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CHAPTER THIRTY-SEVEN

Visla

Islipped out of Mesandreia’s podhouse just before sunrise. Well, it was way before sunrise since I was thinking I’d need to move about undetected. What I didn’t anticipate was how far her home was from the capitol and the dungeon where Khol was locked up.

I knew my abrupt actions would affect everything. I felt it.

I also knew that if I didn’t do anything, everyone’s misery would literally just drag on.

Once I reached close enough to the dungeon, I knew I’d never be able to get close enough to the windows to communicate with Khol. She had the perimeters heavenly guarded. The boy. Uhred must’ve had access from the interior of the dungeon by going through the capitol mansion.

I ducked behind a row of shrubs and quickly gathered my bearings. It was time for Plan B.

By the time I realized that I’d have to get to Khol some other way, the sun rose. That was when people began to awakened and everything came alive. I also noticed a lot of activity around the mansion. Merchants in buggies began unloading things and carrying them into the mansion. It looked an awful like someone was preparing a grand event.

My heart quickened, but not in a good way. I didn’t know what I was feeling inside. It was a mixture of anger, defeat, and something akin to resentment. But no matter what, I couldn’t believe that Khol would agree to make with that disgusting, treacherous hag.

I grabbed a cook’s apron from where it hanged on the back of one of the buggies and moved forward toward the kitchen. I peeked in the window and listened briefly to the conversation. After a few minutes of listening, I’d heard enough. Sanjit was prepping for some type of ceremony, indeed. The cooks and helpers were rushing around in the kitchen as if they were pushing up against a deadline. I felt sorry for them. Even Magdul himself never treated any of the cooks, maids, and helpers who worked for him so badly. He was evil and calculating, but he wasn’t cruel. Sanjit, on the other hand, was a beast.

“Excuse me?” Someone bumped into me as I walked away from the kitchen. “We need you in the kitchen. Bring this inside.”

She shoved a bowl of freshly picked fruits at me, but in my shock, I accidentally dropped the whole thing and fruits rolled out everywhere. As she scrambled on the ground cursing me and trying to picked them up, I walked off.

I didn’t even make it twenty feet away when I felt my hair being jerked back and the blade of a knife at my throat.

“Let go of me,” I pried at the man’s fingers.

“Not so fast. I know who you are.” He jerked me around and yanked the hood from my head.

I tried to take off, but the man caught me.

“It’s her. It’s her.” He spoke in Aurrakian for the other guards to alert the queen.

I fought against them until my muscles grew weak. By the time Sanjit made it outside, a large crowd had already gathered around.

“How is she free? Seize her!” Sanjit pointed.

The guards acted, pulling me to my feet as Sanjit walked forward. I jerked against the restraints.

“Well, well, well, it’s the slut,” Sanjit purred. “You are most certainly bold, coming here? Oh wait…are you looking for Khol?”

“Tell your cowards to let me go. I have nothing to say to you, you douche-face deceitful whore,” I rasped.

Sanjit reached forward and grabbed a handful of my hair and tugged. “You will learn who you’re talking to. I’m your queen. Kneel now or I’ll have you slain where you stand.”

“You’re no queen. You’re an unloyal dog, begging for fealty. I refuse.”

“Kill her,” Sanjit screamed. “Kill her now. She’s a trespasser and thief.”

None of her men moved to strike me, not even the one who caught me earlier.

“Do it now. Kill her.” She ran up to one of the guard, unsheathed his axe and thrust it into his hand and then shoved him forward. “She must be executed. Do it.”

“I cannot,” the guard said and dropped the axe.

Sanjit screamed. “You are all cowards. Cowards. Very well then. I’ll execute her myself. It’ll be the cherry on top…the main event for this very special occasion. I think the guests will like it better than the pie.”

Sanjit extracted a small blade from her sleeve and raised it against me. When she stroke down, I blocked her, snatching the blade from her. I wanted to gouge her eyes out and to send her straight to hell. I didn’t anticipate that she’d have another weapon to use against me. Only this time, she stabbed a sharp needle in my neck and I had no choice but to kneel as I passed out and collapsed to the ground.