The Queen’s Redemption

Archer paced the tent, his mind racing. “Just like that, he’s ready to surrender? I’m not buying it.”

“Kai’s letter matches the one with the King’s seal. He said his father admitted that he can’t win this war,” Amani replied.

“Something doesn’t feel right, Amani.” Archer’s unease was palpable.

“That’s completely normal, Archer. We’re in the thick of this war, tensions are at their peak, and we’re all feeling the pressure. You know I wouldn’t trust the King as far as I could throw him… but I do trust Kai, and I know you do too.”

Archer knew she was right. He trusted Malakai with his life, and if Malakai believed his father was sincere in surrendering, then that was enough for him.

“We should still proceed with caution,” Archer urged.

“I couldn’t agree more,” Amani replied, moving to the table where a map of the Royal Kingdom was spread out, her gaze narrowing as she assessed their next move.

“The King plans to send one of his guards to sign the treaty,” Amani explained, her tone measured. “Once it’s signed, they’ll send word back to the King. He will then renounce the throne and be taken into custody to await his trial. I’m to meet them in the clearing just west of the capital border. The deal is that I must go alone, with none of you within five hundred feet of me.”

“This is the part we don’t like,” Darius objected, his voice filled with concern.

“I understand,” Amani replied calmly. “But, knowing the King, his army could be hiding just north of the capital, ready to strike. That’s why my own forces will be close by, already shifted and prepared for whatever may come. If this turns out to be another one of the King’s schemes, we’ll be ready.”

“And what if the guard who meets you in the clearing attacks?” Darius pressed, his worry deepening.

“Then I’ll kill him,” she responded bluntly. “Anyone foolish enough to challenge me one-on-one has a death wish.”

“I hope you’re right about all of this, Amani,” Archer said, his doubt lingering.

“It’ll be over soon,” she reassured, her gaze sweeping across the room, hoping to ease their angst. “Go and prepare the others. The peace treaty will be signed at midnight.”

———

Malakai was deeply unsettled by the arrangement between Amani and his father, but his trust in Amani was unshakeable. He knew she would have her army prepared and ready. Although, he was well aware of Apollo’s formidable prowess in battle, Malakai had full confidence that if Apollo couldn’t best him, he was no match for Amani.

As the Blue Jay swooped in with another message, a sharp knock sounded at the door. Rush retrieved the note from the bird while Malakai went to answer the knock.

Standing at the door was one of Amani’s soldiers who had been stationed outside. The soldier handed him a note, which Malakai quickly scanned. It was an unexpected request: the Queen sought an audience with him, claiming she was ready to confess—but only to him.

“Who delivered this?” Malakai asked, his voice edged with suspicion.

“The guard, uh, I believe his name is Marquis,” the soldier replied.

Malakai crumpled the note in his fist, his hatred for the Queen intensifying. The thought of her confessing to murdering his mother filled him with a rage he barely contained. He hoped that the bars would be enough to keep him from killing her on the spot. He decided he should bring some of his men along with him, just in case his control slipped.

Glancing at the grandfather clock, he noted that it was twenty minutes until midnight—Amani should be heading toward the clearing now. The realization that this ordeal might soon be over brought a momentary sense of relief. But just then, Rush handed him the letter from the Blue Jay. Malakai’s eyes widened as he read Amani’s conflicting instructions: Protect the Queen at all costs.

The same Queen who was about to confess to his mother’s murder? He had never encountered two more contradictory notes in his life. What the hell was going on? Clearly, there was something he wasn’t being told.

His mind raced, but he maintained his composure as he turned to Rush. “I’ll be right back. Make sure no one comes in or out of this room.”

Rush nodded as Malakai stormed out of the Conference Hall, a few of his men trailing behind him. Upon entering the dungeon, Queen Cara sprang to her feet, her eyes glistening with tears of relief.

“Oh, thank the Goddess!” Cara exclaimed. “Malakai, there’s no time to waste. There’s something urgent I need to tell you. Alone, though—make your father’s guards leave.”

