The guards opened the throne room doors. Akna glanced at Anita, who took a deep breath and then nodded. The two of them proceeded into the room. The guards fell into step behind them.

Anita was wearing a deep purple gown in a typical Arnorin style—though given how cold it got here, Akna was beginning to understand why Arnorins wore so much fabric. The gown had very wide skirts, requiring Akna to stand a couple feet to Anita’s side rather than right by her. The purple colour was for mourning her father and—soon—her brother.

Akna was still in the same clothes they had given her at the Hall of Knowledge. She could have changed into her New Year’s gown, but she hadn’t wanted to get that dirty, and what she was about to do would definitely ruin it. Anita had promised to have a replacement for her Youth Guard uniform made, but that was going to take time. So for now, she would just make do.

Slumped in the throne at the far end of the room was Danel. He looked up as they approached and ran a hand through his dishevelled hair. “What is the meaning of this? Why are they still free? Guards! Arrest that thing!” He pointed at Akna.

The guards remained behind Akna and Anita, moving as the two of them moved.

“Guards! I said arrest that savage! Obey me!” His voice was loud, but it shook and cracked as he spoke. He knew what was coming.

When they reached the steps to the throne, Anita held out a hand, motioning Akna to stop. She then proceeded a few steps closer. She stopped still outside of Danel’s reach, but if he lunged forward… Akna tensed herself, ready to leap in if needed.

“Anita, what is the meaning of this?”

Anita shook her head sadly. “It’s over, Danel. You know that, right?”

“Guards!”

“The guards aren’t listening to you anymore. You sent their compatriots into a pointless and losing battle. They have no reason to listen to you when they know your successor will treat them better.”

Danel sneered and straightened up, tried to make himself look confident and menacing, but the fear on his face gave him away. “What successor? I am still lord here.”

“Only on the technicality that you are not dead yet.”

“You…” His voice cracked again. “You can’t kill me. If you do, you give up your claim to the lordship.”

Anita gave him a sad smile. There was a hint of tears in her eyes. “Another technicality. The official report will say you were killed by Akna who was being mind-controlled by Plavistalorik. There is no one in this palace who will contradict that.”

Danel lost his composure, shaking his head madly. “You can’t do this. I’m your brother!”

“Yes, you are, and it is something for which I feel endless shame.” Anita’s voice was cracking now, and she turned away from him. Tears started to stream down as she approached Akna.

Stolen from its original source, this story is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“You’re sure you’re okay with this?” Akna said quietly.

Anita nodded. “I ask only two things.”

Akna nodded. She was pretty sure she knew what they were, but she let Anita say them anyway.

“One, wait until I’m out of the room. I don’t want to witness it. Two, make it quick. He has done terrible things, but he is still my brother, and I foolishly still have love for him. I don’t want him to suffer.”

“You have my word.” Akna wanted to lean over and hug her, offer her comfort, but the width of Anita’s skirts made that too awkward, so she settled with a comforting smile.

Anita looked back at Danel. “Farewell, Danel.” Then she started striding back across the room towards the door. One of the guards went with her.

“No! Anita!” Danel threw himself from the throne and down the steps. Akna moved in front of him and he fell to his knees. “Anita! Please! Anita!”

Anita paused, and looked back. “The appropriate form of address is, your Ladyship.” Then she continued on her way, not looking back again.

Danel continued to call out to her until she was out the doors. Then he fell to the floor, burying his face in the carpet, sobbing.

Akna watched him for a moment. So pathetic, but exactly as he had shown himself so often to be: full of confidence and spite when he believed he had others to enforce his desires, but a snivelling coward when those others weren’t there. Part of her wanted to watch him whimper and sob longer, but she had promised Anita to make it quick. “Get up.”

He looked up at her, his tear-streaked face pulled back in a rictus of fear.

“I said, get up.”

He rose only to his knees. “Please. I’ll give you anything. My family’s riches are still mine. I’ll give you anything you want. Anything your heart desires. Riches beyond anything you’ve ever seen. I...I can even give you Anita as...as your plaything, or whatever you want her for.”

Akna scowled. For a brief moment, she had almost felt a bit of pity for him, but after that statement, there was nothing he could say to ever make her feel anything other than utter contempt and disgust for him.

She grabbed him by the chin, forced him to his feet, and forced him to look her in the eyes. “You want to know what I want from you, asshole?”

He shivered and whimpered. He might have been trying to nod or shake his head, but her grip on his chin was making whatever he wanted impossible. There was a stench rising from him. He had clearly soiled himself.

“I want you dead. That’s all.”

He whimpered again.

Akna spun him around so his back was against her, and secured him in a headlock with one arm. With her other hand, she raised her dagger and slit his throat. She then let his briefly twitching body fall onto the steps by the throne, blood pooling around it. Within a moment, he was still.

Akna wiped her dagger, and turned to the remaining guard. “Dispose of the body and get this place cleaned up before her Ladyship returns.”

The guard snapped to attention and saluted.

With a satisfied smile, Akna turned and walked out of the room.