Page 38 of Poisoned Kingdom
‘Roksana, don’t make things worse,’ Riordan tried to intervene, but I only stared at Reynard, who, with a smug expression, raised two fingers, gesturing to someone behind him to open the door.
The king stepped in and wrapped his cloak around me. His gesture caught me off guard, and I instinctively grasped its edges, wrapping them tighter while enjoying the heat of his body still trapped in the heavy fabric. When I held my silence, looking at him curiously, he shrugged.
‘Don’t flatter yourself, Viper. I’m not interested in your body any more than I’d want to fuck a snowman.’
I wished I were strong enough to rip off his cloak and throw it at his feet, but it was very warm, and I was a pragmatic woman.
‘I hate you,’ I said simply, imagining my fist breaking his strong, chiselled jaw.
‘I knew there was something connecting us,’ he answered, the corner of his lips curling up ever so slightly before he gestured to some servants. ‘Take the lady to the bathhouse. Scrub her until her skin is red and raw, then scrub her again. Burn whatever she’s wearing and dress her in . . . something different.’
Immediately, two serving women wearing unyielding expressions entered the cell.
‘What? Why?’ I asked, baffled, shifting back when one of the women reached for my elbow. ‘Keep your hands off me!’
‘Go with them, Viper. And if you even think of escaping, think again, because next time, I’ll send male guards with you.’ At his words, both women approached again, and I took a deep breath as every muscle in my body tightened.
‘No, don’t touch me. I’ll go by myself,’ I said through clenched teeth, but instead of looking at me, they looked at Reynard.
‘I don’t care, as long as she cooperates,’ he said with a shrug.
We walked along the barely-lit dank corridors until we reached a small, unobtrusive door. One of the maids opened it and led me out into a tiny courtyard filled with herbs and vegetables.
I restrained myself when I noticed how tense the women had become.
Do they think I’d make a run for it?I snorted as I looked down at my bare legs.Yeah, I don’t think so.
I bit my lip, worrying about Lily, hoping she wouldn’t get caught in between the king and Jagon any more than she already was.
We passed through two more doors until we entered a room that surrounded us with steam, the heat a blessing to my ice-cold body. Unfortunately, it also triggered a weakness that sent me sprawling to the floor, terrifying my guardians. I was dragged to a large wooden tub filled with water, where one of them helped me get in while the other disappeared to the gods knew where.
As Reynard had ordered, I was scrubbed and then scrubbed again, shivering so hard that water splashed from the tub while my teeth clattered like a marching army. Finally, I was left alone and allowed to immerse myself in the hot water.
‘This wasn’t too stupid an idea—for a man,’ I muttered with a smirk, sinking down and letting the water close over my head. The tub was big enough for three people and must have been used as a communal bath for the servants.
The heat worked its magic as I stretched out and lay on the bottom. Bubbles escaped my lips, but I held on, unwilling to emerge into the chill air. All of a sudden, a muffled female scream surprised me right before an enormous shadow fell over me and a hand yanked me to the surface.
The movement was so rapid and unexpected that I gasped, inhaling the fluid as I was dragged up. I coughed and spluttered like a drowned rat.
‘You think to escape me by drowning, Viper? I won’t let you hurt yourself, not in my fucking palace. Your life ismine, and only I can take it.’ Reynard held me dangling by the neck, his quiet anger more chilling than the draft from the wide-open doors. He spared me a single glance before dropping me back into the tub, splashing water on the stone floor.
‘See to her. Ensure she is healthy, and don’t leave her alone until I question her.’ Reynard snapped the commands, barely looking at me.
‘I wasn’t trying . . .’ I protested, but he’d already left, slamming the door, leaving me with the serving women and an old man in a healer’s robes. I pulled my knees to my chest, hiding myself from their judgemental stares before asking as calmly as I could, ‘Can someone please explain what just happened?’
While the serving women helped me dress in a simple chemise and kirtle, I discovered that, seeing me collapse, and how violently I had shivered in the water, a healer had been sent for. Unfortunately for me, the healer had been with the king, and as soon as my condition was mentioned, both men stormed in here to find me at the bottom of the tub.
‘Someone just kill me, because if you don’t, embarrassment certainly will,’ I groaned, sitting on a bench while I let the servants dry my hair.
‘My lady, our king would never hurt an innocent woman,’ the old healer chimed in. ‘His manners might be brisk, but he is a righteous man. Maybe . . . try not to anger him?’
I rolled my eyes and sighed deeply. ‘How? Every time he sees me, I swear I can see steam coming out of his ears.’
My remark provoked a few sniggers, which gave me hope that the servants were more than obedient tools following orders. Iwaited until the healer finished his examinations, and when he left, I turned towards them.
‘I won’t give you any trouble. Not to you, and not to the king, but I’d like to ask one favour. Could you please deliver a message to The House of Lilies?’ I asked, and their faces instantly turned cold and unfriendly. ‘It’s nothing terrible, and I’m happy for you to share its contents with the king. Can someone please just visit the madam and let her know that I’m fine and will be staying with a friend for a few days? I don’t want her to worry or cause trouble.’
There was very little chance that they would fulfil my request, but I had to try.
