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?”
“It’s your lady, the queen,” Gold-tooth answered happily, only to glance at me apprehensively and add, “Isn’t it?”
“No, that’s not the fucking queen, you idiot.” He smacked Gold-tooth on the back of the head and then stepped closer to me to get a good look at my face. “She looks familiar to Yasmin, though. But she is most definitely not the woman who’s been assisting us these past few months.”
My mouth fell open, shock consuming me.
Yasmin, I thought with a sickening horror. What the hell have you done this time?
“Eh, sorry there, Prince, but there were two of them going on about it, insisting they were the queen. We must’ve taken the wrong one.”
“Yes, I’d say you did,” Prince Murdock growled, still staring intently at me. Then he waved his fingers toward the door. “You three… Go back and fetch the true queen. Lachlan…” He glanced toward Gold-tooth. “Help me make this imposter more comfortable, would you?”
I backed slowly away from the prince as the other three ran off to retrieve Yasmin. When he stepped slowly toward me, I suddenly realized just how absolutely terrified I was. I hadn’t had a moment to really experience the emotion yet. But now… Now it blared through me, like a warning horn, making me momentarily dizzy, my vision going unfocused as my breathing picked up uncontrollably.
Prince Murdock’s stare certainly didn’t ease my anxieties, either. “So…” he said, quite lasciviously. “You must be the sister.” A slow smile spread across his face. “I wonder if your breasts are just a pretty as hers are when they’re bared to a man’s eyes.” He moved even closer. “Do you prefer to be on top as well?”
I shuddered. Eww. How could Yasmin stomach being intimate with such a foul beast?
“You’ll never find out,” I swore, smacking his hand away and spitting in his face when he reached for my chest.
Shock, then instant rage, filled his features before he backhanded me. “Bitch!”
Pain exploded in my cheek as I stumbled backward. But he didn’t let me fall. He grabbed my wrist in a punishing grip and yanked me flush against him, sneering.
“Oh, you’re going to pay for that. Painfully.” He leaned toward me to wipe my spit off his face with the cloth of my dress, using the very area that covered my breasts as his towel.
I clenched my teeth hard and struggled, tugging against his grip and trying to kick him through my heavy skirt to no success. Failing spectacularly at that, I gave up on the attempt in order to jerk my face forward, head-butting him right in his jaw with much better results.
The satisfaction I got from watching his head snap back and blood gush from his nose quickly died when he cursed and balled up his hand before plowing it into the side of my face.
Seeing stars, I stumbled away from him, tripping over a small foot stool sitting in front of a chair and windmilling my arms as my feet went airborne. I landed hard on my back, momentarily dazed by the breath-stealing land.
The few moments it took me to get my wind back and realize the skirt of my dress had fallen up to my knees, he was already on me, grabbing the hem and yanking it up further. I tried to shove and kick him, but he pinned my legs apart with his knees and ordered, “Grab her hands.”
When calloused fingers manacled my wrists, I growled, “No!”
I thrashed for all I was worth, trying to wiggle my hips out from under Murdock as he hoisted my skirt higher.
Oh God. This wasn’t working. I wasn’t fighting them off. Cool air washed up my legs, and horror spiraled through me as he exposed me bit by bit. A chill raced up the back of my neck, the shock paralyzing a part of my brain, so that all I could think was, “This isn’t happening. This isn’t happening. This can’t really be happening.”
I was already trying to process the fact that someone had stolen my baby earlier this very day, that a traitor had helped enemies infiltrate the castle, that a neighboring kingdom had invaded my beloved Donnelly, and my own sister had deceived all of us. Now this. Why this, too? Why?
No matter how I struggled, I just could not buck the bastard off me. Tears of frustration and terror filled my eyes.
Being as bare-chested as he was, there wasn’t a lot of clothing I could use as leverage to fight back with, either; it only put me into direct contact with his slimy skin, which unnerved me all the more.
“Time to pay, bitch,” he leaned down to murmur, flashing me a smile that pitted a dimple in his cheek.
I wondered if I’d have to stare at that dimple the entire time he violated me. Would I have to watch his smile as he finished and came? Would he laugh as he pulled himself from my broken, used body?
Dammit, no. I didn’t want this to happen.
For some reason, I thought of Urban. Would he be able to feel my pain and have to experience it with me? That made it even worse.
Then a voice roared, “Hey!” from across the room.
And I was never so elated to hear that familiar baritone in my entire life.
Gold-tooth let go of my wrists and sprang to this feet to deal with Urban, but the prince on top of me seemed determined to finish what he’d started. Turning my face toward my one true love, I met Urban’s gaze just as he knelt down on one knee and slid something across the floor straight toward my face. I didn’t even know what he sent my way until I reached out and wrapped my hand around the hilt of a dagger.
