Then the throne room doors were thrown open. The sound thundered across the chamber violently enough to silence the entire court.
Every noble turned at once.
Ragnar stood in the entrance with Circe beside him.
Both were covered in blood.
The coronation came to a complete halt at their sudden appearance.
Nheera's face darkened the instant her eyes landed on Ragnar.
Hatred burned there so intensely it nearly transformed her expression into something monstrous.
He was the living proof of her husband's betrayal. The bastard child she had failed to eliminate years ago. He had proven to be no more than a sharp thorn in her flesh.
Today, she swore silently, she would not make the mistake of allowing him to survive again.
"What is the meaning of this?" Nheera demanded sharply. Her voice cut through the stunned silence. Yet even as she spoke, her hand shifted subtly beside her gown as she signaled the guards stationed around the room.
The royal guards jumped into action.
