Page 48 of Return of the Vengeful Quee

She spun toward him and found misery in his eyes. Thunder rumbled through the air, and rain began pelting the deck.

“I put some on the queen’s portrait.” He swallowed. “And I put some on one of the clothes a sick Rakuuna is using to dab his sores. It—he used the cloth before I left the sick bay.”

Lightning split the sky, snaking in four directions and raising the hair on her arms.

“Your Majesty,” Reuben croaked. “The storm—”

“What happened?” Charis asked, her fists clenched so hard, her fingernails pressed deep half-moons into her palms.

The poison had to work. She had nothing else to use against her enemy.

A muscle along Tal’s jaw worked, and then he said, “He screamed as if someone had poured boiling oil onto his wound. The sore was bubbling and hissing, and it—there was a lot of blood.”

She nodded as another fork of lightning blazed overhead. All around, Rakuuna were hurrying to secure rigging and safeguard their ship from the storm. Reuben vomited again.

“It works,” she said, feeling more weary than triumphant. “At least we know if we find a way to wound them first, the poison works.”

“Your Majesty—” Reuben paused to dry heave.

“We should go below,” Tal said, glancing at the sky and reaching for her.

Reaching for her. As if she was just going to take his hand and follow him.

“I’m capable.” She turned away from Tal’s outstretched hand. There was no point staying where it wasn’t safe, even if she couldn’t stand the thought of being cooped up in the cabin. Besides, Reuben would refuse to leave her side, and as sick as he was, he was likely to get washed overboard.

There was a time when she would have welcomed that. Now she needed his loyalty and unwavering commitment to the Caleran crown if she was going to see this through.

The understanding that she’d come to rely on the man who’d killed Milla sat uneasily, pricking at her heart.

It could join the rest of the thoughts that kept her up at night and clawed at her composure during the day.

They slipped and skidded their way to the stairs and climbed below. Tal hesitated when he reached the cabin door, and Charis glared at him. “I’m going to get Reuben settled and check on the rest of the crew.”

“But then you’ll return so Holland and I can make sure you’re safe?” He was watching her far too closely, and she was reminded of all the times he’d seen past her words to read her thoughts instead.

“Of course,” she said as if he was a fool for thinking otherwise.

His eyes narrowed, but when he saw her guiding Reuben into the next cabin, he finally went inside and shut the door.

“Go lie down,” Charis said as she maneuvered Reuben into his cabin. The ship pitched forward, and Charis caught herself against the wall.

“What if we sink?” Reuben’s voice wavered and sweat dotted his brow as he swallowed hard.

“The Rakuuna wouldn’t dare let that happen.” She straightened with the ship and drew in a shaky breath. The tattered remnants of her outward calm were fraying rapidly.

“You don’t know that, Your Majesty.” Reuben slid forward, banging into a chair, as the ship crested on another swell and then plunged forward.

“I’m of no value to them if I’m lost at sea.” She used the same voice on him that had worked on Tal. “And they’re capable of steering the ship from both the helm and those handholds they have below the surface. If they can steer it, they can stabilize it. Now go to bed.”

He reached his bed and gripped the edges. “You’ll be in your cabin with the traitor and Lord Farragin?”

“Yes. Now lie down before you fall down.”

She closed his door behind her and then braced her hands against the wall to consider her options.

She’d intended to check on the rest of her crew, but they would need reassurances she didn’t feel capable of giving. And she’d intended to resign herself to hours in the cabin with Holland and Tal, both of whom had become increasingly persistent in asking her how she was doing. The thought sent a restless, agitated sort of energy humming just beneath her skin.

She was fine. She was always fine. What other choice did she have?

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