Chapter 40
Vienne
Soren jerked his arms from around my weeping sister as soon as my accusative gaze landed on him.
“What the hell?” he said, scowling at me, his body tensing and already bracing for a fight.
Which was actually pretty smart, as Urban pounced, striding forward and demanding, “Let me see your sword.”
Soren gaped at him, lurching backward. “Absolutely not. Why would you—hey!”
Urban grasped the hilt of Soren’s sword where it hung from his waist and yanked it free from its scabbard. My husband haughtily shoved him back, but Urban didn’t seem to notice; he was too busy examining the blade.
Nicolette covered her mouth in horror, her muffled
words shrieking, “Oh God. It’s covered in blood.”
Soren sent her a dry scowl. “That’s because I killed at least a dozen Far Shore soldiers .”
“And one of them must’ve been wearing the same tunic as Caulder,” Urban announced. “Even though none of them wore tunics. A piece of cloth got caught on your hilt.” Gritting his teeth, Urban tugged at a ragged bloody piece of material. It refused to let go of its hold on Soren’s sword so Urban nearly had to rip it in half.
He held up the section he was able to free and moved it close to the king’s dead body to compare. Everyone shifted forward for a better look.
“Holy shit,” Allera uttered. “It matches.”
As she shook her head, Nicolette gasped and turned into Brentley’s chest for comfort. He hugged her, all the while his gaze lifted across the table to Soren.
“You did this?”
His cousin lifted his hands and slowly began to back away. “No. I didn’t—”
But Yasmin rounded on him, pounding on his chest with her fist. “Oh God, you did! You killed him. You killed my husband. Your king!”
She pushed him back, following him as he tripped away from her. “How could you? How—”
Sighing, I rolled my eyes. “Oh, spare us the dramatic act, Sister. You’re the one who helped him.”
At my announcement, everyone in the room collectively stopped what they were doing to gape at me. When Soren lifted his face, his eyes wide with shock, the others simply blinked as if I’d lost my mind. Yasmin was the last to turn around, revolving slowly until all her attention was solely on me.
“What did you just say?” she asked, each word deliberate and enunciated to the fullest.
I lifted a single eyebrow. “Do you deny it?”
She narrowed her eyes, unspeaking.
I glanced at my fallen king. “I mean, Caulder’s death was all part of the plan, wasn’t it? And Brentley’s too, I assume, as he’s one more royal seat to get out of the way before Soren could take the throne. Then you would’ve had to deal with only me and Anniston—because she was never supposed to survive her kidnapping.”
Bringing my baby to my lips, I placed a tender kiss on her forehead, all the while keeping my gaze on Yasmin.
“And then, you two could’ve lived happily ever after, except…” I sent Soren a sad smile. “I think she deceived you too, dear husband, though I’m sure she told you that was the plan, that the two of you would rule Donnelly together. Isn’t that right?”
He sniffed, saying nothing.
I shook my head. “But you see, the Far Shore men who snuck into the castle didn’t kill me as Yasmin probably promised you they would. No, they were here to help her escape. She was leaving you as well, probably to be with her other lover. I mean…” I shifted an acidic gaze toward Yasmin, “Prince Murdock did claim—before I took his life—that you two had fornicated together.”
As Nicolette gasped, Soren’s mouth dropped open. He whirled his incredulous gaze toward Yasmin.
“You fucked Murdock?”
“No!” Yasmin shrieked, stamping her foot before glaring my way. “Don’t listen to her, Soren. She’s a fucking liar. I never even met with the Far Shore prince without you there.”
Soren looked momentarily uncertain.
“Oh, I’m sorry,” I murmured to him with what sounded like perfect, heartfelt sympathy as I pressed a hand to my chest. “Did you think she truly loved you? Did you believe you were the only one she was being unfaithful to her husband with? Did she make you feel special?”
“Shut up,” he growled. “Shut your lying, fucking mouth. I killed my cousin for her. My best friend. I planned to kill my other cousin and my wife. My parents. My child! All so we could rule Donnelly together. Dammit, she wouldn’t betray me. She does love me.”
“That’s right, I do,” Yasmin cooed, touching his arm in comfort before she twisted her expression with irritation and narrowed her eyes my way. “You’re really grasping at straws now, Sister. And here, you must’ve thought you were so smart. That you knew it all.”
“I think I’m finally figuring a few things out,” I said softly.
“What I don’t understand,” Urban spoke up, “is why I wasn’t included in this kill list?” He stepped boldly to my side. “Honestly, that stings. Did you think I’d just stand aside and let you kill my one true love?”
“Oh, I imagine you were supposed to die in that carriage explosion. Or today during battle.” I glanced Yasmin’s way. “Right?”
“Wait, what?” Soren roared, gaping at Yasmin in utter shock.
