“Did you not hear what I just said? I knew you’d catch it. But I think I may have tried to kill your brother once. Only fair, I’m sure you understand.” She pushed off the wall and stalked over to him. His fingers twitched and she sensed he wanted to turn that dagger around and use it on her. Instead, she held out a hand, and he placed it in her palm willingly.
“Go plant yourself in a prison cell and keep quiet. Number fourteen, I think?”
“Fifteen,” Angus corrected her.
“Oh yes, that was the nicer one. Angus, escort him and see that he doesn’t get distracted along the way. I’ll be along shortly.” Caroline stared at Hollis as she slipped past, tsk tsking him before she headed down the stairs to the cellar.
Angus had the former King’s wrists in chains above his head when she arrived with the bottle she’d collected. Angus moved a little table inside the cell, and she set the liquor there with two glasses, pouring a finger in each.
She picked them up and crossed the space to him, feeling his gaze crawl all over her body like he couldn’t help himself. Holding the drink to his mouth, she said, “Bottom’s up.”
Hollis drank the glass in one pull. She sipped on hers, then shook her head, wrinkling her nose as it burned down her throat. Hollis lifted his chin toward the glass and raised an eyebrow, as if to imply she couldn’t handle it. Laughing, she downed the rest of what was in her cup. He was staring at her ass when she turned back to him. How had she not noticed that before? Or was he planning to distract her from his brother? That he thought he could was laughable.
“You like what I’m wearing, Hollis?” she purred, picking up the dagger, twirling it in her hand. “Were you jealous that I wanted your brother and not you?” Leaning a shoulder against the doorframe, she stretched out her long legs, crossing them at the ankle.
Her fitted top, the snug riding pants and knee-high boots showed off her svelte curves. For a queen, every action was an offense. Like how she’d left the top three buttons undone. And she was coming to understand one of the few things that motivated the Ivanslohe men.
“You’ve dreamed of me,Everstal’s Cruel Queen, haven’t you? Thought if it had been you and not Breicher, you’d already have me tamed? Is that it? After all, you were already a king.”
Caroline sauntered over to him, releasing the compulsion keeping him quiet. “I loathe you,” he said.
With the dagger, she gently ran it across his clothing, up his arms, down his chest, and stopped to tap the dead, semi-hard giveaway in his pants. “You may loathe me, but I think you find me equally as appealing.”
“Just because I’d fuck you doesn’t mean I find you appealing,” he said.
Angus picked up the bottle and refilled the glasses. “Don’t lie to your queen.”
“We’re going to play a little game, Prince Hollis. It’s a lot like strip poker,” she hesitated, and his eyes brightened a smidge. “That got your interest. Good. This is how it goes. I ask you a question, you answer truthfully, and I don’t kill you. You lie and I cut off a favorite body part. And since I know you only have one, I think you’d better stick to the truth.”
“That’s nothing like strip poker.” Hollis grimaced as he jerked around in his chains.
“Well, I will have to disrobe you to collect your debt should you lie, so similar enough.”
“What do you want, Caroline?”
“Oh, I guess since we’re drinking buddies, you think it’s acceptable to drop the formalities? Very well, since you are probably never leaving this cell.” She pointed to the window. “That’s why I made sure you had a good view. Anything for family.”
Behind her, Angus chuckled. Bringing in a little stool, he perched on it so he would be ready should she require him.
Caroline handed Angus the dagger, then took the two refilled drinks, feeding one to Hollis, then downing the other one herself.
“I assure you my tolerance is far higher than yours,queen.”
Caroline tipped her head back, and deep belly laughed. “I’m practically a god, Hollis. I can heal the intoxication out of my system.”
“Why haven’t you compelled me yet?” Hollis asked suddenly, like the thought was only now occurring to him.
She approached him, spinning her hair in her fingers. “I will, if necessary.” Wiggling her thumb in his face, she showed him the ring that had a set of swirling rumors of its own. Breicher would be upset about it, but she didn’t care. She savored the blanched pallor of his skin, the control it would give her over the former king. And it wasn’t her fault. He’d brought this upon himself.
A trickle of blood welled behind the blade as she thumbed his jaw. Holding her thumb and forefinger together, she pricked her skin, mingling his blood with hers. “Did you feel that?” she whispered, as a delightfully chilly shiver raced up her arm.
His eyes went wide, and he began struggling anew, as if his Ivanslohe warrior’s body might break the chains free from the wall. “I hate you,” he seethed, but finally went slack against the stones once more.
Caroline wiped the blood on her pants and retrieved the dagger. “You’re going to tell me everything I want to know one way or another. And I’m the type that likes to play with their food.”
“That could have gone worse,” Angus said, rinsing his hands in a basin in Caroline’s room in Roskide, staining the water red. She’d taken him there to discuss the implications of what they’d learned from Hollis somewhere that would be private. Hollis would be out for a while, and he was compelled not to speak to anyone about their conversation and to stay put. Considering Caroline now had his blood, Angus wasn’t worried the man would try to fight the compulsion.
She’d been right. He’d underestimated the comfort of the familiar dusty pink stones. As soon as they’d arrived, attendants, after having a month-long break, were eager for the activity the queen’s residence provided them.
