Page 124 of The Cursed Kingdom

The women in elegant clothing glare daggers at me, and the men stare at me like I’m a piece of gum stuck to the bottoms of their shoes. It’s a humbling experience, and it makes me painfully aware of how tattered and dirty my clothing is. And the fact that I haven’t showered in weeks.

It didn’t bother me when I was around Kie and Mason, mainly because I hate them and didn’t care if they found me gross, but being paraded in front of these strangers is degrading. For once, I wish Mason were here. The faeries hate him, and his presence would take the attention off me. They’d be staring athiminstead.

A woman in a red dress approaches Queen Gitta. She looks upset, her eyes scrunched in the corners and her lips pressed tightly together. Her gaze briefly darts toward me before returning to the queen.

Queen Gitta slows to greet her, and I take a moment to catch my breath. I’m starving, dehydrated, and actively bleeding—not exactly at my physical peak. I lean against a trellis, surprised by how sturdy it is. This place is quite beautiful, and I’m trying hard not to admire it.

I refuse to admire anything about this place.

Thousands of butterflies flutter away as I get too close, their bodies and wings just visible through the thick flowering vines.

“Your Majesty,” the woman in red says. “I found the princes heading toward cells, but I’m unsure why. The guards won’t talk, even when I tell them I’m acting on your orders.”

My heart lurches, and I hope nobody can hear how fast my pulse is racing. Does that mean Lill is alive? I assume so. They wouldn’t be there if she were dead. There’d be no need.

“Thank you, Jackie.” The queen’s gaze shifts to me, and I obediently look at the ground. “Your help is much appreciated.”

Jackie curtseys, her red dress billowing around her before she hurries away. Her movements are lithe, but that’s not unusual for a faerie. They’re all exceptionally graceful and beautiful, which admittedly doesn’t make me feel great about myself.

I’ll wait to be insecure when Lill and I are safe, though. There’s no time for it now.

Queen Gitta resumes walking, and my jaw drops when we round the next corner. This must be where she’s taking me. The building ahead is larger than all the others we’ve passed, at least three stories high with a dome top.

A wide, shallow staircase leads to a set of glass double doors, both of which are pulled open as Queen Gitta approaches. I avoid making eye contact with anybody as I step inside the large hall. It’s stunning, with marble flooring, wide stone pillars, arched ceilings, and a row of chandeliers spanning the length of the room.

We walk forward, and I notice open doorways between the pillars. They lead to rooms and corridors I don’t have a good opportunity to peek into as I trail behind Queen Gitta. In the very back of the room is another set of wide, shallow steps, but on top of the large podium is a chair.

A throne.

The doors shut behind us, and guards take position on either side of them as Queen Gitta sits on her throne. It’s large, with intricately detailed wooden armrests and backing. The seat itself is covered with a dark-red cushion. Surprisingly, it almost looks comfortable.

I linger at the bottom of the steps.

“Abigail,” Queen Gitta says.

Her voice echoes down the length of the hall, which I’m sure is very much intentional.

I gulp. “Your Majesty.”

My back is sweating, and my shirt is sticking uncomfortably to my skin. I want to readjust, but Queen Gitta’s piercing gaze keeps me still. Like Zaha, she looks at me like she’s looking through me.

“Why were you locked inside my son’s home?”

I chew at the inside of my cheek, unsure what to say. The queen blinks, and I clear my throat before shrugging. I’m not going to volunteer any information she doesn’t already know.

“I’m not sure,” I lie. “I’m new to this realm, and I made the mistake of entering the Redstall Forest. Kie and Mason found me and—”

“Their Highnesses,” Queen Gitta corrects me.

I grind my teeth. “Their Highnessesfound me and decided to bring me to Zaha. They thought offering her a human would please her. She didn’t want me, and I don’t know why His Highness Kie”—I’m guessing that’s how I’m supposed to address him—“brought me here.”

Queen Gitta frowns. “What’s your relationship with my son, His Highness Kieran Ashford?”

I’m not going to call him that. It’s too much.

“Well?” Queen Gitta pushes. “What’s your relationship?”

She taps her fingers against the armrest of her throne. She seems impatient, and her eyes briefly flicker to the large double doors before settling back on me.

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