense. But if I just play this right...

The Vossian emissary, a human male in his late thirties called Hunter, who has spent the last couple of weeks engorging himself in platter after platter of food, wine, and women, snickering every time I entered the room and prodded at me with the edge of a sword that day I was paraded around here, cutting open the strap of my dress and baring my left breast to the world, shoots to his feet. "Nonsense! Our alliance is one forged in blood. King Cyrus would never betray you."

King, huh? I could almost see the darkhaired pretty man seated on the throne. It does suit Cyrus.

I almost despise myself for what I’m about to do. But if Rafael can ignite a war by lying, who’s to say I cannot do the same thing to ruin his alliance with humans?

Truthfully, it’s a plan that formed several days ago, having being forced to have dinner with the king and Lilith and their usual plethora of guests. I’d listened in on their conversation. A lot banked on their alliance with Voss.

Most of the troops being sent to Ebonheart to conquer it were soldiers from Voss. And half-breeds. Rafael kept his real army surrounding the borders of Silvermoor, never straying too far from home, making it damn near impenetrable.

He expected that he’d win the war. The pieces on his board or chess had been set into play. I am about to ruin it.

Rafael rises from his seat with speed, crossing the distance. He yanks me off the ground roughly by my arm, glaring down at me with livid eyes. "If you are lying to me--"

"You saved my child," I cut in swiftly. "You have protected me, even when I didn’t deserve it. I did this for you." I force a quiver to my lips. "Did you ever check?"

His frowns. "Check?"

"Kaelin. He was in on it. He said he received a missive." My voice breaks. "He was very drunk. He wouldn’t stop talking about taking your place once you were gone. He called you mad and self-serving. He called you a wuss. He said you always were controlled by your emotions. By anything blonde with a cunt."

"I told him it was a lie. And he said he had a letter from the Voss King himself, through the emissary. That if I spread my legs for him, he’d show it to me. And give me his protection. I was overcome with rage at the insult, at his betrayal, and maybe it was the echo of the bond long lost between us, but I was suddenly driven by the urge to... to protect you. And..." Another loud sob and I bury my face into his chest. "And I... oh gods... I killed him. For you."

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