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“Your Majesty.Uncle.”The supermodel had dialed the worry in her voice to the maximum.“What if this other woman…this false royal wants to hurt you?To hurt me?”She didn’t announce there was a murderer among them.Although maybe the goblins wouldn’t consider killing humans a crime.
“Nonsense.”The king waved away her concern.“Someone brought you a gift.This is your celebration.No one would dare harm you or any royal.Not here.”
“Because they can’t,” she whispered.“Only royals can kill royals.”
“Exactly.”The king motioned again for the box.Wrapped in glossy white paper, it had metallic gold-and-silver ribbons spun around it.Such a pretty package.One elegant enough for a princess, yet Perry wanted to throw the thing across the room.Or at least get Vori out of here before anyone opened it.
It wasn’t big enough to hold much, but what if it was a bomb?Did the guards check for any dangers in this realm other than watching the goblin glass?Or was everyone so certain of the divine right, “by the blood” power that they truly believed no one would dare to cross the sacred royal lines?
He should’ve asked Vori what happened if a nonroyal tried to kill one of their family.Was there a magical consequence, or was it more of a “we’ll kill you after your whole family” death threat like he’d faced from the demon organization?
His heart thudded in his chest, and the air in the room seemed to have been pulled into the gift-wrapped box like a vortex.His hands went clammy, and sweat soaked his hairline.Every gaze in the room was on his princess, who had paled.
She reached for a corner of the gift, spinning it toward her in a slow, assessing circle.The box had tucked corners and neat edges with a torrent of curling bows.Vori lifted it, glancing at him.He wanted to snatch it away from her.
Sniffing it, she wrinkled her nose and flinched.“It smells rotten.”She shook it, and an ominous thud thunked over the crinkle of plastic.
“Don’t open it.”Perry kept his voice low enough the king might not hear.
“No choice.”She tore away the wrap with a snap of the ribbons and a loud rip.“Here’s hoping for rainbows and smelly unicorns.”With a soft pop, she lifted the lid.Inside was a tightly wound plastic bag from a Los Angeles grocery store.
He stopped her.“Please tell me you have those stores in Kradnovtl.”
“Not even close.”She clutched her mouth and nose as if fighting back sickness.The foul stench overpowered.
“She’s here.The killer.”Fear forced his words out in a rush.
“Bringing me gifts.Should I be touched or terrified?”Before he could stop her, she pinched a corner and shook the contents out.A hand with a shriveled blackish-purple tattoo plopped onto the table.
Sour spiked his tongue, and nausea rolled in his gut.He wanted to yank Vori away from the dreadful thing, but he couldn’t move.
The king jumped to stand.“What is this?”
The crowd erupted in a racket of shouts and gasps but no answers.
The queen consort launched into her “by the blood” prayers to whatever gods she thought might be listening.
Holding his breath, Perry leaned closer to inspect.This wasn’t a fresh attack, but the hand had been attached to a live person maybe a few weeks ago.A ring on one finger had pried-open prongs that suggested a stone had been removed.One that would be about the same size as an amethyst Vori wore on the cuff.
“The man I saw her kill.”Vori pushed away, speaking between gasps.“The amethyst was in his ring.She kept the hand like a trophy.”
“As a gift for you.”He was on the hit list of a killer with a sadistic enjoyment of torturing his temporary wife.This was beyond bad.
“Find this supposed royal.”The king’s shout sounded shockingly loud for a man so frail.“Now.”He didn’t wait for guards.Instead, His Majesty pushed away from the table and headed toward the doors.It was as if the man actually believed he was untouchable.
The guests shoved each other to get past the guards to the doors.Human skins slipped into goblin.Fights started.What the hell was happening?
“You.”Artanya ordered Jura forward.“Describe the silver-and-gold marking again.”
“Shouldn’t we be going after the king?Or restoring calm?”Perry asked the obvious.Not that it did any good.
“She has a full band.”Jura gestured toward her forehead.“With spikes above her nose.”
“Impossible,” the queen said again, but this time, she didn’t sound so sure.
“No.”Mykata opened her mouth only to snap it shut again—once, twice, three times.The chaos of the guests did nothing to shake her from her stupor.She stared wide-eyed at her sister, doubt and horror filling her gaze.“She lives?”
“Who lives?”Vori asked.
