Page 68 of The Nightmare Queen

“Princeling.”I warn, but he ignores me again and for the next half hour Rorin and his two guards take turns arguing the importance of our return to Bair and then to Piram. The council interrupts every so often to deliberate amongst themselves, most of them too lost in debate to notice the silent stand-off between the four royals among them. My eyes are trained on Rorin, Rorin’s on his father, and his mother’s on me.

“If you continue to clench your jaw like that, your pretty teeth will break.”I say leaning into him casually. “We are going in circles here, ladies and gentlemen.” I say aloud.

The council members look startled at the sound of my voice, including the king who leans back in his chair. “You’re quite right. We really don’t need to be having this conversation at all. Do we, son? I believe we’ve already had this discussion.” I can hear Rorin screaming inside of his mind containing the desire he has to throttle his father. “I’ve let you dally and play, you had your fight in Bair andbarelywon. Now you have responsibilities here, you are the heir to this kingdom not just a general.”

Laughter slips past my lips and a stubby withered man sitting next to Mareese looks up at me from his stack of ledgers. “Forgive me, your Highness.” He says to the king as he levels a glare on me. “Queen Eveera. The laughter is becoming inappropriate, from you and your men. Donot forget yourself or that you are a guest in this court. Our generosity and peaceful natures go only so far.”

“Excuse me…” I start.

“Chancellor Finnigan.” He finishes.

I nod. “Chancellor Finnigan. Thank you for your…insight.” I feign a look of thoughtfulness. “You’re right. We’re guests in your court and you may choose to rescind our invitation extended by the heir here at any time. I nearly did the same when he and Sir…” My mind blanks on Mousy’s name, “when he and his companion showed up at my doorstep. They were willing to doanythingfor our assistance. It was out of the goodness of my heart that I entered into diplomacy with him. He was a destitute general suffering the loss of too many men thanks to your king’s battle directives.” The council’s eyes bounce around to one another as I continue. “The reality of your front lines has surpassed grim. They are being decimated and without the Obsidian army you won’t even bebarelywinning the fight against Baelor.” My eyes lock on the king, who has a smug smirk pasted on his face. “It is clear the war has not touched you here in Valen or you would’nt be having your little party. I hate to inform you that war will always find a way to your doorstep. Just because yours are gilded does not make you exempt from that. If you like the thought of ending up dead, well by all means, my troops will put out and you can see how far that gets you.” My hands are laced together in front of me, my serpents slithering wildly along my forearms as my Wield tastes the fear emanating from so many of the members.

Queen Mareese rises from her seat, mirroring my pose at the opposite end of the table. “Our ‘little party’ as you call it, is a tradition. Maybe you do not have those where you are from, Queen Eveera, and that is why it seems so uncouth to you that in times of war, we find times to celebrate.” Her gaze challenges mine as she gives me a cold smile. “Forgive me for myboldness but I must ask. If you care so little about what happens here to us in Vellar, is the assistance you offer usreallyout of the goodness of your heart as you said? Or is it out of my son’s lack of control for what is between your legs?”

Rorin’s mouth drops to say something as he slips behind me. I stay my hand at him, “whatever you are about to utter to be my virtue’s knight in shining armor, don’t. You’re playing into their hands. We want them playing into ours.”He clamps his mouth shut and presses a whisper of a kiss into my hair, with the weight of his stare a shiver goes up my spine.

This is all a ruse. It is all a game,my conscience reprimands.

I lean into the kiss absentmindedly while I meet the every pair of eyes staring at me.“You wanted me to be convincing right?”

“Wha—”I turn in my spot while my magic forms into my favored claws. They watch my hand rise to Rorin’s face where I trail a fingertip down his cheek, dragging the claw across his bottom lip. He doesn’t flinch at the cut the sharp point makes or at the blood beading up from it. Heat flares in those hazel eyes, his tongue pressing hard into the inside of his cheek. The burn from his stare finds its way down into my stomach.

You’re only reacting this way because everyone is staring. It isnotbecause of the look he is giving you.But for some reason the heaviness of his eyes tracking my movements seems to make time slow down.

I’m not sure this will work to convince them. But from the kiss on my head to my magic marking him in front of the most important people in all of Vellar, our ownership has become very obvious. I break the stare between us, my eyes landing on Mareese, while I bring the blood covered finger up to my lips, wrapping them around it.

“I’ll let you decide Queen Mareese.”

Save for a few gasps the room was completely silent.

Time only resumed its normal pace once I step out of the direct line of Rorin’s heated stare and leave them all in my wake. None of the men seemed to follow my exit, and if they had I would’ve been far too preoccupied to notice. When I stepped back into the apartment, Millicent was there working on a plate of sweets while reclined in Rorin’s desk chair. She freezes when she sees me. “Do not say a word.” I warn.

She lets out a low whistle, “you two put on quite the display at the end there.”

I shoot her a frustrated look, “what did I say?”

She shakes her head, “you look like you need a drink.”

I collapse on the bed and stare at the ceiling. “I do but all of the drink in this court is absolute shit.” I clamp my eyes, pinching the bridge of my nose.

Millicent’s moves had been so silent I assumed she wasn’t in the room with me any longer until I cracked an eye open to find her standing and leaning over me. Her hands are placed squarely on her hips. “Gods!Do you make it a habit to sneak up on people?” I snap.

She shrugs her shoulders, “I think I can solve your shitty alcohol problem.” As soon as the words are out of her mouth she is up and marching out of the room and I have to bolt after her. She’s taller than me and takes significantly longer steps. Finally, I fall into step with her, winding through the halls and down sets of stairs. All of which end with us in front of a rather nondescript door.

"Where are we going?" I ask, partly curious but mostly aggravated. Millicent looks towards me before giggling again.Why the hell does she laugh so much?I wonder.

The door she opens, opens up into a very busy and steamy kitchen filled with people moving frantically about with pots, pans, and traysof food. She takes my hand and weaves us through the commotion. A few stray glances land in my direction, but nobody says anything about my being here with her. “Is the less shitty liquor somewhere in here?” I yell out over the boisterous noise. She doesn’t give me an answer, just continues barreling through the busy workers.

Low and behold in the center of the kitchen and chaos sits a disheveled Rorin, a peeved Mousy, and Bennett who is shamelessly flirting with one of the maids. She looks down at me and winks before calling out to the three of them.

“Well well, Millie, what pray tell caused you to drag her Highness into the belly of the beast?” Bennett flashes me a toothy grin.Flirt.Rorin’s leaned back in his chair, both of his sleeves are pushed up to his elbows showing off his corded arms.

“Weare going to get drunk. In the city. She says our alcohol in the castle tastes like shit.”

Bennett pushes out from his chair and loops a lazy arm around Millicent’s shoulders. “So what you’re saying is you need some male escorts?” She rolls her eyes and gives him a shove but he only holds onto her tighter, ruffling her hair.

She slaps his hands away, “I amsaying -before you started messing with my hair, you asshole - that we are going to get drunk. Whether you choose to join us or not is up to you. But I wasn't about to get in trouble by broody over there,” she hooks a thumb in Rorin's direction, "for not telling him where she went." With a grip on my bicep, she drags me past them and into a hallway I actually recognize. The three of them must have followed us because I can hear Bennett arguing a few feet back with Mousy. As we get closer to my men's door, Orem peeks his head out of their door, probably to see what all the noise was about.

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