One of the guards snorted. “You think the Prince is going to take orders from you?”

“Leave,” Malakai commanded sharply. His tone brooked no argument. The guards, taken aback by his authority, hesitated but eventually complied, casting bewildered glances at each other as they exited.

Malakai turned his full attention back to Cara. “You have two minutes,” he said coldly, “and consider yourself fortunate to have even that, because not only are you unworthy of my time, but you’re also a waste of the air and space you occupy.”

Her composure faltered under his scathing words, tears welling up in her eyes as she struggled to hold back her emotions. “I didn’t kill your mother, Malakai. Everything I told the council is the truth.”

“Don’t lie to me!” Malakai snapped. “You really expect me to believe that my father would kill his own mate? He loved her! In fact, I’m convinced that losing her was what drove him to madness in the first place!”

“No,” the Queen replied steadily. “Your father was deranged long before your mother’s death, I assure you. You’re right, he did love her deeply. But when he believed she had betrayed him, he was quick to turn against her.”

“What are you talking about?” Malakai demanded. “My mother would never betray anyone, let alone her own mate.”

“And you’re absolutely right,” she said, her voice filled with sincerity. “Your mother was a remarkable woman, who not only loved the people of her kingdom but genuinely cared for everyone in this shitty would. She always fought for what was right, even when it meant opposing her own mate.”

“What is your point, Cara?” Malakai questioned, his frustration mounting.

“Your father’s hatred for your mate didn’t start the day you brought her to the palace,” she explained. “He’s despised her since the moment she was born. His recent plot to poison her food supply wasn’t his first attempt on her life.”

Malakai’s eyes narrowed, both intrigued and alarmed. “What do you mean it’s not the first attempt?”

“Your father always claimed that the prophecy was nonsense, but the truth is, it haunted him every waking moment of his miserable life,” she revealed. “After the Rogue War ended, he hosted a lavish celebration for all the Alphas who helped secure his victory. It was supposed to be a banquet attended by Alpha Saul, Luna Selene, and your mate, who was just eight years old at the time.”

Malakai leaned in, his gaze piercing into her soul. “And?”

Cara’s face was pale, her voice barely above a whisper. “Your father used the occasion to orchestrate an ambush on their carriage, with plans to disguise it as a rogue attack gone awry. Your mother uncovered correspondence detailing his plan to kill an innocent child. I can only imagine the horror she must have felt to discover that the man she loved with all her heart, the father of her son, her soulmate… was a monster. It had to have shattered her completely. Marie sent an anonymous warning to Alpha Saul and Luna Selene, alerting them to the threat against their daughter. Fortunately, they heeded the warning and canceled their attendance, claiming Amani was too ill to travel. Marie then confronted your father, vowing to reveal his treachery and reject him before the Council. Your father couldn’t have that, so he silenced her… forever. It wasn’t rogues who killed your mother; it was all a cover-up that I, along with my father, went along with. I am deeply sorry, Malakai.”

Malakai struggled to grasp the gravity of Cara’s revelation. In his mind, it was inconceivable—no, it was impossible. How could anyone kill their own mate?

“If what you’re saying is true, why didn’t he attempt to have Amani killed after my mother was out of the picture?” Malakai argued, his voice tinged with denial.

“Oh, he did,” the Queen said grimly. “The night of her eighteenth birthday, when Bloodmoon was invaded. You thought that was all about rogues and teaching Alpha Saul a lesson? No, it was all a deception organized by your father.”

“No…” Malakai whispered, disbelief creeping into his voice.

“Malakai, have you never wondered why you didn’t meet your mate until that night?” Cara pressed. “You’ve encountered every other Alpha’s offspring, but she was always conspicuously absent from Royal balls, banquets, and birthday celebrations. Alpha Saul never hosted any gatherings either. More importantly, Amani must have mentioned how she was never allowed to leave her Pack. Didn’t you question why her parents were so protective?”

