Page 55 of Poisoned Kingdom
‘And if I choose not to?’
Lily bit her lip but couldn’t come up with an answer. Still, judgement burned in her eyes, so heavy that the king flinched when she raised her head and locked gazes with him.
‘Everybody out,’ Reynard commanded, the muscles under my hand tensing. I pulled away, but his fingers dug into my flesh, preventing my escape. ‘Not you, Viper. We need to talk.’
‘Don’t you dare hurt her!’ Tova shouted from where the guards held him.
‘Oh, for fuck’s sake, someone take him to a cell,’ Reynard said.
I shook my head at Lily when she opened her mouth to speak.
‘Sire, I don’t think this is a good idea,’ Riordan said, but Reynard waved him off.
‘Go with them. Ensure the dwarf is secure and that Mistress Ordon is comfortable. I want to talk with Roksana alone.’
Hesitation lingered in Riordan’s eyes, but in the end, he complied.
‘Yes, Your Majesty.’
The sound of a door closing had never felt so final.
Chapter 20
Roksana
Reynard held me to his chest until the snap of the lock announced everyone’s exit. His muscles tensed, resisting my efforts to pull away, and when I looked up, a contented smirk tilted the corner of his lips.
Finally, when Lily’s shawl covered my exposed cleavage, he released me with a flourish.
‘There, now you won’t cause any trouble,’ he said in a lighthearted tone, but my mind was in a different place.
‘Please don’t hurt them, sire,’ I whispered, dropping to my knees. I wasn’t beyond begging. For Tova and Lily, I would sell my soul to Veles; prostrating myself before the king was nothing in comparison.
‘What . . .?’ Reynard’s confusion was obvious as he caught hold of my shoulders, lifting me up. ‘There’s no need for that, Sana.’
‘There’s every need. I meant no disrespect—theymeant no disrespect . . . Even if Tova reached for his weapon, you can’t kill him . . . please,’ I begged, ignoring the spasming of the injured part of his face.
The king’s hand dropped off my shoulder as if I’d scalded him. I watched with growing concern as Reynard fought to control his breath, coming in laboured pants as he tried to slow it down.
I recognised the signs. He was using a technique taught by healers to manage pain, but what was hurting? The swiftness with which he applied the method could only be explained by extensive practice.
‘Roksana, you need to leave—’ he started, and I gasped in horror when the twitching scar contorted, his neck creaking as his muscles pulled so tight I could almost see their cords flexing under his skin.
‘No! What is going on? How can I help?’ I turned around, looking for something, anything, I might use, but Reynard grabbed my wrist.
‘No one can see me like this . . . the Royal Council . . . they think I’m . . . a monster,’ he hissed, and I bit my lip, ignoring the pain his tight grip was causing. Calloused fingers encircled my wrist like a vice, but Reynard seemed oblivious to the fact he was hurting me. ‘If they learn of it—’
His breath caught, but I’d heard enough. The Brotherhood weren’t the only ones in the midst of a power struggle.
‘Fine, then sit the fuck down and tell me what’s going on,’ I said, pushing him back.
He stumbled, falling onto his massive chair, grasping my hand as he fell and dragging me with him. With one arm immobilised in his grip and the other flailing around, I ended up straddling his legs.
‘Your poison.’ His voice was hoarse, as if the pain had rubbed off the veneer of humanity from him. ‘These spasms are your doing, Viper. And no one in all Truso can remove your venom.’
‘Wha—’ My mouth fell open. ‘Gods, are you telling me it is still inside you?’
As soon as I said it, a terrified realisation made my legs buckle, and I landed on his lap. I was alone with the king, who looked like he was dying from my poison.
