Ireached out for her, and she truly shrunk from me now, as my finger slid around her neck.Ididn’t squeeze, not yet. “Youbest be careful with that mouth,Princess, orIreally will find better uses for it.”Isaw the whites of her eyes expand, her breath coming in shallow pulses that matched the rapid pulseIfelt under my fingertips. “Commandingthe largest army on the continent requires a great deal of discipline, andIhave become very effective at administering it.Ithink you could use a few lessons in obedience.”Isqueezed down ever so slightly on her neck, just straining her pulse.Shestill trembled beneath me, butIsaw embers of anger burning in her eyes.
“Iwill neverfuckingobey you.”Herwords were quiet but dripped over my skin like oil set ablaze.
“Oh,Princess, by the timeI’mdone, you will beg for me.”
Shemoved as if she were going to strike me, butIplaced my other hand on her chest, the tips of my fingers just pressing in over her heart.Shefroze, andIcould practically see her memory of whatIhad done to that soldier.Fora moment we stayed there, locked in stasis, until the carriage lurched to a halt, andIheardAvlynannounce us from the roof of the carriage.
Ipulled away from her then, relishing my handprint that slowly faded from her neck. “Shallwe?”
* * *
LordBolonTutuliswas the same boisterous idiot he had always been.Hecame out wearing his wine-stained light blue robes, and was clearly drunk, despite the early hour, as he stumbled forward.Hewas one of the few faeIknew who could be called rotund.Asone of theHighLordsof theGoldenKingdom, and the lord of the largest port on the continent, he certainly wanted for nothing, and had appetites to match.
Hiscurrent human wife accompanied him, fresh as a spring flower in a matching bluebell dress.Icouldn’t recall how many wivesI’dseenBolongo through at this point, but this one was a pretty little thing with pale skin and dark hair.Sheheld a small babe to her breast, who still carried the sweet scent of a newborn.
“YourHighness, we are honored by your visit.”Hebowed deeply, and his small wife nearly collapsed trying to do the same with her babe. “Andwe are honored to host you as well,PrincessToriKhatoof thePearlKingdom.”Bolon’seyes shone greedily then, andIknew bringing the princess along would serve me well.
Ialmost didn’t recognize the creature that stepped out of the carriage behind me.Astunning smile revealed dazzling teeth between her flushed lips.Sheheld herself aloft gracefully as she descended from the carriage, her posture tall and elegant.Nosign of the ferocious beastIhad come to know.
“Please,MyLord, the pleasure is all mine.”Shecut him another dazzling smile that had me clenching my teeth before she turned to the human woman, andIsaw that smile reach her eyes. “Anda pleasure to meet you as wellLady…?”
“JustLivia, ma’am—orImeanPrincess,YourGrace—I’msorry…”Ialmost felt bad for the poor thing, shaking as she was.Toristepped towards the girl, and she swooned.Toriquickly grabbed her and supported her under the arm holding the baby.
“Noapologies needed,LadyLivia.IfI’mnot mistaken, you should be in bed recovering, this babe can’t be more than a few weeks old.”Sheshot a look atBolonthen that carried all the menaceIknew her for, butIthink the man was too dull to notice.Hesimply shrugged his shoulders and snapped his fingers.Asmall nymph slave came forward and tried to hold the girl aloft, but it seemed she was a bit heavy, soTorikept her arm around her. “Ishall accompany her,” she declared.
“Beforereturning to join us for luncheon,”Isaid.
Sheshot me another look that was all daggers, but added, “Yes, of course.”Shethen swiftly turned but made sure to keep her arm supporting the babe in his mother’s arms.Sheheld out her other hand and a tiny fist came out from the wrappings to clench around her finger.Shemade a series of soft coos, andIsaw the human girl smile as they entered the manse.Iwaved to a few of my guards to follow her.
“ShouldIbe concerned that your long bachelorhood is finally coming to an end,Abraxas?”Bolonslurred his words, andIdidn’t dignify his worthless musings with a response.Unfortunately, this only seemed to spur him on. “I’vealways told you; married life isn’t so bad.Infact, if you don’t intend to have her, onceI’mdone with this one,Iwouldn’t mind finding out what thePrincessofNiatahas between those long legs.”
“Suchvulgar talk is unbecoming,Bolon.”Mywords were calm, butI’ddropped my voice and allowed every shred of malice flow through it asIturned towards the drunk, envisioning his head leaving his shoulders with one swift flash of my blade.Ienjoyed watching the blood drain from his face.
“Ofcourse,YourMajesty, my apologies.”Hewiped the sweat from his brow and then onto his already disgusting robe. “Shallwe head inside to discuss—“
“Yes,I’drather have this whole business concluded quickly.”Istrode past the man into his own house as he bumbled behind me.
“YourMajesty, the prisoner hasn’t revealed anything.Perhaps—“Itwas my turn to shoot him a withering look.Thistime he was smart enough to shut up.Bolonwould have been completely worthless if his long tenure as theLordofMetlinhadn’t set him up with spies and contacts in every part of the continent.Assuch, he was a necessary cretin.Icouldn’t help but bring my fingers to the bridge of my nose and sigh heavily.
“Avlyn, head down and see if you can’t help him remember the information we need.”Avlyngave a curt nod and was off asIpushed intoLordBolon’sdining hall, taking the seat at the head of the table.Atleast he hadn’t invited half the nobles ofMetlinlike the last timeIhad passed through, but the table was set with a feast far more plentiful than what the three of us would need.
Wehardly had our first glass of ambrosia poured when the princess rejoined us.Shesat at my left hand, oppositeBolon.Shelifted her glass, thanked the slave who filled it, and then took a few comically large sips before plastering her courtly smile back on.
“Yourwife is a lovely woman,LordBolon, and quite an adept mother.Iwould not have guessed this was her first child.”
“Herfirst perhaps, but notBolon’s.Howmany children do you have now?”
Hepondered for a moment, taking his own large sip of ambrosia, “Honestly?I’velost count at this point.Ihave an accountant who takes care of my payments for them.Damngood accountant too.Evenkeeps track of which ones try to murder the others in the hopes they’ll inherit my holdings.Bloodyfools, don’t they knowI’lloutlive them all?”
Icould hearTori’steeth grinding, but asIglanced at her,Icould see her smile still held in place.Herfingers, however, gripped her dinner knife so hardIwas surprised she hadn’t bent it.SinceIdidn’t feel like dealing with the murder of theLordofMetlintoday,Iinterjected, “Whatnews of theGoldenKingdom?”
“Nothingyou haven’t heard before.Cropfailures have been increasing, and theVardaalso flooded so badly this year we nearly lostHaverfalls.Thepopulation there was mostlySidheslaves, so not too great a loss.Butstill, it greatly disrupted the ambrosia harvest.Luckily,EmperorHadeonsent in relief efforts which got us through theHarvest.TookextraTithefor it, but we just had to extract that from those poor sods having their town rebuilt.”
Icould see that this line of conversation was only bringingBolon’spremature death byTori’sknife on quicker, but for once the moron saved himself. “Butthis is basic news, it's been happening for years.Justa shift of the age, in a few more human lifetimes we will be back to normal.I’dmuch rather hear from our mysterious princess.”
Tori’sjaw relaxed a bit. “Thereisn’t much to tell.Whatwould you like to know?”
“Everything, everything!Howfares the kingdom, why have you decided to leave now?”Toher credit,Torikept her face extremely neutral as she slid her eyes over to me.
