Page 100 of Queen of War and Ruin

My mouth goes dry. I shiver as the strange energy of the silver chain crawls over my body. If Varitan pries my mouth open with a blade in his hand, could I stop him?

Varitan turns toward me, then tilts his head to the side. He stares at me with a strange expression, one that makes him look even less human.

Gods, are all elves this horrible? The stories should talk about this, damn it, not about elves who seduce maidens or help children who get lost in the woods. If this crazy fucker found a lost child in the woods, he’d probably eat the little bastard.

“But I don’t need to cut out your tongue, of course,” Varitan says in a cold voice. “I’ll cut out her tongue.”

“Don’t you fucking dare,” I snap.

Varitan sighs theatrically, like working with me is exhausting.

“I was hoping to keep you awake,” he says in a tone that makes it sound like he’s talking to himself. “Sleep spells are so touchy with humans. Your primitive bodies can’t handle even a touch of magic. And the stars know I have more important things to worry about right now.”

He takes a step closer. My skin ripples with the strange energy that I still can’t quite bring myself to think of as magic.

“Leave her alone,” I say.

It sounds less like a threat than what it actually is. A desperate, frantic plea.

Varitan shakes his head. “You are such a disappointment,” he says. “I offered you power beyond the wildest dreams of any human. And here you are. Letting me down.”

“Bullshit,” I growl.

This asshole offered me a steaming pile of threats in exchange for protecting him from his own damned magic. One of his plans must have blown up in his ugly face once upon a time, so he grabbed me to stand between him and whatever nasty shit he was going to make.

That’s all I ever was to him. A shield.

Just like I was to the king of Dungal, so many years ago. And to Malrik, the man who called me son when it suited him and snake when it didn’t.

Gods above, I am so tired of being a puppet for powerful men.

“Go to sleep,” Varitan says.

He reaches toward me, fast, his arm striking out like a viper. I flinch, reaching for the strange, prickly magic that could defend me, but I’m too slow. His hand hits my face, and a dark swirl of magic pulls me under.

Chapter 52

Lilias

THE PLEASURE OF YOUR COMPANY

True to his word, Blayne vanishes after the speech. Off to his important luncheon, I suppose. Petrys and I linger in the throne room, invisible, as the elegantly dressed men and women wander past the banquet tables and into the halls, talking and laughing with crystal glasses in their hands. I pace along the far wall, in the shadows of the raised dais, nodding and smiling at everyone who walks past. No one speaks to me. It’s almost a relief.

Finally, the room is nearly empty. A handful of people still linger at the table, picking at scraps, but no one remains in my corner of the room.

“What did you hear?” I whisper.

I don’t dare turn to Petrys as I speak. It’s not that strange for me to be pacing the room, looking like I’m waiting for Blayne to return. But talking to a guard? Well, that would be improper.

Petrys makes a humming sound in the back of his throat. I slow down.

“They say Zarek killed Prince Syvan,” he whispers.

My chest feels tight. I glance at the small crowd around the banquet table, still gossiping and smiling. They’re too far away to hear anything, surely.

“I assume they mean to punish him,” Petrys finishes.

My breath catches in the back of my throat. My dress feels too heavy, too tight, the lacing and the silk dragging me down.