Page 48 of Of Brides Of Queens

I trusted obsessions and reek more and more.

Unfortunately, of brides, I had little notion of how to proceed.

The problem was how to access each princess in a way that escaped the perusal of kings. Gaining her cooperation in divulging her king’s rhyme and reason was another matter entirely.

I felt versed in the topic of how King Bring warred. So who was next?

I did not care to hurry after a friendship with Princess Take. Envy was mostly to blame for my decision, but Take had slumbered a long while—far longer than me, and while I was more ancient as a queen, her power could prove problemsome.

I would leave her for now.

Princess Change… visiting her would accelerate Change’s battle plans for me. I expected his attack with each passing night, but war was yet to come. When it did, I would consider this princess more.

Princess Raise. In confinement and extended foreplay. King Raise was quick to connect agenda, quicker than most kings. But—I recalled with much glee—I already had the perfect cover!I had already sent a message to Raise that he owed me one capture.

I would not capture him, but his princess.

But.

I groaned. “She is trapped in his kingdom.”

Even as a queen, I would not return to his kingdom unless in great and dire need. So, how to get to Princess Raise and free her and lure her and convince her?

I toyed with the stitch above my eyebrow. A cunning stitch indeed.

Pawns had spoken of a warping in the Raises’ union. They had painted a picture of their princess’s headstrong nature and ability to refuse her king’s purpose. A bride who had slumbered for thirty years… and how was such a bride to be lured and convinced?

I drew the black pearl necklace from my dress and held the glinting strand high. Perhaps hours passed as I sat mesmerized by glimmer and gentle spin. I ran the strand through my fingers, relishing the smoothness of them, and nearly choking on the rightness of them in my hands.

A princess to capture.

A kingdom I would not enter.

A kingdom that otherscould.

My lips curved in their uneven way. “The time has come to set my pawns to work.”

Chapter Ten

A reminder:

Monsters should use manners.

“Pawns,” I declared from the second level. “I have a task for?—”

The chaos in the courtyard caught my attention.

I was yet to embrace my true form for the evening, and so my brows felt very symmetrical as they arched. “What is this?”

My pawns were grouped together and facing the wall of bars. My guard rope was raised in obvious threat, though not whipping any creatures outside.

Many curiosities warred for first place, at least three, but I must give priority to positivity. “Sir Rope, you are larger than yesternight. Felicitations on your growing strength.”

He interrupted his threatening posture to bow.

The rope was the height of See’s princes this evening, and he had two rope legs and two rope arms. Even rope genitals. He was certainly a rope man.

“I am delighted for you,” I said.

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