Total pages in book: 197
Estimated words: 186911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 186911 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 935(@200wpm)___ 748(@250wpm)___ 623(@300wpm)
“Yes, very well done,” Alisdair remarked. “A fair and reasonable plan that solves their issue and a great many more. I like it.”
“You do?” I hated immediately that I asked that. Hated even more that a small, lonely, pathetic part of me was pleased at his approval.
“I do,” he replied, rising up. “I like it so much that I will have this schedule drawn up immediately.” Alisdair nodded at Aeris. “Aeris, share it with their widows as soon as it’s complete.”
My smile twitched. “Wait. Their wid—?”
Alisdair roared. Launching off the dais, he changed in mid-air. The handsome king melted away, and the ferocious beast took over.
Lorcan had just time enough to shout before his throat was ripped out.
I screamed.
Gurgling, hacking, spurting blood, Lorcan thudded on the ground and Alisdair pounced on him—ripping him apart.
Arin turned and ran on legs too short to take him far. Three bounds, and Alisdair was on him.
Something flew through the air, smacking me across my screeching mouth. I looked down on the bleeding remains of a foot.
“Ahhh!”
Slapping it off, I ran.
I bolted out the side door, skidding out into a plain, stone hallway. Blast of cold air smacked me in the back, turning me around to two wide-open doors leading outside to town. I took off sprinting.
It was my sad tale that I was accustomed to violence, sickness, and death. I’d watched many a kind, older woman fall prey to the wasting sickness. I’d been attacked many times for the little I had, and survived. I’d also seen the remains of people who were attacked for what they had, and didn’t survive.
I’d seen it all... but I’d never seen that.
I burst outside, and searing, mind-numbing pain exploded in my right leg.
“Ah!” I cried. Seizing up, it dropped me flat on my face, bouncing my skull off the icy stone. I slid across the ground—dazed and in pain.
“That was your worst escape attempt yet.”
My insides curdled.
“How is it you’re not learning from your previous?” Alisdair picked me up one-handed, and held me out dangling in front of him like a cat by the scruff. He was covered in blood. And me, upside down and eye level with my own knees, I realized I was too. “You cannot outrun me, little queen. Especially not when covered in sacred, magic runes promising that during the day, your place is beside me.”
I glared, burning him where he stood. “That was awful. They came to you for help, and you killed them for no reason. You’re a monster, and I hate you. Every day for as long as I live, I will hate you!”
“Aww,” he mocked, setting my teeth on edge. “Do you promise?”
Alisdair waved his hand, and a glowing, beautiful starflower appeared between his fingers. He tucked it behind my ear. “And I promise you, my wife, my queen, to be worthy of it.”
He carried me back into the throne room. Yes, carried.
Ignoring my kicking and shouting, he dragged me inside like a sack of oranges and deposited me back on my throne.
“As I was saying,” Alisdair growled. Below us, servants scurried to clean the remains of the crocodile faeriken. “I will have no more of these territory disputes. No more killing and hoarding of food. If you are unable to live and work together civilly, then you will die brutally!
“Now who else wishes to test my patience?” he roared.
Half the people in line ran for the door, trampling each other in the melee. The brave few who remained moved up to receive their wisdom, but none from me.
I didn’t speak for the rest of the morning, but inside, I thought of nothing but my mother. All these years, enduring a cruel, heartless, selfish man for our sakes.
I never understood her more.
“AWAY,” ALISDAIR BARKED after what felt like hours.
There were still dozens more faeriken to be seen, but that didn’t stop him snatching my hand and dragging me out the door.
Temper bursting in my chest, I lunged forward and sunk my teeth in his hand.
“Argh!” Roaring, he whirled on me, fangs growing in the blink of my eye.
I smashed my nose on his and growled right back. “I can do it too, Lord Shitsoul. That’s the last time you drag or carry me anywhere. You wanted a pretend queen for your paper throne, so start treating me like one!”
His lips peeled back from his teeth. “Be very careful, pretend queen, or I just might bite back.”
I pushed back harder. “I’ve seen your bite,” I hissed. “It doesn’t scare me.”
We faced each other down, his rising growl sounding a warning that I should be heeding, but I knew a thing or two about bullies. Back down once, and you’ve lost the power forever.
“Ahem.” Someone cleared their throat behind us. “The schedule has been written and delivered to the basks as requested. Lunch is also prepared and waiting for you both.”