Page 42 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

Xio.

Her hand was outstretched, a fleshy mass resting on her bloody palm. She wrinkled her nose and dropped it, the heart hitting the stone with a wet thud.

The healers screamed in fear, and the room erupted in chaos. I covered my ears and turned away, curling into a tight ball on the floor. I cried, knowing I was next. She’d find me and rip my heart out next, and I was weak. I couldn’t do anything to stop it.

Sashau screamed and then gurgled as if she were choking. I heard a body hit the floor, followed by a low, vicious growl. There was a scramble of footsteps and more screams. I recognized Killie’s voice, pleading for her life, and then nothing. The only sound was the crackle of fire, but no flames touched my skin, and nothing seemed to move. Had she left? I waited until I could no longer bear the quiet, and breathing through my nose, I cracked my eyes open.

I screamed, but the sound died quickly in my throat, terror stealing my ability to make a sound. Her face was mere inches from mine. Bright red eyes stared intently at me. Her hand whipped out and grabbed my chin, her grip painful. This was it. I was sure she was going to tear my head off, yet she didn’t. She tipped my head, inspecting my cheek where Killie hit me. I could feel the throb of it and imagined a bruise had already formed. She hissed and abruptly let me go.

“Get up,” Xio commanded.

I held up my hands, unable to stop the tears that blurred my vision. “I really didn’t know. I’ve only been trying to help. You have to believe me. They tricked me like they always do and told me I was helping, but I wasn’t. They told me of the plant, the one ingredient we needed for more medicine, but we weren’t out. I found it when I went downstairs to clean. Then, I heard the commotion when the soldiers arrived, and I hid. I heard the healers talking, but I didn’t know. I swear. They wanted you far enough away that it would take you a while to get back. The queen poisoned him. They took him a while ago.”

I hiccuped as I waited for her to lunge at me, but she only wiped the blood from her chin and said, “I know.”

My throat bobbed as I swallowed my sob of relief. “You know?”

She nodded. “Let’s start over, shall we? My name is not Xio. It’s Dianna. Those people took someone from me who means very, very much, and now I need your help to get him back, okay?”

I nodded, my heart easing its frantic pace. “So you aren’t going to kill me?”

She smirked and stood, holding her hand out to me. “No, Miska, I’m not going to kill you.” Then she looked over her shoulder and said, “But I am going to kill everyone else.”

The old texts spoke of the great darkness that would fall across the land, how it would cut out all light, leaving nothing in its wake. Here it was, only it wasn’t cold or quiet, but a blister against the skin and carrying the pure stench of death. That’s what she was, yet when I placed my hand in hers, I felt warmth there, her touch soft and protective, not hurtful. Maybe that’s what Cedaar saw in her, too.

“I didn’t know they were going to take him. I really believed they wanted more herbs to help heal, I swear.”

Her eyes scanned mine as she tilted her head to the side. “I know. I think they have been poisoning him. Your tea seemed to be the only thing that helped him. Do you think you can make some more?”

“Yes,” I said. “If I know which poison, maybe I can make an antidote? I need to get my mother’s book and some herbs from here.”

She let go of my hand and began collecting the bags from the bodies on the floor. She tossed them to me and nodded toward the room. “Grab what you need, then we will go talk with your queen.”

I picked my way through the gore, my gaze landing on Sashau’s body. Her lifeless eyes stared back at me, her throat ripped out. I ran to the shelves and started gathering what I needed, focusing on the supplies. The room rocked again, but the fear was no longer there with her at my back.

I GRIPPED THE SATCHEL HARDER, MAKING SURE I KEPT HOLD OF THE herbs we needed. I had packed enough that the bag weighed me down. Dianna rubbed her brow and glared at Queen Frilla. She lay on the floor, holding her side, and she wasn’t looking well. Dianna had burned off half of her hair, the wounds continuing down her face to her side.

“Ask her what poison again.”

I did, and this time, the queen didn’t make a smart remark but trembled as she answered. If she did not get help soon, she was going to die.

“I know what it is. I can make an antidote. We just need to find him,” I said, keeping my voice quiet.

Dianna flexed her hands at her sides before wrapping them around her body. “Great. Now ask her where they took him.”

I turned back to Frilla and asked. The queen replied, her tone shaky but filled with venom.

“Miska. Sweetie. What is she saying?”

I swallowed as the queen glared at me. Even covered in soot and blood, she loathed me.

“She says it doesn’t matter, anyway. You took her city, so the deal she had means nothing.”

Dianna nodded. “The deal with Nismera.”

I nodded.

“Where are they now?”

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