He was anything butalright.
They dragged us from her rooms, down the stairs, only pausing outside the wide double doors to her throne room.
By then, Lore’s eyes were clear, and he was growling at them, fighting as best he could despite being bound.
Fear kept bolting through me. She’d discovered who we were. She was going to kill us.
If only I could hold him one more time.
The guards shoved us into a throne room that mirrored Evergorne's. Twin thrones, a blood-red carpet, and watching nobles. But this felt like a twisted reflection of home. The only difference was that Queen Naveer sat on her throne, staring down her nose at us. The throne beside her remained empty.
A sleek black crow clutched a tall perch, its dark eyes fixed intently on us. When Naveer glanced back at it, the bird's head tilted, and Naveer subtly nodded.
Prager. Giving guidance. Of course.
The crow's head cocked at an unnatural angle, and for one heart-stopping moment, I swore I heard the echo of familiar laughter. Cold, ancient, and vindictive. The same laugh that had echoed through our home as Lore's mother died.
Guards poked us again with magic from behind, driving us down the aisle and halfway across the open area. Snickers erupted from the lords and ladies watching.
I shifted closer to Lore, wishing I could at least take his hand. Give and receive reassurance even if it was false.
“You’re late,” the queen huffed. “I was about to start without you.”
“Fuck…” Lore snarled.
“This is not the same as the labyrinth,” I whispered. But wasn’t it? It had been orchestrated by the same conductor.
“Such a shame if I’d had to do that,” Naveer continued with a sneer. “After all, I was about to discussyou.”
“What is the meaning of this?” Lore asked in his lofty Lord Rutherford voice. “We took on your second challenge, and we brought the frostwilla blossom to you as requested.”
A limp blossom that still, somehow, remained clutched in my hand. I wanted to lift it up, to show it off to the room and this wretched woman, but I couldn’t move my arms.
She rose from the throne and silence fell across the crowd. With a smirk, she sauntered across the platform, her dark blue gown with silver stitching swishing around her. Her skin glowed with unnatural vitality, her hair was more lustrous, her movements too fluid for someone her age. The energy she'd harvested from fallen contestants had transformed her, making her appear decades younger than when we'd first arrived.
Reaching the dais stairs, she descended with lazy patience, her gaze drifting back and forth between us. She reached the bottom and strode over to stand in front of us.
“What blossom?” She looked us both up and down.
“It’s in my right hand.” I struggled to keep my voice neutral, but my heart kept slamming up into my throat. “If you release the spell binding me, I’ll show you.”
“The blossom means nothing when compared to all the rest.” She huffed out a laugh. “You two look a touch battered, don’t you? More desperate than I would ever allow myself to be.”
“We played your game,” Lore drawled. “We won.”
She tipped her head back, and her rich laugh rang out. “Did you really?”
“We did,” I spat.
Her head snapped my way, and she placed a finger over her lips. “Shush, pretty little bride. I’m speaking with…” Her shoulders dropped with a heavy sigh. “What shall I call you?”
“Lord Rutherford. Lady Bliss,” I said. “You know us well.” Actually,howmuch did Naveer know? I suspected everything.
The crow cawed, and the queen’s next words came with renewed venom, as if the sound had reminded her of something.
“Do you believe me simple?” Her eyes flicked over me, assessing, before narrowing in amusement. “Tell me, how does it feel to be helpless?”
Anger pulsed through my chest, and I lifted my chin. “We’re not. Release us at once.” It was all I could do to hold onto my sternest Lady Bliss voice. We’d play the game until there was no hope for it working. “Surely you don’t want to be cruel to your most loyal supporters.”
