My eyes drift up his body to his face. “And lots of weapons.”
He winks at me.
My heart thumps in my ears, excitement and nerves spinning. “I’m tired of words,” I snarl, and with all that I am, I snap toward our rooms, bold and brave and ready to do whatever is necessary to bring this all to an end.
We enter my suite and prepare for battle.
Second rinses the sewer off his body in my washroom and then assists me in strapping my breastplate on while I stomp my feet into boots.
I heave open one of my gown trunks to an arsenal of my favorite weaponry.
We brought everything we would need for this moment.
I strap my daggers to my thighs over the leathers and sling stakes across my chest, where a light of hope blooms unlike it has in years. I sheathe my sword at my back and gather my hairpins and chain, pocketing everything I need to win. The tempo of my heart beats to a drum I haven’t felt in a long time as I hoist the crossbow from the trunk and check the trigger, and finally loop the quiver of bolts on my back.
Second arms himself, and we stand breathing heavily at one another, anticipation twirling between us.
“You look glorious,” I tell him, twin broadswords across his back, knives and stakes everywhere else.
“As do you, my queen,” he says, tugging at my breastplate to ensure it’s secured to his satisfaction.
“Are you ready to slaughter our way to a new beginning?”
“With all that I am,” he promises me. I smile up at him before spinning toward the footsteps coming through the door.
Del strides into my bedchamber, armed and stunning, leather molded to muscle, and I let my attraction fire through me. I don’t try to ignore my arousal this time or push it away. I don’t plan on dying in this battle, but if I do, at least I let myself feel something. For once.
“You look ready,” I say, nodding at the elegant weaponry he’s boasting. I don’t recognize the beautiful emblems engraved on his weapons and chest, waves of water with a dagger through them.
His gaze runs up my leathers. “You look—” He smirks before continuing. “We should change the dress code for a queen in Goreon. No more obnoxious gowns. This is better.”
My insides hum in response to his approval. “I’ll write it into the bylaws.”
“Good,” he says.
Hartley, Nix, and Ellie peer around the corner, and I nod at them to enter. Emmanuel joins us right behind them, jaw set tight as he stares at Hartley and the leathers she and the others have somehow acquired.
“My darlings, this battle is not for you. I refuse to lose any one of you when we just got you out. But I have another mission for you,” I say, and their frustrated expressions shift.
Hartley lifts her chin. “What are your orders, my queen?”
“Get to the dungeon, head to the sewer, and wait. We’re going to free your cellar sisters from that hell and send them to you. They’ll be weak in their state. You’ll need to swim them under the grate and into the bay, cross the bridge and find shelter in the nearest town together before dawn. Do you accept this mission?” I ask. I always give my people a choice.
Ellie releases a snarl, and I love her for it. “We will makecertainthey are safe.”
“Good. Hartley and Nix?”
“Of course,” Nix says, tying up her fiery hair. “You owe this hair a professional cleansing after this, though.”
I smirk at my siren. “I’ll bathe you myself if you keep these girls safe.”
She bows to me.
Hartley spins a blade in her palm, and I cock my head at her. “Not just arrows then?”
She grins. “Not just arrows, my queen.”
Emmanuel looks like he might pounce on her right now, right here, in front of all of us.
