Page 91 of Queen of Ever

But she was sitting up higher in the bed, her gaze flicking back and forth, staring into the distance as she relived something I couldn’t see.‘Marietta died.’

I squeezed her hand.‘Yes.’

Her eyes grew glassy.‘She was trying to protect me from him.’A tear surfaced, spilled like starlight down her cheek.‘He took her life like it was nothing.’

‘You made him pay for it.’

Her throat bobbed as she swallowed, closing her eyes for a few moments, another tear falling.Then she took a deep breath.Nodded.Opened her eyes again.‘If we’re at Dreadhold… what happened to the rebels?’

I kept my voice quiet.Soothing.I’d answer her questions, but I wished she wouldn’t ask them just yet.‘Heavy losses, but Sylara is alive.And Ethan.And everyone you sealed in that cavern, including Haddock.’Pausing, I tried to think of something comforting to say.Something to soften her grief.Floundered.Comforting wasn’t my strong suit, and I doubted any of what had happened could be eased with words alone.‘You saved a lot of lives there.I didn’t really know Marietta, but if she was fighting with the lesser fae, then I think she’d be grateful for that.’

Imogen blew out a shaky breath, squeezed my hand back.Then her eyes widened.‘If I beat Solas… Does that mean I’m the Seelie Queen?’

Now we’d reached the part Ireallydidn’t think she needed to be thinking about.‘Yes.’

‘Shit.’She chewed her lip, frowning.‘Do—’

A knock sounded at the door, cutting her off.‘Your Majesty?’a voice called softly.

‘Not now,’ I replied, gaze flicking briefly to the door.

‘Of course.Begging your pardon.’There was the sound of footsteps withdrawing down the hallway.

Imogen’s brow crease deepened.‘Were they addressing me or… you?’she asked.

I scrubbed a hand through my hair as I blew out a breath.‘Could have been either,’ I replied wearily.

She stared at me, teeth worrying at her lip, like she was chewing on the question she wanted to ask.‘What happened to your mother?’

‘She’s buried beneath the ocean.’

Something like alarm passed over her face.‘You killed her?’

‘No.’

Relief softened her shocked expression, though I didn’t know why Moriana deserved her mercy.‘I’m glad you didn’t have to do that.’

Did I need to add that I’d intended to, that I’dwantedto, that if it hadn’t been for Ruisin’s favour, I would have?Probably not.‘She’s in a prison we call the Drowned Keep.Her magic is restricted, the prison is a long way away and no one has ever escaped from it.She’s not a threat anymore.’I rolled my shoulders as I spoke, stretching stiff muscles.

‘You’ve been sitting here a while,’ Imogen noted as she watched me rub at my neck.

‘I wanted to be here when you woke up.’I smiled, brushing fingers across her cheek.‘I wanted to see your eyes.’She leaned into my touch and as I turned my hand to cup her face I was choked with gratitude that she was here with me when she’d come so close to being lost to me forever.

‘What happened after I killed Solas?’she asked.

That answer required an explanation that went further back than the battle.So I explained my visit to Ruisin, the favour and the portal, explained the mate bond my mother had broken, and the dragon who had arrived on the battlefield to seek his justice.

‘She cut out his heart?’Imogen asked, the horror peaking her brows.

‘She was already planning to marry my father when she met Ruisin.It was back when dealings between High and lesser fae weren’t what they are now, and he had a place as an advisor to both courts at the time.Their bond snapped into place when he brushed past her in a hallway.They courted and she made him believe she’d given up her plan to marry into a crown.’

‘That’s cruel.Why would she go to all the effort of pretending?’

‘To gain his trust.Dragons aren’t easy to injure, even without their scales.I think she gave him her fiorainm so he’d let down his guard.But dragons are one of the few creatures that don’t have a fiorainm, so she convinced him to give her a secret of his race in its place.He told her how to create a blade to cut through dragon hide.’

Imogen shook her head, like she was trying to shake off the image conjured by the story.‘But he lived because he has more than one heart?’

‘I think it crippled him in a lot of ways.He can’t use magic at all, which he’s pretty bitter about.’

---