‘You know: if I don’t cure Raleigh before the end of the year I have to marry him.’I jabbed at one of the apples.‘And turning me is part of the bargain.’The sensation of tearing through the fruit’s flesh was oddly therapeutic.After a few more slices I realised Enrique hadn’t said anything, and when I glanced up, I found him staring back in horror.
‘That’swhy you’re here?’His expression had me fearing for Raleigh’s life.‘I thought you were lovers.This…this ishorrendous.’
‘It’s fine,’ I said.
‘It isn’t.’Enrique threw down the rolling pin.‘I knew he hadn’t changed.This whole deal – it hasherwritten all over it.’
‘Her?’
‘The Queen,’ he said as if it was obvious.‘This is exactly what she would do.’The Queen’s court, he explained, was built from a collection of spawn who had piqued her interest over the centuries, and every soul she’d sired was caught in a different game.Some she chose for power, the ones who were as cold as she was, who relished their role as predators and strengthened the court’s hold.They were her inner circle, who she surrounded herself with day to day and the others avoided at all costs.
Then there were those she entranced to suit whatever game she had in store.Often these were the prideful ones, or the dreamers.She would force them to do unspeakable things, things they could never imagine, simply for the thrill of seeing their expressions when they woke.
And then there were the ones she’d grown tired of.They, like Enrique’s father, were allowed to exist on the periphery of court.Some she’d tired of quickly, while others had once been entranced, but their glamours had worn off.
‘How long do glamours last?’I asked.I thought of the night of my betrothal, when Raleigh warped my mind to wander the woods in circles.That was only a handful of hours, and I imagined an immortal queen would take far longer to tire of someone.
‘Depends.’
‘On what?’I was annoyed he’d make me ask.
Enrique waved a hand as if this was a ridiculous question.‘All sorts.The type of hypnosis, the people, what the victim is forced to do.A lasting hypnosis can remain for centuries, but they all wear off eventually, and by the time it does she’s usually found a new toy and doesn’t notice if her old one leaves court.Oh, she can summon them back, of course, and they have to obey if it’s a true order, but only because she’s their sire.None of the disenchanted are actually loyal to her.’
‘Like Raleigh?’I asked.
‘Raleigh?’Enrique barked a laugh.‘God, no.Raleigh was in the inner circle.’
A jolt ran through me.I thought of Raleigh’s fear at the mention of the Queen.His insistence on burning any letter that reached him.‘Are you sure?’
‘He practically sat at the foot of her throne.She’s the Queen, he was the prince.He was the only true aristocrat at court, so any time the Queen needed something from the human rulers, Raleigh was the one sent to make it happen.He probably gained her more power than the rest of the inner circle combined.’
My heart raced.None of that sounded like Raleigh.The prince of my past, the shadow of Orlfen, maybe.But certainly not the Raleigh I’d come to know.
‘He acts differently now.’Enrique scoffed.‘I thought he’d shed the Queen’s influence butthis.’ He turned to me, arms folded.‘Do you want me to kill him for you?’He was serious, I realised, and to my horror I found that strangely endearing.
‘No, I …’ I laughed nervously.‘I don’t think he’s toying with me.’
Enrique raised his brows.
‘Well, I did at first, but we’ve come to an understanding.’That in itself was almost as horrifying as Enrique’s readiness to murder my fiancé.‘You’re welcome to kill the Queen for me instead.’
‘That’s your death wish, not mine.’He turned his back to me, returning to his pastry.‘There are enough dissenters at court these days.Wait long enough and someone else will do it for you.’
‘But Raleigh said—’
‘What doesRaleighknow?If you wanted to overthrow him, you wouldn’t tell Moira.’
‘So the Queencanbe killed?’
Enrique’s hands fell limp in the pastry as his shoulders slumped.‘Can you fight?’
‘Of course I can fight,’ I said.
Enrique said nothing while he scraped the pastry from his fingers, letting my words decant.I tutted.It wasn’t an outright lie.I could defend myself well enough.
‘Father taught me how to protect myself.’
‘Against humans,’ Enrique finished for me.
