Page 36 of Of Monsters Of Kings

“I will, lady, but allow me to say that your arrangement of words is more intriguing than ever.”

I peeked at him. “Whatever do you mean?”

“Naught but that your manner of speaking was always delightful, but since waking, your word arrangement intrigues.”

I pursed my lips. “I’m unsure what to do with that declaration, Prince Has Been.”

“Must you do something with a compliment, lady?”

My cheeks warmed. “Perhaps not. I’d thank you to tell me what Bring’s princes planned for me though.”

Has Been’s voice sharpened. “They wanted to take you to King Bring. They said you’d asked to go. You must never go to King Bring, Lady Perantiqua.”

That was good to know. “I did wonder if I would go to King Bring, but then I wouldn’t have gone…” After seeing they were monsters, I silently finished, then felt the hypocrite. Wasn’t I a monster too? I wouldn’t like to be judged on my patches and stitches, and Toil, Sigil, and Hex hadn’t ever done that. Though they did take one-fifth of my bounty. That wasn’t nice of them.

“Why shouldn’t I go to King Bring?” I asked.

“My apologies, Lady Perantiqua, but King See has given strict orders that your mind should not be tested so soon after encountering three princes in their true form.”

I steeled myself. “Has Been, what kind of mon… I should say rather, what is your true form like?”

Did that mean that I was truly a monster, and that my daylight form was the lesser part of me? It didn’t bear thinking of.

“I can’t defy the orders of my liege, lady. Maybe one day, you will see me.” He threw me a look that was almost shy. “I confess that I snuck in here with Will Be one night to look at you. Prince Is has not stopped talking of your beauty.”

I pulled the bedcovers higher, though in my daylight form.

“Your unworldliness has no compare,” he added.

Tears stung my eyes. “Thank you.”

“But I can hear the tears that clog your throat. What ails you?”

“Nothing. I am well enough.”

He paused. “Perhaps it will cheer you to know that the kings have collected their tithes from the hotel. The complex is far less cluttered.”

I sat. “What did they take from the hotel?”

“Their tithes—their snuffing share.”

I choked on my inhale. “That’s a snuffing share?”

“Why, yes. If a possibility is snuffed out, each king is owed one-fifth of what remains, whether subject or object, though the land itself was within King See’s domain.”

My tone was dull. “T-they took their share? How much is left?”

I already knew, of course.

He patted my hand. “Well, I’m afraid the place isn’t quite empty. King See doesn’t care for his share, you see. But aside from King Bring, who probably won’t breathe a word of you, the others came and went and know nothing of your existence.”

That was something, but very little, really. “Why won’t King Bring breathe a word of me?”

“That I cannot answer, lady.”

I asked as casually as possible. “Will King See mind if I claim his abandoned tithe?”

“I’m unsure, lady.”

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