The Broken Crown

Silvercrest Ridge

"I had wished Penelope was transparent with me from the beginning."

"I'm sorry?"

"Penelope was the one to come before me, to make a pact for the two of us to support you." I lean in, biting my tongue as I want Yusuf to continue with his words. "We saw you sitting on the throne as the rightful decision, as someone to unite the kingdom."

"Penelope left that pact," I point out. "I knew when I had sent you into her house, Yusuf, that Penelope was never going to return."

Yusuf gazes up to me, curious with my last set of words. "Why do you think I would send the man she would trust the most without backup? I could have sent Cedric with you to ensure my orders were followed. I always knew you were never going to have her face the possible horrors of returning to the arms of those she had betrayed."

"I did not kill her...she was a friend of mine - a dear friend-"

"I did not say you did," I insist, rising to my feet as I come to sit at the other end of my desk, right across from the seat Yusuf most commonly takes. "No one else was in that room except for two individuals who are now dead and another who stands before me spewing words of witchcraft abnormalities."

Yusuf sits before me now, the two of us facing one another as the tension becomes thick. "You want to know what our last exchange of words was?"

"I do."

"I never said she-"

"Penelope killed herself, Yusuf, everyone saw the aftermath. Please stop playing this meaningless game and tell me what has been eating you alive. Tell me what she told you that has been slowing killing you."

Yusuf crosses his legs, glancing to the wall of books I have near the dead fireplace, his eyes glancing towards a row of those with ruins gifted from an ancient coven to a late grandfather ages ago. "I am no fool to the relationship which has taken off between River and you, Leala. I saw the roots of it form when you visited that palace and I saw that foundation grow when he came here seeking shelter. As someone who looks out for your title of Queen, I saw him to be a great man to sit beside you as you ruled, for he seemed to make a great match and would work well alongside you."

"You speak in past-tense," I point out, trying to keep my voice calm, already knowing what Penelope must have told Yusuf. What could happen now if my suspicions are in fact one hundred percent correct?

Yusuf looks back to me. "Penelope told me who River's parents are...the abnormality of the entire thing sickens me, Leala, and it will no doubt make others who come to learn the true also sick." Shaking his head, Yusuf clasps his hands together. "I take it you found out some time ago judging just by how carefully you have been with this entire relationship, not just because you two were enemies - do not even get me started about how that makes me angered."

"I know which parts of my relationship I plan to release to the public if River and I make it-"

"Do not play your future subjects for fools," Yusuf snaps, shooting up to his feet. "They will not buy your lies when there are other factors at play. Penelope knew because she knew River's parents. How many others know the true of River's bloodline? If none, then they will go searching. Even if they do not go searching, they will begin to wander when the great Alpha Leala began to have feelings for her sworn enemy-turned-lover. If they find paths linking together, you will find a mess on your hands."

"I have covered my tracks. I have extended land to Finch on behalf of Finley's advice."

"So more are tied up in this mess than I could have imagined and these men will hold political power too!" Yusuf yell, snapping at me as he throws his hands up into the air. "I am trying what I can to see you wearing that crown, Leala, but things have just become more complex and you cannot seem to comprehend that fact."