Andscreamedlike she was on fire.
I jerked my head back against my chair, surprised I could even move that much. “What the fuck?”
Her teacup flew across the room, and she turned her head to peer out the exit. She bellowed, “I said gods-damn raspberry tea, not fucking lemon tea! Kill that bitch now!”
Shouts and screams erupted down the long, winding cave walkways…until they stopped.
I stared at the mad queen across from me.
She sat back on her chair and placed her hands in her lap, extremely proper. A soft smile lifted her lips, and she asked, “Pardon me, what were you saying?”
“That I think I’d like to go back to my cell,” I spewed honestly. “It’s looking pretty damn good right now.”
“Not quite yet. We have not gotten to what I wished to speak about.” Queen Niniane leaned forward, as if she were about to whisper a great secret to a favorite friend. “I hear Belshazzar is back. Is that true?”
Um, what the hell to say here.
I licked my lips slowly, drawing out the moment to think as long as I could. I asked gently, “Is he a friend of yours?”
“Of course not. That is why you are here.” She waved her hands at me. “I heard through my spies he was here and that he had brought a female with him. You are bait—if he is truly back on S’Kir. I wish to kill him.”
“And if he’s not here?” I blinked. “Would you let me leave?”
“Oh no. You do not like me. I would have you killed.”
I stared at the twisted queen. “He is certainly here on S’Kir then.”
All of her teeth showed as she smiled. “Splendid! I can’t wait for him to arrive. He’ll surely bring his twin, too. Those two men in power must die.”
“Why?” I asked curiously.
“Because they aremen. Men inpower.” Her features morphed before my eyes, into the most haunted woman I’d ever seen before. She looked off to the side, declaring absently, “Men in power are dangerous. They must be wiped from existence for my reign to truly begin.”
I hated that I might have anything in common with this bitch. My nose crinkled, and I asked, “Because of what King Savion did to you? You will hold all men to the bad, even if more are good at heart?”
Fuck, that truly sounded like my life.
Was I truly this damned pathetic?
Was this queen before me what I would look like in two thousand more years, bitching about the men who had wronged me? Was Ialreadylike this?
I didn’t like that thought much.
She slammed her fist on the table, rattling the teapot and cups. She screeched, “They must be killed. Men ruin everything! They take, and take, and take until there is nothing left to give. The more powerful they are, the worse the man, too. And Dorian and Belshazzar are themostpowerful. Die, they must!”
All right, crazy lady. I’ve had my fill.
I merely nodded my head so she’d shut up. “I can see why you would think that, Your Royal Highness.” No amount of therapy would help this broad. She was too far gone into the madness. Lack of blood. Torture. King Savion had done his bride wrong—and she was now the beast. “I really am tired. May I go rest in my cell now?”
She sniffed down her pert nose. “I… suppose.” The queen snapped her fingers—both hands—at her studiously silent sentinels. “Take her back. Now. I get the feeling she is too tired to stay and chat.”
Maon and Kyldan both gripped me under my armpits—now,thosedid stink—and hauled me roughly away from the table. The toes of my boots dragged on the cave floor, but I managed to keep my head up, watching where we were going.
The deeper into the cave we walked, the darker it became, only torches lighting the way. I lost count by the fifth hallway, my mind exhausted. I dropped my head back and stared at the passing ceiling.
“I say this with complete honesty. No amount of land is worth that bitch.” I muttered helpfully, “If you don’t want to die, make sure you’re gone when Belshazzar and Dorian arrive. They will lay waste to everyone here.”
Maon grumbled, “We have thousands and thousands of soldiers here. No one will be touching us.”