Malakai’s mind raced back to Amani’s childhood. Her stories, their conversations, and the memories he’d seen when he marked her—she’d been confined, sheltered, never allowed to leave Bloodmoon territory. She was always under watch, permitted only brief stays at Lily’s. The truth began to seep in, shattering the illusions Malakai had clung to. The pieces were aligning, and the dark reality of his father’s machinations was coming into focus.

His gaze locked onto Cara, and her heart shattered at the torrent of emotions swirling in his eyes—anger, pain, grief, and the deepest sense of betrayal. “And all these years, you kept this buried? Playing the role of a Queen, knowing full well you could never fill the shoes of the woman whose death you helped conceal.”

“You’re right,” Cara whispered, her voice heavy with guilt. “I’m no better than the man who committed the crime. I deserve your hatred, Malakai, and far worse. But right now, your mate is in more danger than ever before. If you don’t get to her, she’s going to die.”

“What danger?” Malakai demanded. “Amani has one of the greatest armies I’ve ever seen standing behind her.”

Cara shook her head, fear etched across her face. “Not even her army can save her from this. You have no idea what your father’s been building for years—a weapon that fires pellets made of the purest, most lethal silver. Apollo has been one of the soldiers testing this weapon, and the difference between him and the others is… he never misses his target.”

Malakai’s eyes narrowed. “Why don’t I have any knowledge of this weapon?”

“Let’s face it,” she sighed. “Your father has hidden a lot from you. He is not the man you thought he was.”

“How do I know you’re telling me the truth?” Malakai’s voice hardening with distrust. “How do I know you haven’t been filling my head with lies since the moment I walked in here? For all I know, you could be conspiring with my father, plotting to lure me and my men away so he can rally his entire army?”

“Malakai, if I’m lying and you choose to rush to your mate’s side, then all you’ll witness is a peace treaty being signed,” Cara said, her voice eerily calm. “You lose nothing but a little time and effort. But if I’m telling the truth, and you decide not to believe me, then you lose everything. Your mate, and… your unborn child.”

Malakai’s eyes narrowed, confusion flashing in his eyes. “My what?”

Her expression softened, a bittersweet smile tugging at her lips. “Amani didn’t tell you? You’re going to be a father.”

Tears welled up in her eyes as she continued, her voice trembling with regret. “I’m sorry, Malakai. I’m sorry I never once tried to be a mother to you. Every time I looked at you, I saw Marie—a woman who held the love of the man I wanted for so long. I was bitter, foolish, blinded by my desire for a man who was nothing but vile. That says more about me than I’d like to admit. But you… you turned out better than I ever imagined, and I’ll always regret never doing right by you.”

She reached into her brassiere, retrieving a small vial hidden within, and twisted off the cap with a steady hand. “Let this be my redemption to you,” she whispered, her voice laden with the weight of her sins.

Malakai’s eyes narrowed with suspicion. “What is that?”

Cara raised the vial as if offering a final toast. “Go save your mate and your child, Malakai.” Without another word, she pressed the vial to her lips and downed the contents in a single, deliberate swallow.

“Wait!” Malakai shouted, his voice breaking with panic. “No!”

But it was too late. The Queen’s body jerked violently, convulsing as the poison took hold, her eyes rolling back as she crumpled to the ground.

“Guards!! Guards!! Open this gate!!” Malakai bellowed, his heart racing.

The prison guards, alarmed by his frantic cries, rushed in and unlocked the cell. Malakai surged forward, scooping the Queen into his arms as her body convulsed uncontrollably, her breaths ragged and shallow.

“Take her to the Royal Hospital, now!” Malakai commanded, his voice laced with urgency. “She’s just ingested poison!”

The guards quickly seized her trembling body and dashed out of the dungeon with Malakai bolting out behind them. He knew he didn’t have long before Amani faced Apollo in the clearing, but every instinct screamed at him to run—to reach her before it was too late, before the weapon forged in secrecy unleashed its deadly silver upon the woman he loved. Time was slipping away, and the clock was ticking against him.