Page 68 of Depths
I froze and stared at him. Hedidhave a theory. “Of course not.”
The mayor turned and examined my room, his face turning a bright purple that matched the walls. “Well … given the nature of the attacks on you and your competitors, I’d wager that whoever is doing this has inside access to you and them. A guard maybe. A maid. Someone …” He shrugged as he trailed off.
His words hit home. I chewed my lip as I pondered what he said. I felt the truth of his statement in my bones. Hadn’t Felipe said as much after the attack on the road? The route had been secret. Today, none but my staff, the competitors, and some guards had early access to the arena.
I glanced back up and met the mayor’s eyes. He gave another sheepish lift of his shoulders as he said, “Well … you know the old saying, keep your friends close, enemies closer?”
I gave a brief nod. It was the very reason I’d invited Watkins to the tournament.
Shite.
Deacon let out a relieved sigh and turned to leave. He’d swum all the way to the door before I called out, “Mayor Deacon?”
He turned. “Yes?”
“Can you have the undead witch Lizza sent to me, please?”
“Now?” he asked.
I nodded. “Yes. Now. There’s something I need her to do.” Lizza had said the man didn’t need to be present. She’d said she could magic the heart from my chest into his. Well, Watkins had no idea what was coming for him. That arrogant shite—attacking everyone right under my nose as I tried, like a simpleton, to break through to him. Fury pulsed hot and bright behind my eyes as I made the decision not to give my heart to a good man.
Lizza walked in and as soon as she saw me, she knew. She shooed away my guards and locked the door behind her. “Who, Majesty?” she asked.
“First, confirm for me … the person I give my heart to doesn’t have to know they have it, do they?”
Lizza’s face tilted to the side. “No. But that’s awfully risky.”
It was. But, luckily, my worst enemy was the man I’d invited to join my tournament. An ass who thought he had the upper hand. But I was about to bind him to me and cut off his free will forever.
I leveled my gaze on Lizza. “I want you to give my heart to my worst enemy.”
Epilogue
Raj
Hours ago,I watched her swim down the length of the arena, hand to her mouth, horror etched on her youthful face, an expression as beautiful as any I’d ever seen in my torture chambers in Cheryn.
I had longed to swim closer, to watch her as she leaned over the body of her newest favored and sobbed, but I’d known better than to do that. Gloating merely begot discovery … and I wasn’t ready to be unmasked just yet.
Instead, I’d pretended to help a bit. Pretended to be concerned and sad and shocked. Playing the fool was such fun, more amusement than I’d had in centuries.
I hadn’t even minded when the undead witch brought the stupid boy back to life. It just meant I’d get the chance to kill him again.
Him. And the others. One by one.
No one even suspected me, the fools. My disguise was so perfect, so complete, that no one would ever guess my real identity.
Inside, I grinned wildly as I swam back to my assigned room in the mayor’s palace, though my face was the perfect mask of solemnity.
Breaking this little bitch was going easier than I’d imagined, given who her mother was and the queen who raised her. Both of them were as hard as diamond. I was a little disappointed actually; I had hoped this challenge would take a bit longer.
It had been too simple, too easy to wish the first man became an ass, whip another into bloodlust, crumble that arena.
Even a monarch in their infancy should have recognized my attacks for what they were.
But no, the little sea queen had been too blinded by the rebellion churning up the water. She hadn’t even suspected … It gave my victory a bitter aftertaste. I didn’t want to be caught, but my brilliance was going all but ignored.
Such were the trials of genius. To be overlooked constantly by those with eyes too small to see the predator looming near … They were like plankton to a whale, mere seal pups to a shark. The little queen had no idea that I was about to swallow her up.
