Page 89 of Poisoned Empire

“Good. Now, the shadow mage probably intended to collar me at some point. What I want you to do when I wake him up is order him to tell you what his plans were. Once we know that, you go tell the prince. I’m sure you can talk your way there, right?”

“I can, but why would I? Why should I help you?”

Why indeed? What did every hunted creature want?

“Because when I’m empress, you will be freed.”

The young girl stared at her, stunned. Shock turned to suspicion.

“I’m also the evil bastard of an evil criminal, so, if you refuse to help, I can make this imprisonment look like a picnic. So, freedom or pain?”

“I’ll make you swear to that, that I’ll be free.”

“If that makes you feel better.”

The girl weighed her options.

“All you have to do is touch the stone on the collar, the one at the back. And just so you know, I already had plans to free myself. Daria was going to free me.”

Selene spotted the stone attached to the collar, a pale green gem no bigger than her smallest nail. The collar snapped open. Selene removed it from around the girl’s neck.

“Swear you’ll set me free when you’re empress,” the girl commanded.

Selene felt as though her brain was subsumed in a thick fog while her ears tingled with delight. She wanted to hear the voice again, the most seductive sound she’d ever heard.

“I so swear,” Selene heard herself saying.

In an instant, the need within her vanished as quickly as it had come upon her.

“My gods, it’s like you made love to my ears! I feel like I should kiss you or something.”

“Please don’t.” Alexandra’s lip curled in disgust.

“You could be the most famous courtesan in the whole of Oblivion! All you’d have to do is order someone to come, and then-”

“Agh! No! Let’s just do the questioning thing. Ick!”

Selene couldn’t help but laugh. Perhaps Alexandra was a shy creature, even if she did have a foul mouth.

“Fine, fine. Tell Shadow to remain here and not shout when he wakes. We don’t want to raise the alarm.”

Selene placed her hand on the shadow mage’s face and removed her toxin. He gasped when he woke, hyperventilating. Alexandra did as she was told, immobilizing the mage.

“What was your plan?”she asked him.

“Collar the poison mage and bring her to her father. They want a hostage to ensure their safe escape.”

“Couldn’t you just take them all out of here yourself?” Selene asked, puzzled.

Alexandra shrugged and asked the question.

“Only one at a time, and the escape must be public enough to emphasize the prince’s ineptitude.”

“How did you get through the wards surrounding the dungeon?”

“I cannot say.”

“On whose orders are you doing this?”

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