Page 41 of Queen of Ruin

“I’m sorry!” Diego’s at my side in an instant. “Are you okay?”

“Mmhmm.” I nod quickly, gritting my teeth with my head bowed. “Yeah. Yeah. Fine. Just caught me by surprise.”

“I’m sorry,” he repeats, combing his hand through my hair. “I should have knocked and not just barged in like… wait, what’s this?” His hand pauses in my hair.

I try to lift my head, and Diego’s hands move around to the side of my head, then he fully pushes my hair away from my ear and gently pulls down my upper lobe.

“What’s what?”

“You have a tattoo.”

“A tattoo?” My heart jolts through my chest. “What is it?”

“It’s a… a crown.”

“A crown?”

“Yeah, like uhm…” He clicks his tongue against his teeth. “Like the Queen on a chess board.”

“A Queen…?” My stomach twists into knots. “Show me?”

Diego fumbles for his phone and snaps a quick picture, then he sits beside me on the bed as he shows it to me. “See? It’s like those online chessboards. Or those really fancy card decks that use the symbols? I’m pretty sure that’s the Queen.”

The small black crown is nestled right in against my ear, pretty hidden unless you look for it or discover it by chance. If it is the Queen, then it matches that card, but what the hell does it mean?

“I really hope you’re royalty,” Diego teases. “I’m gonna make bank for keeping you safe.”

In an instant, my worry eases slightly and I nudge him with my shoulder as I smile. “I’d pay you everything I have for keeping me safe.”

“I don’t need that much.” He smirks. “Maybe a couple of mil.”

“I can do that.”

“Excellent.” His smile suddenly fades. “Speaking of… I’m out of cash. Manager’s kicking us out.” As he talks, he unloads several packets of candy and chips from his pockets, then a bottle of neon blue drink. “But first, a feast.”

“Oh, wow. This is… nutritious.”

“You’re so picky. You have to be royalty.”

I roll my eyes and reach for the drink, immediately cracking the seal. It’s chilled but overly sweet, and the sugar rush is almost instant. “Holy shit.”

“Good?”

“Better than the water from the tap.”

Diego grimaces. “Yeah, I definitely wouldn’t drink anything from the tap.”

“Like this will last us.” Another gulp, and then another. The sweet drink is oddly hard to put down, but I manage and reach for some chips. “So, where should we go?”

Diego wanders to the bottom of the bed, then he turns to look at me and winces. “I have no idea. But you need meds. Proper meds. Proper food too. And clothes. You’re wearing mine, which I don’t mind, but you need something decent.”

“I’m fine in yours.”

“I know, but I want you to be comfortable. I’m just…” His brows pinch together and distress flickers across Diego’s face as if he’s debating something he can’t voice.

It’s difficult to tell which side of his thoughts are winning, given his silence while he paces, so I don’t interrupt and focus on calming my hunger that’s suddenly swelled up at the taste of food. I demolish both bags of chips without thinking so I leave the candy for Diego.

He doesn’t notice, though, because after ten minutes of pacing, he comes to a decision. “I have to go.”