Page 65 of Return of the Vengeful Quee

“Weak.” The Rakuuna queen glared at Charis, blood falling from her fingertips to stain Mother’s rug.

“Strategic.” Charis held the queen’s gaze. “I don’t wish to be your enemy. Your people can be saved, and so can mine.”

For a long moment, Queen Bai’elsha glared, and the only sound was the steady drip, drip, drip of the Rakuuna’s blood hitting the floor.

Finally, the Rakuuna queen said, “My kingdom will be saved. Stay in the palace. Do not cause problems. Otherwise, I will kill you.”

Charis held herself still while hope, fragile and aching, bloomed within. She was still alive, and so were her people. Maybe everything would be all right. Once Alaric arrived and traded serpanicite for Charis, the Rakuuna would leave, and she could rebuild her kingdom.

“Take her to her chambers and lock her in.” The queen turned away. “If she tries to escape, kill her.”

Before Charis could utter another word, she was dragged from the room.

Twenty-Four

FIFTEEN MINUTES LATER, Charis, Reuben, Holland, and Tal were back in their suite. Dec and Grim had attempted to stay with Tal, but the Rakuuna refused to allow it. Apparently, both boys had landed blows on the Rakuuna guard who’d subdued Tal, and their punishment was exile to their room.

“You survived,” Holland announced as the door closed behind the guards, leaving the four of them alone. “Now what?”

“Now we keep our heads down until King Alaric arrives and makes the trade,” Reuben said.

Before Charis could respond, someone knocked on the suite’s door. Charis’s stomach pinched.

Had Bai’elsha changed her mind? Or was Charis to be separated from her people the way Tal had been separated from Dec and Grim?

The knock sounded again, and Charis frowned as she met Tal’s eyes. Why would the Rakuuna guards bother knocking? He nodded as if to say he’d been wondering the same thing. Quickly, he and Holland grabbed their makeshift weapons from where they’d been abandoned on the sitting room floor.

“Enter,” Charis said as she rose to her feet, braced for disaster. Reuben instantly pivoted to put his body between hers and the door.

She still half expected one of the Rakuuna to enter, but instead her fourth cousin, Ferris Everly, walked in, his cheek bruised, and his blue eyes anxious.

“Charis!” He rushed toward her, his pale face looking drawn and weary. “Father said you’d returned, but I had to see it for myself.”

Revulsion fought with relief at the sight of him. Relief won. Maybe Ferris had always been a thorn in her side, but his father was a respected member of the royal council, and despite his grasping, greedy nature, Ferris had taken the news of her betrothal treaty in stride, even though it meant his dreams of marrying her and becoming king consort were dashed.

In fact, his ability to quickly pivot to the most practical path forward reminded her a bit of herself. Maybe Ferris couldn’t help his sense of entitlement when it came to holding a position of power in her kingdom. He was a product of his father’s ambitions as much as Charis was a product of her mother’s. It was possible she’d been too hard on him.

“You’re looking . . .” His eyes wandered down to her bosom. “Underfed.”

Then again, perhaps she’d been exactly as hard on him as he deserved.

“You’ll watch how you speak to your queen, or I’ll be happy to remove your tongue.” Holland hefted his bedpost and glared at Ferris.

“Oh, wonderful, you returned with her.” Sarcasm dripped from Ferris’s words. “I suppose Nalani is going to have a few nasty things to say to me next. I swear by all the seers, if you Farragins had half an idea what those of us trapped here have been through, you’d shut your mouths.”

“I don’t have time for petty arguments today,” Charis said.

Ferris took one look at her face and sketched a quick bow. “Forgive me, Your Highness—”

“Your Majesty.”

He blinked and then said quickly, “Of course, Your Majesty. I apologize. I’m out of practice with court protocols. The Rakuuna queen has her own way of running things.” He stared past Charis for a moment as though looking at something only he could see. A muscle along his jaw tightened.

Maybe he was odious on his best day, but he was right. Charis and her crew had no real idea what those who’d remained in Calera had been through.

Speaking in a gentler voice, she said, “Why are you in the palace, Ferris?”

“Father, Mother, and I live here now.” His voice was bitter. “We’re prisoners in this wing, along with all the Calerans Queen Bai’elsha is using as palace staff.”

---