“Mmm.” I cross my arms over my chest. If I let her get control of this conversation, it won’t end well for anyone. “I’m more worried about conflict within the faction. The Amazon queen contracting a Mystic assassin to kill one of her own people isn’t a good look, especially when it’s to cover up the fact that she facilitated the horrific abuse of a minor for years.” I glare, refusing to be the one to drop my gaze first. “You’ve fucked up, Mother. And now I have to clean up your mess.”

“You’re overreaching.” Steel enters her tone. “I’m the queen here.”

“A queen who allowed two priests to torture and abuse their daughter. A queen who then tried to murder that daughter to cover up her neglect of her duties. Not much of a queen from where I’m standing.”

She considers me for a long moment. “I do what I do for the good of the faction.”

“Don’t lie to me!” I pause and concentrate on keeping my voice modulated. “You chose the easy path. I don’t know why this was the time you decided to be anything less than a queen, but you made your choice, and now I have to make mine.” I drag in a breath. “You will step down and allow me to take the throne.”

She raises a brow. “If I don’t step down?”

“Then I will allow this story to circulate, which will weaken the faction as a whole.”

“You don’t think a queen who is Bride to a Raider and a Paine brother would weaken our faction?” Her gaze flicks over my shoulder to Broderick.

My earlier fury returns full force. I love my mother. I have no doubt that she loves me. But that does not mean that she’s infallible, and she facilitated harm on a scale that leaves me breathless. “She was a child. We protect our children. You have fed me that line over and over again, have bolstered my belief that the way we value our children sets us apart from the rest of the city—the country, even. All this time, you have been the biggest fucking hypocrite.”

My voice breaks, but I power through. “So, yes, I will commit a little harm to our faction in order to set the tone for my reign. It’s a small price to pay to reassure our people that their children are safe under my rule. That is my priority. I will deal with both Raider and Mystic factions as required.”

My mother’s mouth goes tight, but she finally rises. “I suppose you’re set on this route.”

“I am.”

“Very well.” Her lips curve, the first indication that I’ve played right into her hands. “I’ll step down immediately. Long live the queen.”