Koldis the Green (DRAGONWALL SERIES 4)

CHAPTER 35: CONFRONTING JADE

"Silence!" Claire's voice was a snap of power. The queen pressed her lips together. "You would dare ask me questions when you are the one who owes me answers? How dare I? How dare I?! No, Jade. How dare you!"

Around them, the crowd had grown thick, but she and Jade stood in its center with plenty of space. Jade's eyes flicked to her hand. "Where did you get that?" she demanded, taking a step forward before stopping.

"I earned it." Claire blew out a breath of air, shaking her head. "How could you do it? How could you think it would solve anything?"

"You speak nonsense." Jade lifted her chin. "Guards, Lady Claire has had a long day. Escort her into the palace, to her chambers. She needs rest." Behind her, the Queen's Guard materialized, clothed in elegant armor of starlight silver like the necklace around her neck.

"Oh, I don't think so. Guards, stand down," she commanded, slamming her staff into the ground, using it to channel her intention as a wall of nearly translucent green created a barrier around them, sealing her in with the queen. The guards faltered, then stood with their hands on their weapons, eyes darting between her and the queen. "Jade, you will answer for your crimes against Dragonwall. You will tell your people what you have done, how you have wounded the forest over the years with your deaf ear and your blind eye. Go ahead. Tell them of your greed. Tell them why you must leave forever. Tell them why you must be exiled."

"How dare—?!"

"TELL. THEM!" she spat, slamming the staff into the ground again, sending a jolt through Jade. Jade's eyes widened—glanced at the staff. The red anger that had tinged her cheeks moments before faded. Her face paled.

"What is she talking about, Mother?" said Feowen from outside the barrier, his expression confused. "What crimes?" Jade glanced between them, her breaths coming faster, nose flaring. "What crimes, Mother?" Feowen repeated, taking a single step forward.

"Yes, tell him what you have done."

"I did it for the forest," Jade sneered, her face transforming from something that first looked so ethereal to something feral and vicious. "I did it to protect my kingdom. To protect all of you!" This last she shouted at everyone, holding their gazes. "I did something a child like you could never do," she added, pinning Claire with her gaze. "A halfbreed. You, with your tainted blood. You think you have rights here as Isabella's surviving heir when your blood flows with the abomination that shouldn't have existed. With Drengr blood?" She huffed. "I should have known you would come here in hopes of stealing the throne. I should have seen it clearly the moment you first stepped foot here carrying the Stones."

"You're right, I would never, never, hand an innocent person over to Kane. I would never bargain with a sorcerer to save my kingdom. Especially, especially when that sorcerer is a liar. Did you really think he had the power to cleanse the forest? Are you really so naive?"

"We made a deal. I understood there was risk involved. But I would do it again, if it meant cleansing my world of his filth." Around her, gasps sounded.

"His filth? The blight is of your doing! Kane could no more cleanse the forest than your daughter. Taylynn has been running herself ragged fighting the blight your selfishness has brought. Kane tricked you. He used you and you were too blind to see it. Too desperate. You handed me over to him when all he had to do was make you a few enticing promises."

"Is this true, Mother?" Feowen looked cowed, utterly shocked. He glanced between the two of them.

Claire sighed. "It's...true. I wouldn't have gotten away were it not for Taylynn. Your mother found me alone in the forest, tricked me, took me straight to Kane and handed me over in exchange for false promises."