“I mean, you were the one who suggested that Urban go check out the abandoned carriage,” I went on, studying the increasing impatience growing on her face. “So it only goes to show he was the intended target there. I’m sure you thought he’d just leap forward and do your bidding without any caution to his own safety because he’s just that kind of protector. But that’s not quite what he did, was it? You forgot to take into account how accurate his gut instinct is when trouble’s afoot.”
“That was you?” Soren demanded of the queen. “You set up the carriage explosion? Dammit, Yasmin. Why didn’t you warn me? I almost died from that.”
Yasmin sent him a hard, annoyed glance. “Well, I never told you to hop forward and look inside the carriage, now did I? I needed you alive, in charge of Donnelly… So I could more easily crush it once I took over Far Shore.”
Soren gasped, clutching his chest with ultimate betrayal as he backed away from her.
I sighed at his stupidity. “What I haven’t yet figured out is how you set the trap up so quickly after learning we were all going to walk to Mandalay,” I went on, tapping my chin thoughtfully only to shrug and add, “You did leave us for a spell to change into a new outfit, but that didn’t seem to take as long as I should think it would to set the trap. Then again, bearers of dark magic can accomplish many puzzling deeds, can they not?”
Soren sniffed. “Except Yasmin doesn’t possess dark magic.” Then he glanced toward her, suddenly uncertain and shifted several more feet away. “Do you?”
She ignored him, merely staring at me as if almost impressed by my deductive abilities.
“And the High Cliff priestess that was killed,” I went on. “That was you, too.”
“Oh my God,” Nicolette whimpered from somewhere behind me.
“Is all this true?” Brentley asked, appearing at my side to face off with Soren and Yasmin. “You two planned such destruction together? You brought Far Shore to our land for a war? You brought dark magic into Caulder’s castle? And you killed your king?”
Soren merely sneered at him. “I don’t have to answer to you, lard ass.”
“Yes,” Allera growled, stepping up next to him and lifting the sword she’d taken off the dead Donnelly guard to hold it near Soren’s throat. “You do. I believe you need to answer to all of us right now.”
Soren snapped his teeth at her. “I was going to kill your precious husband first today.” His glare shifted toward Brentley. “But the aggravating chunk of blubber never would turn his back to me.”
Anger flashed in the High Cliff princess’s eyes as she wound her sword back to strike him.
But Brentley caught her shoulder. “Wait,” he said, still staring at his cousin. “I need more answers first.” Then he shook his head. “Why?” he choked out. “How?” Hurt filled his eyes as he studied Soren. “I can understand me, but Caulder…” He glanced longingly toward his brother’s body. “He was your best friend. You two… You were always as thick as thieves together.”
“Yes, but he’d stopped listening to me,” Soren muttered, contemptuously, snickering at the dead king. “I told him we should’ve aligned with Far Shore, but no… Some stupid cunt convinced him High Cliff would be the better choice.”
He narrowed his eyes my way, clearly blaming me for Caulder’s decision.
I glared right back, shaking my head. “So you killed him because you didn’t get your way? Mature.”
/>
“I killed him because it was my time to rule!” he roared, filling the dining hall with his rage. “I’m the goddamn firstborn of all the Donnelly grandchildren. It was my destiny. My throne! Just because my father was born two fucking minutes after Caulder’s was no excuse. I was older than him.” He glanced at the fallen king with more spite. “It should’ve been my crown. I killed my own parents to ascend this far. I’m not stopping now.”
With a superior glance toward Yasmin as if she were his ace in the hole, even though she’d just told him she planned to crush him once he ruled Donnelly—or maybe he assumed she was playacting when she’d said that—he turned back to us, nodding knowingly. “None of you can stop us.”
Brentley rolled his eyes. “And Far Shore?” he asked. “How did you turn them against us?”
Soren laughed sourly and shook his head. “That was actually the easiest part. They were already miffed about our alignment with High Cliff. So I merely raised their price of clear rock until they were paying more than double what everyone else in the Outer Realms was paying. That’s what really set them over the edge.”
“But—” Brentley frowned and shook his head. “Caulder refused to raise any prices. I clearly remember him saying that.”
“He did say it.” Soren nodded, his vapid smile spreading. “Except he wasn’t the one who dealt with them directly. I was. He trusted me to take care of that, to charge the prices he wanted charged.” With a shrug, he let out a rueful grin. “But oops. I must’ve misheard his instructions.”
“You bastard,” Brentley hissed, clenching his hands into fists at his sides.
Soren shrugged. “I suppose it’s possible. My mother had many lovers. But let’s get back to my brilliance, shall we? My favorite part in all this was when I wrote the same income into Donnelly’s budget reports as before, but pocketed the rest? And do you know what I did with the secret overflow?” His eagerness to reveal his brilliance made him throw back his head and laugh. “I gave it back to Far Shore to help them raise their army against you. Ironic justice, huh?”