Page 332 of Kingdoms of Night

I hear screams of agreement, and applause in the distance, though my mind's too frazzled and unfocused to pick out her supporters.

"Not your daughters, not your sisters. A filthy mortal!" Her voice raises to a shout as she crosses the space between us and slaps my face, holding none of her strength back.

I could pass out from the pain. I think the only thing keeping me conscious is my rage.

I spit in her direction and kick out, ignoring the pain at my underarms brought by the movement. She laughs, grabbing the leg in midair, then lifting it as high as it goes.

Morag then shocks me further, doing something worse. The bitch smirks as she brings her hand between my legs and shoves a finger inside me.

I scream and writhe to get away from her. From our first meeting, I knew she wanted me, and that she hated me. Now she's getting to act on both.

"Warm and wet." She laughs, so high she sounds like a madwoman. "Why, noble folks, it seems like the whore enjoys being roughened a little. No wonder the king chose her. Come and try the goods for yourself. All are welcome at my table."

Her audience doesn't hesitate, joining us on her dais.

Then I wish I had passed out. They touch me. They pinch my nipples and laugh when I scream. A man gets on his knees and brings his mouth to me. I feel nothing but disgust and fury. "He'll kill you! He'll kill every single one of you!" My words only make them laugh harder, but I don't doubt their truth.

If I know anything at all, it's that Dryan will find me. Even if it's too late, even if Morag has killed me, it's a comfort like no other because I don't doubt that he'll destroy every single one of them.

A blue-skinned fae with eyes of onyx is the first to open his pants and grab his cock. He's not the last. As this fiend jerks himself off to my torment, Morag's second also unsheathes himself and rubs his cock against my feet. If he could press closer, he might shove it inside me, but there are a dozen nobles surrounding me, their fingers and tongues and mouths on my skin.

I don't even see him at first. I'm too lost in this nightmare. It's only when the screaming starts that my eyes flutter open. At first, Dryan stands alone, bare chested, with nothing but a sword in his hand. And just him is more than enough, but as he disappears in a blur of lethal moves, his sword cracking against skills and severing limbs, I see he has brought companions.

The hunt.

Calreth is a ghost, and a single touch from him is enough for folks to lose themselves in madness. They scream, white as a sheet, and scratch at their eyes, pulling them out. Trying to dig out their own hearts.

Keira is merciful enough to slice their throats as they despair.

The rest of the hunt is armed with arrows or blades. In less than a handful of heartbeats, there's nothing but silence engulfing the hall.

I think I could have passed out again, but Dryan releases me from the hook. The pain of the shift has me screaming louder than Calreth's victims.

"Healer!" Dryan screams.

"I’ve got her," his friend says, approaching slowly.

I instinctively attempt to move away from his touch. I've seen what it does.

"Shhh. You're safe. You're well. You're invisible. You're immortal, queen of the north." His voice lulls me into a strange trance, and against all sense, I believe him.

I am safe.

AndI am a queen.

CHAPTERNINETEEN

Iwake in my room.

Strange that in so little time, it has become mine, but I feel perfectly comfortable calling it that.

My hand reaches out toward the usually empty, but warm spot where Dryan sleeps, and I feel a smile when it reaches his hard muscles. "Good day."

"Good day? After the fright she gave us, she says good day?" I lift my head to find Iara glaring down at me.

"Play nice or get out," Dryan grumbles, his voice sleepy.

I have never actually seen him sleep, but his eyes are closed and he seems reluctant to get up.

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