Damn.
That manisfine.
All the things I’m going todo to him.All the things he’s going to–
“Ow!”I flinch away, rubbingat my ribs where Fabia just elbowed me.
“He’s a warmonger, remember?”she hissesas he and Jace disappear through the doors.
My brainsays,“Yes.”My heartsays, “No.”And my pussysays, “Oh, baby,” as it imagineshim destroying me like he hasso many villages.Oh gods, I want him.
“Arienna!”She tugson my arm.
“What?”I ask in exasperation.
“He’s a mass murderer,” she remindsme.“And a child killer.Remember the Massacre of Yanaho?Not even the newborns survived.He gutted them all himself.And all because he couldn’t be bothered listening to them cry for their mothers and fathers – peoplehehad killed.”
I wince.The heat in my blood startsto cool.
“And then there’sthe Feast of Kulther.They lined up all the orphaned children, and he picked which ones he wanted to eat.Theysayhe preferred theyoungones for their more tender meat.Which means he deliberately killed more than necessary to make up the difference in food.”
“More than necessary?”Nicholas asksdryly.
“It’s simple maths,” she snaps, “something I’m sure your brain would struggle with.”
“Fabia!”I gasp.“That’s rude.You should apologise.”Not to mention, she also sucks at maths;she once asked me what 132 times 43 is.
“Rude?What’s rude is killing unarmed people without giving them a trial.”Her voicebreakson that sentence, but shedoesn’tlook away from the cold eyes of the fairy.“And in case you haven’t noticed, Arienna, we’re no longer in Brownston.The rules don’t apply anymore.”
“Yes, they do.They’re the rules regardless of where –”
“A good brownie alwaysaimsfor peace.”Ripping her eyes away from Nicholas, she grabsboth of my arms.“You are queen of the fairies now, Arienna.Theyare the most vicious monsters out there, worse thancentipedes.Their king is a tyrant, who is hated so much by his own people, they want to kill him.What do you think he wants with you?Do you think he needs you to sign a peace treaty?Are you really that naive?”
Ignoring the sting of her words, I shrug out of her hold.“Naivety is just something pessimists say to crush the souls of the good.What’s wrong with seeing the best in people?” Stepping back, I add, “Also, he’s not as toxic as some of the men you write about.At least he hasn’t taken abarbed dicktomy sto–”
“That’s fiction, Arienna.”She rollsher eyes, then quickly glancesat Nicholas.“Just because I write about it doesn’t mean I actually want it.”She looks back at me.“Just like you reading about it doesn’t mean you actually want it, right?”
Well, maybe not thestabbing snail dicksstuff.But…My hand feathersto my neck again.Maybe the rest?
She groans.“You are hopelessly brainwashed.”Sighing, she shovesmy shoulder.“Just don’t give him your heart, okay?He doesn’t deserve it.”
Before Icanrespond, Nicholas gesturesto the guards.“Take Fabia to her chambers.”Glancing at me, he ushersme towards the door.“I’ll show you to yours.”
“For the consummation?”I grin.A shiver slidesdown myspineas I follow him down the hall, to this floor’s balcony.Iamso consumed with my thoughts, I’monly 90% terrified when Nicholas picksme up in his arms.The rest of meisfocused on wondering whatmy kingtasteslike.Feelslike.Thrustslike.
But then I imagine his sword thrusting into a woman.
“I slit one’s throat and stabbed another in the heart.”
“He’s a mass murderer and a child killer.”
“Do you think he needs you to sign a peace treaty?Are you really that naive?”
As we touch down on the next floor up, I blurt, “What does Richard want with me?”
Fourfemaleguardsstandat attentionat the opening of the balcony, their miens fierce.Nerves flutter through me, but Ifindthe courage to smile at them anyway.Theydon’tsmile back nor acknowledge me at all.And Nicholasdoesn’tanswer as he guidesme between them, then down the hall,where more guards stand.
The silence stretchesuntil itbecomesunbearable.IsFabia right?AmI going to help a tyrant commit another act of madness?AmI too naive?Isitthatwrong to believe there’sgood in someone?Even awarmongering tyrant?
