Page 66 of Of Brides Of Queens

She did not agree that a queen should battle. I could remark on her lowering herself onto other kings’ beds, but that would be lowering myself indeed.

I ignored her instead. “King Take, you are certain that King Change will not come?”

“What is the information worth to you?” he mused.

“Not much, sir. I could wait and discover the answer.”

He laughed. “You do entertain with your forthrightness. How long before it annoys me?”

“Not long at all,” said his princess. “You like to be annoyed, dear heart.”

“Youknowme,” King Take told her.

Her reply was breathless. “Iknowyou.”

They intertwined in a very long and air-deprived kiss.

The kiss extended to monstrous lengths.

I watched as the Takes lowered to the roof of the distant apartment, out of sight but not out of hearing.

“Sign, how did your liege’s fifth fare in the battle?” I said when it became clear the Takes would not soon return to the conversation.

“Most will recover, my queen. Some are dead and gone.”

I wrinkled my nose. “An unfortunate thing.”

Perhaps King Take had not noticed my humans corralled within my walls, so I would not send them out yet. Though his poet gateman had likely already passed on this information. As it was, I could hardly send my humans to live in rubble. They were weak about needs like shelter, food, and water.

Rhythmic grunts and escalating moans were audible from the apartment building three blocks away. The Takes had forgotten me, or were perhaps testing me with their noisy infatuations and intimacies.

I beckoned Is and Toil closer. “The humans will remain inside until they have adequate housing and supplies. I will be in my conservatory should King Change’s fifth arrive.”

I bent my knees in preparation of jumping rather high, then straightened again.

My pawns faced me in a line. Soot covered them from top to bottom.

They’d just helped me defend my queendom for the first time. This had been a real battle and no mere capture attempt.

Mother heard my feelings loud and clear. A dark pedestal rose from the ground, and set upon it were rare treasures, as I would expect. Glinting copper badges. Fifteen of them.

I ran my thumb over the hellebores’ design. “Valor. Loyalty.”

Fitting.

I walked down the line of my pawns, fastening the copper badges to nine puffed chests. I stuck the badges on Toil, Hex, and Sigil, such was their slime. As for the remaining three, my werebeasts would be presented with them too.

The definition of valor and loyalty was not such a simple matter, and my werebeast pawns had won a victory of their own tonight.

“Thank you,” I said to my twelve present pawns. “You did wonderfully tonight. I feel privileged to have witnessed each ofyou in battle. How perfectly crafted for your capabilities you are.”

Blushing, squelching, and fidgeting met my words. My pawns stood as tall as their true forms allowed, which for See’s princes was tall indeed, and for Bring’s princes, not much at all. I supposed they had seen many battles, but what a strange first battle it had been for a queen. I had expected victory to look and sound and feel different. Not so smokey, and without the slapping of the Takes’ flesh or the sobs of a princess… without such sadness for a tormented underground king, who was all alone right now… and without such anger that a king who spoke of our destiny could want to render me to the same heartbroken state.

I leaped rather high, sighing as I did so.

A strange first battle indeed.

Chapter Fourteen

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