Page 26 of Kingdom of the Two Moons

“Now who’s a good boy?” Blair purrs.

Perenilla’s gaze flits to her. Her nostrils flare, the only indicator of her anger. “That goes for you too.”

Blair just shrugs, going back to scrutinizing her nails. “It’s not my fault. Stupidity always makes me break out in sarcasm.” She glances back up at Perenilla, sucking on a canine. “Sorry, but theycould really use a shave. And a bath. I wonder how you can stand that reek of wet dog. They have some nice pet shampoos over there in the human world.”

She grins at the way Perenilla pales before a flush creeps up the queen’s throat, working its way up to her cheeks. That’s the disadvantage of growing up in Palisandre. All those staunch rules and etiquette.

Blair steps closer to the bars, making a show of sniffing the air, her fingers curling around the metal. “Or maybe… that smell turns you on. So animalistic. All I wonder is—do they do you doggy-style or missionary? And are they in their hum—”

“Shut it, witch-whore,” the other mongrel growls, while his companion’s shifting further into his wolf form. Ribs crack as he transforms into a large wolf, growling at her.

Blair just grins at him.Good luck with those iron bars.

Perenilla smooths down the fabric of her robe, hectic spots of redness still covering her cheeks. But she recovers enough to ask, “Is this really what you want to talk about, Blair, before I leave you to your miserable fate?”

Blair taps her lips with a long claw while she peers up at the ceiling. Then her gaze snaps back to the queen. “No, there’s indeed another thing that bothers me.”

“Then speak.”

She hesitates before she leans in, as if sharing a secret. Perenilla, after a moment, leans in too, as Blair whispers through the bars, “Are wolf tongues as rough as I imagine them to be?”

Perenilla jolts back, glowering at her. “Believe it or not, I want a better future, Blair—for all of us.”

“Do I get bonus points if I pretend that I care?”

“Aren’t you weary of living in a wasteland day in, day out?”

When Blair doesn’t answer, Perenilla lets out a long sigh. “You do care, Blair. I know you do. I want to change things. I want to turn them to the better.”

Blair just lets out a hollow laugh. “If this was true, you would have changed things long ago. Changed this whole wasteland of akingdom into a lush land of abundance as it once was. Instead, you milk the last essence out of everything magical just to gain more power.”

Just like her aunt.

But then her aunt would have had her butchered straight away for her insolence. Obedience had been everything. If you broke the rules, you’d signed your death wish. Gatilla’s justice had been swift and merciless. But Perenilla…

Blair tries to ignore the strange memory flaring up of what exactly happened on that platform. She’s been churning it over and over in her mind. That black tornado of magic… What it said to her. Perenilla’s stunned face.

Had she spared Sofya or…? Or had the magic… refused to obey her?

No. It can’t be. Magic has no will of its own. But then, it also doesn’t talk to people.

Maybe it hadn’t, and Blair just went a little bit crazy from the blood loss.

She scrutinizes Perenilla’s face as the witch retorts, “I could indeed return those lands to their former splendor, but spending magic on that now seems rather unwise. It is interesting, though, to note how little the war and its outcome seems to affect you, Blair, when you seemed heartbroken as I almost killed the beautiful Sofya.”

Every bit of remaining warmth in Blair’s face dies. “I would have butchered you like a lamb if you killed her.”

“Would you have? Interesting. To me, it seemed you could barely keep yourself on your feet. Almost like when your aunt died. I wonder, was it really the loss of yourbelovedaunt that shook you so badly, or was it that maybe—” Perenilla makes a show of scrutinizing her own, long silver claws now before she drawls “—that the angel disposed of you like a used, dirty rag?”

Blair feels a wave of ice coat her veins. She makes herself snarl, “Nonsense!”

“Nonsense, huh? You know, when I decided to keep you afteryour aunt died, I was surprised to see you serving me so well. How obedient you are. And I must say useful. Until now, it seems. Such a disappointment. You could have just brought me the girl, and nothing need have changed, Blair. There would have been no need to bring up the past.”

“As I said—I didn’t expect Lyrian’s army,” Blair bites out.

“Maybe you truly didn’t. But you know that the girl is of utmost importance in this war. You also know that Caryan has been searching for her like mad, which makes me wonder… perhaps you purposely left her to him, thinking you might win back his favor and save your own hide?”

“Bullshit!”

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