Crown of Hidden Scales novel · Chapter 19 of 24

Chapter 19: Edric Alone

"Give me the crown," said Edric. "The real one. Put it on my head in front of everybody, or I open her throat."

The blade shook against Bronwyn's jaw.

She stood absolutely still, as small and fierce as a cat in a sack.

"Don't you dare," she said through her teeth.

Rhain started forward.

I put my hand flat against his chest.

"No," I said.

"Sabine."

"You've been the hand that did the work for thirty years. This one is mine."

He looked down at me.

Whatever he saw made him stop.

I took the black band out of his hands and walked down the dais steps toward the prince.

"Edric," I said. "You've never once fought anything you could not hire."

"Put the girl down and fight me. Just you and me, in front of every lord who ever bowed to you."

"If you win, you keep the crown. If you lose, you lose it anyway, but you'll have tried."

His eyes went to the faces around him.

I saw him count them, as he had counted the guards at the bridge.

He was a prince, and he had been told since boyhood that the strongest hand in a room held the sword.

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