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So, they must be from Far Shore as well.
Nodding once, I admitted, “They did. As you will fail as well, I’m afraid.”
The four of them facing off against us laughed. “Is that so?” one of Gold-tooth’s friends asked as he grinned and licked the blood from the Donnelly soldiers off the tip of his spear. “And whi
ch one of you is going to stop us?”
Grinning crudely at Nicolette, he took a step in her direction, making her whimper and leap closer to Allera.
I held up a hand, not sure what else to do. “I will,” I said. “You mentioned you only wanted the queen. So, then take me. Leave everyone else in the room alone.”
Gold-tooth paused. “We were told to kill the others.”
I lifted a single eyebrow. “Well, I’m telling you not to.”
Guffawing, he mockingly bowed before me. “In that case, of course, Your Majesty. Whatever you wish.”
I nodded and stepped toward him. “Lead the way, then.”
They would’ve taken me, post haste, but Yasmin ruined it all by crying, “Wait, what? No! You think she’s the queen? She’s not the queen.” Leaping in front of me to block my path, she opened her arms wide and faced off with the Far Shore bandits. “I’m the only queen here.”
I blinked, frankly astonished my sister loved me enough to take my place. I’d been so sure she would simply let me die for her, but no, here she was, fighting to save me.
Flustered because I hadn’t planned for this scenario, I let out a nervous laugh. “Thank you, my love,” I told her, patting her arm before nudging her firmly back toward the other women. “I appreciate you trying to save me, but—”
“No,” Yasmin roared with vehemence as she glared at me and snagged her crown off my head, pulling hair with it. “She’s a lying bitch. I’m the queen.”
Suddenly, I wondered if this show had anything to do with my safety as much as it did her own vanity.
“Well, now…” Gold-tooth murmured, scratching his beard as he eyed both me and Yasmin. “I know one of you is surely a liar, but which one. Hmm?”
Allera handed my baby off to Nicolette and then stepped forward so she could gently take Yasmin’s arm and draw her back. “Come now, my lady,” she urged softly. “Let them take the queen. That is her wish.”
Yasmin only jerked away from her, glaring. “She’s not the fucking queen. I am.”
“No, she’s the queen,” Nicolette insisted as she pointed to me, her finger shaking and eyes filling with tears that streaked down her cheeks. When she mouthed the words, “I’m sorry,” I could only smile and nod my head in gratitude.
Next to Nicolette, the maid, nodded as well, collaborating with the princess’s story. “That one’s the queen, she is,” she insisted, pointing to me.
“Well, the vote’s unanimous, then,” Gold-tooth exclaimed, clapping his hands together. “We’ve finally found our queen.” He gripped my arm and swept out a hand, grandly inviting me to go with him.
“No!” Yasmin insisted. “That’s my sister, you idiots. You can’t take her!”
Both Allera and the maid grabbed her arm, keeping her with them. She began to struggle against them, growing even more vexed.
“You’re making a huge mistake,” she screamed after us as the four men walked me from the room, one in front, two flanking me, and one behind. “You’ll pay for this, you imbeciles.”
“Damn, she’s an annoying one,” Gold-tooth announced on a relieved whistle. “Thank God she wasn’t the queen after all. My ears would’ve bled dry to listen to that harping all the way back to Far Shore.”
I glanced over my shoulder just in time to catch sight of Allera picking up a sword from the floor off the body of a fallen Donnelly guard. I shook my head at her, silently begging her not to follow us, but I’m not sure if she saw my warning or would even heed my command if she had.
“It’s alright now, Your Majesty,” Gold-tooth leaned in closer to murmur soothingly. “We’re taking you to Prince Murdock and getting the hell out of this place. Just a few more minutes, and it’ll be over. Then you’ll be free.”
Free? Prince Murdock?
I frowned at him, not sure what he meant as he directed me into the Red Chambers, where a fifth man, also in nothing but a leather skirt and sandals, paced the room as if waiting on something.
When he saw us, he surged forward expectantly. “Have you got her?” he asked eagerly only for his gaze to latch onto me, and a scowl to mar his brow. Pointing, he demanded, “Who the fuck is this?”
