Page 31 of A Dark and Lovely Devastation

And in my mind, I heard laughter. Wild, gleeful uncontrolled laughter. Badb had seen everything. She recognized what it meant.

The destruction of the Otherworld.

The laughter grew louder, consuming every thought, every scene. The vision faded. Everything faded.

Badb awoke laughing. Oh, what a vision! She perceived Morrigan inside her, hiding. She knew what it meant as well as Badb.

She would win. Death would reign. Armies would be destroyed at her command. Victory!

Arms held her, and she was pressed against a warm furry chest. She glanced up and took in the half-horse-half-human creature. A centaur. That guard Morrigan knew had released his faerie guardian to keep her from landing on her head. She felt a grudging gratitude. Badb could hardly put her plans into motion if Morrigan’s body became too injured.

The surrounding crowd stared at her with a mixture of relief and fear. Mothers and fathers clutched small children, and nobody spoke.

Hands pressed to her face, and she peered into the frantic gaze of King Dagda. His eyes grew wide as he recognized her. “Let me go,” she growled in warning.

“Take her inside,” Dagda said to the centaur holding Badb.

“I command you to put me down, and let me speak to my people,” Badb said loud enough for everyone standing near to hear.

Dagda’s hands hardened on her face, but then he dropped them and stepped back. The centaur set Badb on her feet. A serene smile crossed Badb’s face. She understood what Morrigan hadn’t fully realized yet—the king of the faeries held no more authority than their queen.

She spread her arms and faced those watching. “Long has it been since your queen has stood before you. But here I stand, and I confess I am disappointed.” Badb strode forward, and the people parted for her. “Before I left, the faeries were strong, powerful. But in the time I have been away, our great nation has grown weak and vulnerable. Enemies have infiltrated our courts. They linger among us, hiding, waiting to strike. The elves disrespected our very sovereignty itself by seeking a coup against our king. The Fomori defiled our borders and sought our destruction.” Badb turned, taking in their faces as they listened so eagerly, so hungrily.

She smiled benevolently. “But I do not lay such blame at your feet. No, for a people is only as strong as its leaders.” She pivoted to face Dagda, who stood, his back rigid. The fire in his eyes looked as if he’d like nothing better than to take off her head. Badb spread her feet, her chin high—a warrior's stance in a queen’s attire. “It is your king who has failed to punish the enemies in our own court. It is your king who was too weak to fight off the elven threat. And in your darkest hour, when the Fomori attacked, where was he I ask you?”

Murmurs of ascent spread through the crowd. Badb’s fierce gaze swept over those gathered. “No more, my fellow faeries. No more shall our enemies threaten us. I shall discover those traitors and cut them from our very midst. I shall return this nation to its former position of power and respect within the Otherworld. All nations will fear and respect us. This I promise you.”

A silence accompanied the end of Badb’s speech. But she felt the restlessness in the crowd, felt the energy emanating out of them. Their craving to have all that Badb promised.

“Bless Queen Morrigan!” a voice shouted. Then another voice joined in, “Bless the queen!” More joined, over and over, the crowd cheering her. They pressed closer and Badb reached out her hands to either side. They clasped her palms, they reached out to touch her skirts, they kissed her fingertips. She walked forward. Those closest parted, bowing as she passed.

The uncontained rage on Dagda’s face was worth every word. As she passed him, heading for the castle, those behind her still exclaiming her praises, she threw him a dark smile. “To borrow a phrase from the pathetic humans, your move, Dagda.”

Chapter 12

Ilaidonthefloor of my room and willed the rafters to stop spinning. A bottle of something amber sat next to me, almost drained. After Badb’s disastrous speech in front of the faeries, she’d let Macha take over. My stupid, uninhibited, crazy sister. She’d taken several bottles of mead from the kitchen then come up to my room and downed… how many had she drunk? I tried to count the empty bottles, but couldn’t focus. When she decided she’d had enough of being drunk, she’d kindly let me take over.

The front half of my dress was pulled down to my stomach, revealing the lacy frills of the strapless bra that covered my breasts. Macha had tried but failed to undress me. Laying on my back, I saw my silken underwear hanging from the top corner of my armoire, well out of reach, swimming in and out of my vision like the rest of the room.

A knock came at my door.

Good, Roisin was here with food. Maybe that would get me off this endless merry-go-round.

“Come in.” I pulled my dress up over my breasts and struggled to sit up.

Instead, Dagda entered.

“Oh, it's… you,” I said, swaying while I sat.

He frowned, taking in the empty bottles of mead. “Today did not go as planned.”

I rolled my eyes. “Forgive me, my king.” Still on the floor, I bent toward my knees, attempting a bow. I fought to pull myself up. “I’m not the queen you wanted.”

My dress had fallen again, revealing my bra. I gripped the cloth and pulled it over me. But when I let go, it tumbled back down.

“How did Badb know about the problems of the court?” he asked.

“Does it matter?” I grabbed a bottle of mead that still had juice in it. “Drink.”

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