The Silence Within (The Young Ancients: Tiera) by P.S. Power Read Free Book Online Page A

heard what she'd been doing to Nita I nearly ordered her death." There was a pause, but it was only long enough for good drama. "So did mother. I know, you probably think that I can't order someone killed like that, but you'd be surprised what some people are willing to let the Heir to the throne get away with, under the right circumstance. So, what's the plan there? Do you need me to come and keep the Coltress family from killing her? Or help hide the body?" He was being slightly playful about it, but from the sound of things, the Queen was taking it all a good bit more seriously in the background. She actually suggested that the woman finding her way into the deep desert, naked and without the ability to call for help, might be a good punishment for her.
    Luckily no one was taking that too seriously.
    Tiera sighed and then shook her head, feeling a bit put upon, even if collecting the woman from Barton had been her own doing. It was, she knew, a mistake. It would have been better not to involve herself in the situation at all, but here it was. She'd started her part in this and had to see it through, one way or the other.
    "Right now we need to contact the other members of her family and then arrange to take her around to grovel and be beaten. Then I plan to dump her on poor Gerent. Sex slave and general house worker for now. Alphonse, will you visit with him for a few weeks to make sure she's doing her duties properly? On the good side, she does actually seem wise enough to like him so far. Then she can go back to her country estate, after Gerent feels she's rehabilitated enough." It was almost funny, but no one laughed at all. Not even the Prince. Instead there was a low sound that seemed to be indicating general agreement.
    The King spoke then, from further away in the room.
    "Baroness Coltress, will you move to the device?" It worked the other way around, with Timon scampering over to her, handing the thing to her directly, even as she sneered at it. That got Tiera to walk over and hit her again. It was just a cuff to the back of the head though and wasn't hard.
    " Hey !" The woman sounded put out, but everyone in the room with her, except Gerent, chuckled. Even Thom.
    Trice explained.
    "Part of her retraining I think. She made a face at the device, so Tiera hit her. I think the general plan is to get her ready to face Nita. You should probably take her to see Maria first..." Then she went silent and looked away, which was so phony that Tiera had to fight rolling her eyes. No one mentioned that the Wards were supposed to have become traitors.
    That would be rude of course.
    Tiera spoke anyway, after all, she was a traitor too wasn't she? Just because she wasn't actively going to kill the King anymore, that didn't mean she was happy with the man. He'd supported the people that killed Regina. Yes, it was true, there had been political reasons for it, but the fact was, he'd done it. That had led to worse things over time, such as an attack on his own city that had nearly led to him dying personally. On the good side that meant they were loosely on the same side now, so she tried to let it go and not get too angry with him. Even after being changed, that situation got her blood boiling, almost instantly.
    "I'll contact her and set that up. Regardless of what else is going on, this situation is separate and needs to be dealt with. Besides, I'm not all that certain they're in the wrong." That, she knew, would probably keep her from being invited to King's week later in the year. Luckily she wasn't planning on going anyway.
    The King didn't sound all that happy as his voice came from the little glass device.
    "I see. I'd hoped that we'd put such things behind us... Tor assured me that being family would repair that?"
    "He assured you wrongly then. Oh, I won't call for your head, but I won't abandon my friends over you either. It isn't a personal thing, but..." She forced herself to look at the others, and noticed that no one