But Zandra doesn’t wither. She blossoms as her lips curve into a devilish grin. “What would you say if I told you that Tess’s death wasn’t an accident?”
I tip my head to the ceiling in relief. “I would say, thank you. I wish I’d known sooner.”
She walks her fingers up my arm to my shoulder. “I planned it.”
“Impossible.”
She grins slyly. “Feylin, we both know that Tess didn’t understand what you need. She was thrown into the marriage just like you were. I could tell that you didn’t love her, but you couldn’t leave her, out of respect for your parents. Your father arranged that marriage in case you hadn’t settled down by the time you turned thirty. When your thirtieth birthday arrived, I thought for sure that you’d ask me to be your wife. But when you broke it off so that you could fulfill your father’s arrangement, I was crushed.
“But I watched you and Tess together. There was some affection between you, but it wasn’t whatwecould have had. And obviously there weren’t any children, so you couldn’t have been doing it. So yes, I took it upon myself to save you.”
I want to punch a wall. “Please, go on.”
She shrugs nonchalantly. “So I hatched a plan. I don’t know why I’m telling you this. Maybe I’m tired of holding on to all of it. But you deserve to know, and you’ve said what I suspected all along—that you never really loved Tess.”
Stay on track, Zandra.“But your plan.”
“Yes.” She swigs the last of the whiskey and places the tumbler on a nearby table. “I told Tess about this wonderful place I’d heard about—a shop where you could jump into the books. I’d been before and knew that they had strict rules, but I have charm and few can tell me no.” She smirks, so proud of herself. “So I picked a book with the most violence and the most fun. I convinced her that we’d be safe, and I made her promise not to tell you what we were doing. When we arrived, the worker didn’t want to use our book. He made some excuse about only vetted novels. But all it took was a few smiles and pouty lips to convince him that the owner had said it was okay. I mean, I’d come so far. I wasn’t about to let some lowly wizard ruin my plans.
“And on top of that, Tess was all-in. I’d already promised that she’d be safe. We’d only do the harmless chapters.” Her lips part in a grin fit for a piranha. “But I lied.” She shakes her head. “I don’t know why I’m telling you this,” she repeats.
“Please continue.” I grab the empty tumbler and drop another finger of whiskey into it. “Don’t stop.”
She takes a sip and smiles. “Like I said, I lied to her. But not completely. At first everythingwasfun and easy.” Her jaw flexes. “But I’d loved you since we were children, and Tess didn’t deserve you. She couldn’t even give you an heir. I could,” she says bitterly. “If I was given the chance.”
I stroke her cheek. “Of course you could.”
Her wistful expression hardens before her gaze flicks to mine and her jaw softens. “So I pushed Tess into her death. I made sure we crossed paths with the darkness, and I let her bekilled while I remained hidden. Every safety that could’ve been placed on the book was turned off, and she died alone while I watched. When I knew she was gone, I ran out of my hiding spot, smeared some of her blood on my face to make sure it looked like I’d been wounded too, and then I signaled for us to leave the book. Of course, everyone was appalled at what had happened, and it wasn’t hard for me to blame the wizard who’d let us into the story in the first place.” She shakes her head and scowls. “When it was done, I thought that you’d be so happy. I thought for sure that you’d come to me for comfort.”
I squeeze her shoulder. “I had to look sad, you understand.”
Her lids flutter in surprise. “Of course. She was your wife.”
“I remember how you cried.”
“Iwassad. Tess had been a good friend.” She shoots me a stern look as if this will convince me that’s true. “But now there was nothing stopping us from being together; yet you didn’t come for me.”
I graze my knuckles over her cheek. “It was a mistake, one that needs to be rectified.”
Hope alights in her eyes. “Starting when? Feylin, I’m more than ready to be your wife. You understand my loyalty. I’ve killed for you—sort of. I would kill for you again. If you’d gone through with that marriage to Addison, she would’ve died, too. But she was too stupid to even know what hit her when I delivered the book. She deserves whatever punishment you gave her for that.”
I brush a loose strand of hair from her eyes. “Do you really mean that?”
“Of course.”
“And do you think that anyone who defies me should receive whatever punishment I give them?”
“You’re my king.” She bows. “Of course I do. Anyone who defies you should be punished severely.”
A slow smile spreads over my face. “I’m glad you feel that way. Guards!” The door opens and in streams a line of men bearing weapons. “Take this woman prisoner and throw her in the darkest pit we have. Give her just enough food to keep her alive.”
Their hands curl around Zandra’s arms, and she struggles against them. “What are you doing?”
It takes every bit of restraint not to destroy Zandra with my bare hands. “You killed the woman I loved. You destroyed her for your own gain. Tess was a good person, and you destroyed her because of the evil in your heart. You baited Addison, who knew nothing about what had happened to the late queen.” I pick up the tumbler. “And you should always be careful when you allow a king to make a drink for you. You never know what sort of talking magic he might pour into it.”
She stares at me for a moment before tipping her head back and laughing. “My father'll kill you for this. You have no proof.”
I cock a brow. “Really?”
