Forged in the Flames by Karima Sa'ad Usman

I remained seated on my chair, and the silence in my office was absolute.

Qusack did not say a word, and Abraham looked confused. I was just as confused as he was because I did not know what to do.

I looked at Qusack to give him immediate order so we could act.

Fedrick may have said one month, but he could strike anytime. I refuse to let him steal my birthright. I had never heard of this mistress or child, so I was highly suspicious of his intentions. Also, knowing how his relationship with my father was, I doubted he would have entrusted his son to the Snow King.

“Qusack, get me a pen and paper. I need to write a letter to the Hill king to carry on certain issues,” I said, and he leaned forward to ask me.

“Like what?” He said, and I knew he was only asking out of concern. I could not get mad about it. We have been friends for so long that I knew I could always trust him. “The Snow King is trying to say that I am a fraud. I was wondering if Gabriel, the traitor, could identify my mother as his former Queen. Maybe that would shut them up,” I said, and Abraham disagreed.

“Before I joined your pack, Alpha, I used to work in the legal library of scholars in Snow. I was cast out because I helped a nobleman remove a law account from the archives.

I am trying to tell you that I know how the committee works.

Gabriel’s account will not suffice. The reasons are that he is a werewolf.

According to the Unity Law, he has no right to speak. Let us say they choose to make an exception because of the circumstances; they could argue that his account is false. You are his master, and he is your slave. He could say anything you want him to say.

Let us now say they do not see it that way, and he indeed identifies your mother as Queen; they could argue that you found her in her feral state in the wild, recognised her, knew of the mutiny and decided to seize the opportunity to claim she is your mother.

Moreover, I have heard from the Halfbreeds in Snow that their parents told them the Queen was accused of having affairs. They do not know you are King Mathia’s son and your mother is Queen Isabelle. Due to the restricted access to the Queen, they haven’t seen her yet, but there are rumours that the Old King was so in love with his fated who passed away that he neglected his Queen, and she had to result to having flings. It is also in their records.

King Fedrick is malicious. He could argue that you are a bastard.” Abraham said and left me wondering because my options weren’t great.

“Where is the light in all of this, Abraham?” I asked him impatiently.

“The only way you can win against the Snow King is if your mother regains her sanity. No one would dare to tell her truth, and Fedrick would not have a choice but to accept whatever you say,” He said.

said is with him? I know he is an actual person.

not sit well with me because my being regarded as

had a son by his mistress; the only mistress your father had in the records was a werewolf named Olive. It means this son is a halfbreed,

grew up knowing as an abomination. Bringing a half-breed into this world was

look and smell like Lycans. The Lycans never accept them because they do not

halfbreeds, and that is why it had been

in Forest live, but I learned they usually kill them from birth

me, and I beamed because that was true. If Miles is a half-breed, why did Fedrick, the King who hates werewolves

plan to make this guy the king?” Qusack

think he would use the law of exception, it doesn’t always work, but he might use the law of exception and win because people are afraid of him. The law of exception states that without an heir, anyone related to the King by blood can ascend if they are male and of age,” He said,

halfbreed?” I

they had said, except werewolves and halfbreeds, then anyone would mean Lycans strictly. But it said anyone and gave no exception, so he could use that law to do that; he has to prove that you’re a fraud. I am sure it would be a bit difficult because there has to be Lycans that can identify your mother,” he said,

them are afraid of Fredrick. They would not want to get involved,” he said, giving a valid

not inherit Forest, you conquered it and took it over; he would have to take it by force from you to give this supposed heir. We all know he would

ones that rose against your father; they could do it again. They might even prefer a halfbreed as King

a better option than someone the Snow King raised. The man has only a daughter, so he may have replicated himself in this child. We need to investigate the supposed heir to know his ideals,” Qusack said, and it was a

would

as sick as Fredrick, which may be why the Hill

birthright. It doesn’t stop Fredrick from waging war against us, but the entire committee would be against him because he has favoured a halfbreed over his kind,” Abraham said, and

to think he is my mother’ s

knew

else he knew that he was keeping from me. He did have a fascinating

of the Forest. I learned he did not only reject her but also sent hunters after her. My mother lived in fear of hunters throughout. I thought they were werewolves, but now I know that the hunters were from Snow and her brother had set them on her. I do not understand why my mother would withhold such vital information.

If the werewolves had not killed her husband and taken her home, she would not need to return to Snow. King Fedrick would have no

disagree,” Qusacksaid and looked