Page 89 of The Nightmare Queen

The worst part about it wasn’t even the obnoxious, over-indulgent bastards arguing — it was the fact that I had to leave Eveera vulnerable. When I saw her hiding up in the balcony I went up there to push her on her conversation with Baelor, not get distracted by her leaning on the railing, overlooking everyone with the same scrutiny she met me with in her throne room.

And because I couldn’t help myself against her, I am now in my room - hiding. But even in here, she’s infected everything. My wardrobes are filled with her things next to my things. My bathroom has her things in it, my bedsmellslike her - that rich mix of spice and flowers. Even my liquor.Gone-because of her. And so here I am pacing and obsessing over her, wishing that while the Celebration has hours yet to go that we were tangled up in the sheets of my bed. Begs and please falling off of her lips for a change.

“I hate you.”Those three words. I knew she’d say them if I asked. But bleeding fucking gods if I didn’t wish she could have proved me wrong. The sound of the outer doors flinging open startles me, I step out of my bedroom and run straight into Armond his armor colliding with my bare chest. “Oof!Can I help you?” I bark. His face is grim. The creases in his forehead prominent with his frown.

“I need to speak with you. Or rather - Felix does.”

“Can it wait?”Felix?“Felix isn’t here.”

“Actually…he is. And as much as I wish it could—”

“It cannot wait.” Felix says, stepping out from the hall and into my room.

“Prince,” Felix starts.

“When and how the hell did you get here?” I ask, stunned to see the man here in front of me.

“We had er-have some concerns…” The door flies openagain, now startling the three of us as Will and Bennett burst in.

“Who’s this guy?” Bennett asks who gives Felix a wary look. I wave him off, gesturing for Felix to continue. I can answer Ben’s questions later.

“Well, with our men already at your post in Bair it wasn’t difficult to gain permission to portal there. From there I traveled by horse. You must know we wouldn’t let our queen into Vellar without a few ways to get to her.”I honestly hadn’t thought of it. But, I should’ve figured as much.I think to myself. “There’s been talk through the rumor mill of Baelor’s welcomed presence here in your court. With how urgent you seemed to be about wanting to end this war with him, wanting to end him, I was shocked. Concerned you’d gone back on the fine print of your contract and were no putting Eveera in mortal danger.”

Goosebumps raise on my flesh at the utterance of her name. “Idid not welcome him anywhere. That was my father’s doing.” I gripe.

“Regardless. What do you know of the peace treaty your father and Baelor have drafted?”

“We know nothing.” Will speaks up. Felix sighs and dread pools in my stomach as I piece together where I think he is going with this, and I kick myself mentally for not coming to that conclusion sooner.

“You think they’re scheming, don’t you.” I say.

His lips flatten into a thin line. “It is a concern…we need to get Eveera out of here.”

Bennett pushes off the hearth, walking up to me. His hand wrapping around my shoulder, “what do you mean? If you take her what will have to stand against Hadar’s Guards?”

“If King Eiser has drafted any kind of alliance with Baelor, than the presumed threat is neutralized. Even if you don’t like whatever those agreements are. Either way, it will dissolve the terms ofouragreement. She must come home.”

“Hold on a second, you two are just resigned to the fact that our sovereigns are really playing two sides here? What if the deal made with Baelor isn’t a dangerous one? What if it really is a peace treaty?” Will asks desperately.

“Look at what he did to Ror growing up. You really think he isn’t capable of concocting a scheme against Rorin? The man may not be willing to get his hands dirty but he’s damn well not afraid to make someone else do it for him. Think about it - Rorin is general of his army, but won’t let him actually plan anything. Instead he’s been purposefully giving us shit battle plans.” Bennett steps towards our friend. “We know you have your honor, and that’s great, brother. But this is war and we’ve been at it far too long. I wouldn’t put it past Eiser to decide that it’s better to join up with Baelor than to lose control completely. And that’s not peace for anyone other than himself.”

Will doesn’t say anything. His frustration is apparent with the moral battle in his head waging strong. The guilt is there too, for not being able to stop him during mycleansingsas they called it. But even with that war in his mind, Will is loyal not to my father, not to the crown, but to me. His charge and I see the finality in his face as he concedes to that fact. “So what do we do?” He asks.

I look up at Felix and then to my men. “She said she came here to make me the only royal Collier left standing.” Felix’s eyes bulge. “Eveera isn’tgoing to leave until she kills them both. And I’m not leaving until I have Baelor’s head on a pike and his men strung up outside the city for what they did.”

“Did you ever find outwhyshe wants them dead?” Will asks, tentatively.

“Does it matter?” I snap.

His jaw drops in anger. “Well, yes, Rorin. If I’m going to be party to regicide I’d like to fucking know why!”

I take large steps towards him, Bennett the only thing blocking my path. “Guys come on.” He tries, while straining to hold us a part.

“You want to know what I’d like to know? Why the fuck my father threw us out to the wolves. Why we had to watch our men die, innocent men die. Why he invited Baelor to my damn dinner table and expected me to play nice! That’s what I’d like to know.”

“ENOUGH!” Felix shouts, pulling me back from my two men. “You three can work out your issues on your own time, right now I need to find my queen and get her home.” He looks to Armond who nods.

I know what he means without even having to say it. Eveera isn’t safe here and she never was. My time is up.

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