Page 62 of Beholden
“No.” I twisted one of my pearl rings, admiring the iridescent white. I waited several long moments, allowing the soldiers as well as the other nobility present in my great hall to squirm. They needed to fear what I would do. Such fear was healthy for the people and kept them subservient.
“As you have failed in capturing the leaders of the slave revolt,” I finally said, “I should have each of you hanged, drawn, and quartered.”
Beads of sweat broke out on the commander’s forehead beneath his hood of chain mail. Since Midsummer’s Eve, the people had hailed Prince Vilmar and Lady Gabriella as heroes for subduing Grendel.
However, I’d steadily undermined the two, spreading word about how they’d led a slave revolt and freed dozens of dangerous criminals who were now roaming throughout Warwick causing terror. In order to perpetuate the tale, I’d released the vilest and most violent criminals from my dungeons and given them leave to strike fear in the hearts of the people at will.
Day by day, as more violence and crime spread throughout the land, the tide of opinion had begun to shift so people no longer praised Prince Vilmar and Lady Gabriella quite so loudly. I’d instructed my most trusted servants to plant seeds of discord, and now the people were complaining they’d been rescued from one terror only to be besieged by another.
“I shall show you mercy this day. Instead of rightly punishing you for failing me, I shall instead give you another task by which you can atone for your mistakes.”
“Thank you, Your Majesty.” The commander bowed his head again, but not before I caught sight of his relief. “We are most grateful. Your word shall be our command.”
I rose from my throne, and my gown trimmed in rubies clinked against the marble floor. Anger rushed through me as it had since Grendel’s capture and the realization that I would no longer be able to continue making jewels. After all, I couldn’t simply rush out and kill beautiful maidens, not without a valid excuse. Doing so would incite the people to revolt, especially when the rumblings of rebellion were already spreading.
Henceforth, the time had come for me to change my tactics and accomplish the one thing no one else had ever been able to do—make gold. I’d been the one to labor tirelessly with my alchemists for years to decipher the ultimate ingredient. Now history would forever remember me for my discovery. And for my power and wealth. Once I made the gold and others learned of my capability, I’d be able to command the allegiance of kings and kingdoms far and wide.
“I shall send you on a new quest, and this time you must not fail me.”
“Of course not, Your Majesty.” The commander rose, fresh determination pinching his noble features. I didn’t know this man’s name, nor did I care. He was only one of many who’d served me and failed. Likely he would fail me again and meet his demise, as had all the others who’d come before him.
“Today you must leave with all haste. And do not return until you find Princess Pearl.”
The relief that had moments ago been upon the commander’s face fell away, replaced with undisguised dismay. “How are we to find Princess Pearl, Your Majesty, when she is dead?”
I still seethed whenever I realized Pearl had outsmarted me and escaped. Of course, I hadn’t comprehended it right away. When the huntsmen had returned with the heart as I’d requested, I’d believed we finally had the ingredient we needed to make gold—the heart of not only the fairest maiden, but also a heart beating with royal blood.
However, the alchemy experiments had failed completely, and one of my alchemists had discovered the huntsmen had brought in the heart of a deer. Though the huntsmen all denied knowing what had happened to the princess, I’d meted out punishment, killing those privy to my plans and sending the rest to languish as slaves in the mine.
Princess Pearl was not dead. Not in the least. And now it was time to lure her out of hiding, capture her, and finish getting what I needed from her—her heart. I had to do so before time ran out.
“I have received word,” I said loud enough to reach the far corners of the great hall. “The princess is alive but has been hiding these many months, raising an army of dangerous dissidents and scheming how she might attack Warwick and take the throne away from me.”
I paused, reveling in the gasps and murmurs arising. Of course, I’d heard no such things, but I had to rally the people to my side and not to Pearl’s.
“We must find her,” I said even louder and with authority, “before she can attack.”
“How do you suggest we locate her, Your Majesty?” the commander asked.
I’d been mulling over how to do so all week, analyzing the princess’s weaknesses. And after much speculation, I’d figured out exactly what would cause the princess to come out of hiding.
All I had to do was threaten to destroy the one person she cared about most—Ruby. Once I did so, Pearl would cut out her own heart and deliver it to me in order to save her younger sister. Of that I was certain.
