Not by a long shot.
Her days were numbered, she just didn’t know it.
Then, Dash turned to face her. “Will you do me a favor, Tanis? Please return upstairs and send Ryper down here.”
A bad feeling went through her as she suspected why he wanted Ryper in the dungeon. “Do you want me to return with him?”
“Please don’t.”
Oh yeah. She was right. He had something awful planned for Keryna.
But he had his reasons, and she wasn’t going to interfere. She kissed him on his cheek and headed for the stairs.
While Dash had come a long way from the beast she’d first met, he still had a long way to go.
Yet in this, she wouldn’t judge him, nor would she begrudge him his vengeance.
So, she returned upstairs and found Ryper. “Dash needs you in the dungeon.”
He actually paled. “Why?”
“For something I think you’ll enjoy.”
Ryper appeared skeptical, but he went to join his brother anyway.
While Tanis waited for them, she saw her mother-in-law heading toward her.
That intense look on her face and in her stormy blue eyes sent a shiver down her spine. “Is something wrong, Majesty?”
Naomi smiled and her eyes instantly turned friendly. “No. But I do want to give you a gift.” She handed her a small wooden box.
Engraved in gold and heavily carved, it was exquisite. She was honored to have such a beautiful gift.
“Thank you, Majesty.”
She tsked. “Open the box, silly girl.”
Tanis lifted the lid to find a small vial of yellow liquid inside. “What’s this?”
Naomi looked over her shoulder at her brother. “Something we came up with for you.”
“It’s a wedding present.” Marthen smiled.
That made her a bit more nervous. “What do I do with it?”
“Drink it.” Naomi removed the top from it and handed it to her.
Tanis hesitated. While she trusted Dash implicitly, she wasn’t so sure about the rest of his family. Could this be poison? She had no way of knowing.
But the last thing she wanted to do was insult them.
They looked expectant. Not dangerous. Maybe it would fine...
With a deep breath for courage, she lifted it to her lips and quickly drank it down. Bitter and nasty, it made her grimace in distaste. “Bleh!”
Laughing, Naomi took the vial from her hand and returned it to the box.
“May I ask what it is I just drank?” Tanis had barely finished those words before her stomach began to rumble and cramp. Suddenly, she felt sick.
