A smirk crept its way across my face at the comment I know wasn't meant as a compliment — yet I'll take it that way anyway. "Stop fussing, I didn't bring you out here to die, princess.”
My pace starts to slow as we come up onto the clearing, the princess nearly colliding into my back when I stop. I turn my head slowly, angling my chin to look up at her. Her usually worried face is twisted into a look of frightened confusion as Ilevel my gaze and press my fingertips to her shoulder, pushing her backwards.
"I came out here to show you something."
"Show me something?"
I bob my head, threading my fingers through my hair and twisting it into a braid, out of my face. With that taken care of, I pull on my Wield and allow the magic to take over.
After weeks of Ezra's tampering, the power feels that much more intense, almost as if it's become an entirely new entity separate from me. I suck in a breath, and on the exhale, tendrils pour out — splitting off into several different directions through the trees.
Pruella fidgets in her place, the scent of her fear filling the space of the clearing and my head. "A-hem. I've seen your magic already." She claims loudly, doing her best to sound confident and unafraid — pity I know that she's the opposite.
"You've seen parts, Princess — not all," I say, my fists closing as I yank down on the tendrils. They pull back, each of them dragging a tightly bound creature. Her face goes white as she sees the decomposing monsters gnash their teeth, fighting against the magic. "Halt," I command, each of the beasts going still in their place as I unwrap them.
"What is this?" She asks, shakily, her eyes brimming with tears.
"Apparently,thisis a byproduct of me — my Wield." Her head whips in my direction. "Andthisis what will happen toyouif you do not cooperate."
Pruella's ruby lips part as she looks between me and the creatures. "You can do that?"
"Oh, I can do far worse than these, my dear," I taunt, slicing through the creatures with one tendril as I accost her mind with another. Her knees give, her willowy frame collapsing ontothe ground, flailing as she tries to both mentally and physically remove me.
It doesn't take long for me to root around and find the one memory that seems to have the most visceral effect — but the memory does surprise me. The fear that comes to light is a singular image of her father, and he's staring at her with anything but the love and affection that a father should.
"P-please."
Reluctantly, I tug on the thread and pull it out, Pruella’s body falling face-first into the damp dirt. "Interesting."
She glares up at me through her lashes and spits at my feet. "What? Surprised to find I was honest about who raised me?"
"Up," I demand.
Her head tilts to her left, peering past me until she gets an eyeful of the shredded bodies littered on the ground. “But those–” she starts to mumble.
"There are more of those things, and they'll come even without me beckoning them. Now, up."
The princess wastes no more time scrambling to her feet; her exhaustion replaced with adrenaline. "Was there a point to all of this?" She shouts, her voice cracking on the question.
"Did there need to be?"
"I-I'm not a real threat to you!” My feet still, as she cries out, “I’ve never challenged you. I just wanted out, out of that–”
My brows pull tightly together, "not a threat?" I ask, getting hung up on that one little word. She huffs, catching up to where I stand, and nods. “You are thebiggestthreat. The longer you stay here in my court, the more likely we are to lead your father here with his army.”
“Well, you want him here anyway, don’t you? Isn’t that why I’m your bait?”
“I want him here on my terms, not his. I want him here on my agenda,nothis.”Control,my conscience whispers. I wantcontrol, but I don’t say that in so many words. “Your living accommodations have been adjusted, but make no mistake – you’re stillmyprisoner. And tonight was merely a reminder for you not to get too comfortable.”
“I’ve lived in gilded cages before, Queen Eveera.” She whispers, her face growing haunted, “You hardly need the demonstrations. You're frightening enough without them. My father and King Eiser already know that — it's why he felt the need to drag Vellar into negotiations quicker than he'd planned.” She sighs, her head dropping to look back at the field of carcasses.
“I already told Rorin this, but now I'll tell you, you are more than just a bedtime story in the kingdoms without Wields.Youare the biggest threat out there, not me. You came out of the woodwork, and suddenly the entire Realm trembled in fear of a faceless Queen, and… with good reason.”
I turn on my heel, not caring to listen anymore, but her final words hit my back anyway. “Do you know how many times IwishedI were you? That I could draw out the fear in my father that you have?” Her voice quivers, and I swallow the lump of emotion building in my throat. “I certainly don’t like you, but… I don’t have to like you to envy you.”
That didn't exactly go as I'd planned.I think sourly as I drag myself back to my room, where Rorin waits.
He’s pacing on the other side of the door — the seal wide open and allowing me to feel everything he is. Frustration, confusion,worry.
