“I’m the rightful king of this clan.”
Samir nodded. “You are.” Ignoring the furious hiss his mother let out, he said, looking at Warrehn, “But your bloodline doesn’t entitle you to people’s respect and love. For our people, my mother and I are the royals who led our country to prosperity. You’re the royal who associates with the rebels and has been shirking his responsibilities for twenty years.”
A muscle started working in Warrehn’s jaw. If looks could kill, Samir would probably be dead now. Warrehn said, “That’s not how it was.”
“But that’s how people see it,” Dalatteya cut in, her voice cold as ice. “Besides, your father was a ruthless, uncaring king and people wouldn’t want to have his son on the throne when they can have a monarch they love. My son is beloved by his people. He’s kind, he’s capable, and he’s trustworthy. You are not.” She sneered, looking at Warrehn like he was a bug under her shoe. “At least your father was intelligent. He was smart enough not to show what a major piece of shit he was. People didn’t know how bad Emyr really was. He fooled a lot of people with his looks and smiles before he stabbed them in the back.”
“Just like you, huh?” Warrehn said.
Dalatteya paled. Her lips barely moving, she bit out, “I’m nothing like him. Nothing.”
Warrehn leaned a wide shoulder against the doorway and raised his eyebrows mockingly. “I see no difference. Wait, no, I know one: my father didn’t target children. He was a better person than you could ever hope to be.”
Dalatteya sprang to her feet, her eyes gleaming with an odd fire. “You know nothing, you foolish boy! You didn’t know him as I did. Emyr was the worst man I’ve ever known—heartless, selfish, cruel, arrogant—”
“He was my father,” Warrehn stated in a flat voice. “He wasn’t perfect, but he was far from being a monster. His biggest flaw was his unhealthy fixation on you.”
Dalatteya went still.
Warrehn smiled grimly. “What, you thought I didn’t know? I was ten, not a small child. Everyone knew where he spent the nights, including my mother and your husband. My mother always said you bewitched him and that you’d be the death of him one day. At the time, I thought she was just jealous, but she was right, wasn’t she? My father is dead because he put his dick into a viper and kept going back.” He glanced at Samir and sneered at them both. “Frankly, I don’t get the appeal, and it has nothing to do with me preferring men. Your son is your carbon copy, and I’ve seen ten-credit whores more appealing than the present company.”
Samir flushed, half-incredulous, half-offended.
Dalatteya stared at Warrehn for a long moment before smiling. It was a very nice smile. A dangerous smile. She rounded the table, her heels clicking on the floor as she moved gracefully toward Samir. Laying a delicate hand on Samir’s arm, she pulled him to his feet and pushed him toward Warrehn. “It always amuses me how simple men are,” she said as Warrehn watched them approach with a wary, distrustful expression. Dalatteya’s gaze moved to Samir and their familial bond flared with, Trust me.
Confused but curious to see what his mother had planned, Samir nodded.
Dalatteya looked back at Warrehn. “I don’t know if you remember, but Emyr was always terrible at listening to his advisers. He was too headstrong and arrogant to care for anyone’s opinion besides his own. But he was always ever so agreeable after—how did you put it? Ah, yes: after ‘putting his dick into a viper.’ I did wonder if you inherited his weakness. From the way you keep glancing at my son, it seems you have.”
What are you doing, Mother? Samir pushed at her through their bond, but Dalatteya ignored him, smiling as Warrehn’s glare intensified.
“He’s beautiful, isn’t he?” Dalatteya said, pushing Samir in front of Warrehn and forcing Warrehn to look at him—and scowl deeper. “So lovely. That’s what your father called me as he forced himself on me. He is lovely, don’t you think?”
“Shut your mouth,” Warrehn gritted out, looking away from Samir and scowling at Dalatteya. “Are you seriously trying to whore your son out to me? I didn’t think I could think worse of you, but you’ve just proven me wrong.”
Dalatteya’s smile widened. “Oh, I have no intention of ever letting you lay as much as a finger on my son. It was bad enough that I had to endure your father’s attentions. No son of his would ever touch mine. I’m simply proving that you can’t claim the moral high ground when you’re very much your father’s son.”
Warrehn chuckled. “It’s hilarious—and fucked-up—that you think superficial lust is a bigger crime than the murder of an entire family, including kids, and regicide. You’re fucking insane—and beyond obsessed with a dead man. My father is dead.”