Page 81 of Swords and Curses

"Isn't he beautiful? I found him among a pack of rebels trying to spread lies amongst the peasants." She ran a hand down his arm as if she was patting a horse's flank.

"He has a rare coloring. I can see why you admire him," Nimue said tactfully.

"And what of Bleddyn?" the queen asked, not taking her eyes off the Unseelie.

"He is tired, but defiant and afraid that you might bring a larger force with you in the next attack. Despite the inner conflicts of his family, their numbers are growing. It's one of the reasons that I have returned to warn you. If you attack them soon, they will not be prepared, and your victory would be guaranteed." Nimue took a deep breath and added, "If I may speak boldly, they can feel that some of their magic is returning to them, and you wouldn't want them to grow any stronger while you grow…less so."

"Do I look like I lack in power?" the queen said smugly. "I'm already working on the way to counteract whatever vile curse Rosa Wylt cast on us. Take my hand, study it."

Nimue stepped forward and took the queen's outstretched fingers. There was no sign of the spots that had marred them a few short weeks ago.

"It is perfect, my queen," Nimue said, kissing it softly.

"Sweet girl, you have your father's words as well as his lips." The queen's arms brought her close and kissed her, her mouth tasting of cherries and cinnamon. Nimue placed her hands on the queen's tiny waist and deepened the embrace, not flinching as her hand came up to squeeze her breast roughly. The queen broke away from the kiss, and Nimue let her go instantly.

"You honor me," she whispered dutifully.

"I miss your father," the queen sighed. "He wasn't made to be king, but he could satisfy me in ways others could not. He would've liked to see you now, free from all of Bleddyn's manipulations."

"My only wish is to serve you faithfully, my queen," Nimue swore and added, "in any way that I can."

The queen smiled magnanimously before she unhooked the Unseelie's chain.

"Come then, faithful one, and witness something truly great."

The queen pulled a cord, and part of the wall slid away. Through a haze of memories, Nimue recalled that door and being dragged down below. She swallowed her panic and followed the queen as she pulled the slave behind them. Nimue could feel the terror and pain radiating from the walls and smelled blood in the air.

The passageway was the access to the queen's dungeon, but they didn't linger in the hall of cells. Nimue kept her eyes firmly on the Unseelie's back and refused to glance to either side of her, afraid of what she might see. She had been tortured in this place, and her scars twinged with each step she took. The stone walls changed to earth, and the narrow passageway opened out to a large cavern. It was a hive of jail cells stretching high above them.

"Magnificent, isn't it? It's the most recent edition. Since this unfortunate mishap with my spell, I've taken it upon myself to capture every stray Unseelie I can and bring them here for safekeeping. I can't have them going about, stirring fear amongst their betters."

The smell in the place was enough to make Nimue's eyes water, and the further they walked, the stronger it became. She knew the smell but couldn't quite place it. It was a dark, evil thing that stuck to the back of her throat like tar.

The queen stopped next to a large stone table where a bronze dagger sat on crisp white linen. The floor fell away on one side of them, and Nimue struggled to contain her horror. She knew what the smell was. Beneath them, the pit was filled with the bodies of rotting Unseelie corpses.

"I see you are shocked, Nimue," the queen purred. "Indeed, it wasn't something that would've occurred to me if this crisis had not arisen." She laughed delightfully. "It was actually Bleddyn that gave me the idea. You see, he once weakened me by taking my blood, and I had to wait months for my powers to return." The queen picked up the knife from the table, pricking the tip of her finger thoughtfully. "Who would've thought power was held in the blood."

Without warning, the queen drove the knife into the Unseelie's chest. His blue eyes didn't even widen in surprise as he sank into the dirt. He held Nimue's gaze until the light behind his eyes disappeared.

"Now, child, it came to me that if power were held in the blood, then the heart would be its true source." The queen knelt beside the cooling body, and using the knife, she began carving her way into it until she let out a cry of triumph and pulled the glittering red organ from his chest. "Isn't it a beautiful thing? So simple. I took the Unseelie queen's heart out of spite all those years ago. I attributed my power growing to the killing of the kings, but I was wrong, so wrong. Bleddyn was right. It's always been about the blood."

Nimue gagged as the queen bit into the steaming red mess in her hands. Power rippled through the air, and the queen laughed, her mouth smeared in blood. Nimue stood shaking until every part of the heart was gone, and the queen was licking her fingers like a contented cat. "So you see, it doesn't matter if magic is going back to the Unseelie. Either way, the power willalways come back to me. Now, servant, push this carcass into its pit."

Nimue bit her tongue, but knelt beside the body, took his ankles, and dragged him to the hole. She silently asked for his forgiveness as she pushed the body off the edge of the cliff and tried not to hear the slap of limbs as it hit the pile of bodies below. Nimue stood on shaking knees, and suddenly, the queen was beside her, bloody hand gripping her throat.

"You must think I'm a fool to believe that you would come back to warn me," the queen snarled. "All of your talk of Bleddyn's forces being low and fighting amongst them. You are holding back information from me like you always have."

"I haven't lied to you," Nimue gasped. "I swear it."

"You might not have lied, but you aren't telling me the truth. I cansmellthe lies on you, girl," she hissed. "One thing I know that is true of the Seren Du is that those brothers will unite together against any enemy. You try to fool me with saying otherwise, but I know Bleddyn, girl. He's been my enemy for three thousand years."

"My queen, I tell no lies, only what I have seen." Nimue's vision started to narrow as the hand around her throat tightened. The queen lifted her up off her feet and tossed her. Nimue was falling backward, her scream a ragged cry as she dropped down into the pit and slammed into the tangled mass of limbs. She screamed long and incoherently. Nimue scrambled to the sides of the hole, clawing at the earth above her.

"My queen! Do not do this! I've been nothing but faithful to you these last months. I tell you the truth."

"Scream all you wish," the queen's voice was a whip crack above her, "but use this time to think long and hard about what side you are on, Daughter of Ryn."

The Queen stepped back from the pit, the torches going out as she left Nimue to cry in the darkness.

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