Astrid Rivengeld’s removal from the throne had been swift. The jarls, under Glaeverssun, had come prepared, bringing their own armed guards. The soldiers outnumbered her shield maidens by three to one. Seeing the situation was hopeless, and not wanting her sisters to be hurt, Astrid had called for them to stand down. Many did, but some refused to let their queen be deposed in this way and they fought. Maarika, the shield maiden who was also the queen’s closest friend, battled hardest. She took down six guards and valiantly defended her queen until she was rendered unconscious by a blow from behind and dragged from the place.

Faced with the jarls, Glaeverssun at their head, the young queen was informed of their ruling and the sentence that had been passed on her brother.

‘You have no right to do this!’ Astrid shouted back at them.

‘On the contrary, my Queen,’ Jarl Glaeverssun answered, daring to smile back at her. ‘You gave me … us –’ he gestured at the other men present – ‘the right to decide on matters that were not a direct threat to Stromgard and her people. We took you at your word and set up a court to decide your brother’s fate. The people of Stromgard deserve justice, whether the miscreant is a prince or a beggar. You refused to administer that justice, so we did it for you. We put the evidence to the court and they decided your brother was guilty and should be put to death.’

‘I am the queen! I have the right to decide who lives and who dies. I issue those decrees, not you!’

‘That is normally the case, yes. But not when the throne is unable to make a dispassionate ruling. In those circumstances, the ruler can set up a council to do that for him or her. You created a privy council. You gave us those rights.’

Astrid stared back at him in disbelief. These men had gone behind her back and colluded to have her brother killed. She had been arrogant and believed herself invulnerable. She had been foolish to underestimate Glaeverssun – thought him little more than a money counter. But he’d proven himself much more than that. ‘I won’t let you do this,’ she said in a low voice.

‘You have no choice, my Queen. The sentence has been passed.’ He turned and addressed the room. ‘Leave us, please.’

Glaeverssun waited until the great hall was empty except for a handful of his personal men.

Then he approached the throne so he could speak to her without being heard. ‘Did you really think I would stand by and allow this kingdom to be run by a foolish girl like you? The people of Stromgard deserve a ruler that will continue the great work your father did.’

She choked back a bitter laugh. ‘And are you that great ruler?’