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“Gunther seems a little tired of late, don’t you think? He might do well in the country for a little while,” I said.
Dieter grinned and started walking into the dark tunnel. I followed behind him, my two guards right on my heel.
“I could not agree more. But how would My Queen find the authority to move him? It is a matter of the church to decide who serves where, and Gunther is the highest member within this kingdom. I doubt he will agree with you.”
It was true. If it were up to me, I would have cleared my castle from the gold-sucking leeches like Gunther a long time ago. But it wasn’t, and the church was not an enemy I could afford right now. But who said I had to make it an enemy?
“I was wondering if His Holiness might agree with me if I discussed this matter with him in person. He will stay for another day, I was told.”
It was too dark for Dieter to see, but I was grinning. I would have preferred a much more open talk with Dieter, but when it came to the church, one had to be careful. Very careful. Even the most loyal soldier on the battlefield could turn when he feared for his eternal soul, even if Gunther was as far from God as the sun from the moon.
“What an excellent idea, Your Majesty. I heard His Holiness is building a paradise for himself on the water in Le Luvre.”
Le Luvre, the part of the Western Kingdom known for its golden beaches and turquoise waters—a playground for the richest of the rich from near and far.
“Sounds pricey.” My grin widened.
“Very,” Dieter countered, his tone jolly.
“In the light of His Holiness’s selfless sacrifices for the good of all of us, I should consider showing my gratitude to him with a generous donation. I am certain he will grant my request for Gunther if the amount of the donati—”
“Run!” Dieter yelled half a second before a blow to my chest propelled me backward. I was thrown against my two guards, whose reflex was to push me behind them even farther. I fell sideways onto the wet rock floor.
The tingling rush of cold fear pumped through my veins. My head shot up in horror. Standing in front of my men was a group of maybe ten soldiers, their shimmering swords mercilessly flashing at Dieter and my guards, who had swiftly drawn their own blades. It was hard to see who was who in the dim light of the torch, which was now flickering weakly from a corner on the ground.
An attacker fell to the ground screaming, followed shortly by one of my guards. Both men writhed on the floor, howling for a few moments before growing quiet and motionless.
“Run!” Dieter yelled again as he and my other guard held the line to block the attackers from making it through to me.
For a split second, I considered aiding in the fight, but then, if I died, so would the rebels and thousands of Northerners, including innocent children. Gunther would take over my kingdom and throw it back into the Middle Ages, burning women at the stake on charges of witchcraft.
I pushed myself to my feet and did as I was told: I ran as fast as I could.
My racing heartbeat hammered against my chest and pulsated in my ears as I thundered down the long tunnel. I saw the end in the far distance, the light of the church nothing more than a vague shimmer, when something grabbed my cape. The fabric around my neck yanked me backward. It felt as if someone had punched me in the throat. I landed hard, my bones slamming onto the solid, cold rock floor. Gasping for air, I flipped around to face my attacker. In the darkness, I could just make out two men wearing ripped and dirty clothes like those of a vagabond. Smiling at me with rotten teeth, one of the men stepped over me, placing me in between his spread legs, and pointed the tip of his sword at my chest.
“Not so mighty now, Queen?” He laughed. His foul breath and the stench of urine mixed in my nostrils. My stomach twisted and turned.
“Whatever he pays you,” I said, covering my nose with my hand, “I can pay more.”
The other man stepped forward. “We get more than gold from him.” His voice was low and scratchy. “All our sins will be forgiven as well.”
“Including this one,” the man holding the sword against my chest added. The sharp tip of his sword pushed inward, poking through my clothes and into my flesh. I remained as still as a statue. My blood was turning from hot to cold and cold to hot. I was terrified—shaking. But if this was how I left the world, at least I could do so with honor, just like my father would have. So I raised my chin high and narrowed my eyes at them.
“Idiots,” I spat loud and clear. “If there really is a heaven and hell, I can promise you that Gunther, the little rat, will be going to hell right along with you.”
The two men turned their dark faces to one another.
“He has more sins than both of you combined,” I added.
The man standing next to me now also pointed his sword at me. “Shut up, bitch!” he yelled.
I managed to grin. “What, you didn’t know about all the women he had torched to death? All the murders he ordered to help him advance to the top ranks of the ch—”
“Kill her!” the man standing next to me yelled at the one towering over me. But the man seemed to have doubts. The tip of his sword rose from my chest, the burning pain still radiating.
But just when I thought I might have a chance to slip free, the shouts of my attackers came echoing down the tunnel toward us. The man towering over me peeked over his shoulder, then back at me with a wide grin.
“Nice try, bitch. Now go to hell!” He raised his sword to get enough momentum to pierce me like a fish on a stick. I flinched and turned my head just as I heard a hissing sound, followed by the flash of a knife flying over me.
