Page 149 of Wedlock
“And the Queen said, take her to be examined, she didn’t say manhandle her. Put her down at once.”
Grumbling, he pulls me off his shoulder and back onto my own two feet. Gripping my arm, he nods to Attracta as she steps aside.
As I’m propelled before him I turn my head to her and mouth, “thank you.”
The old me might have screamed and begged Attracta for help, but I’m not the helpless human I once was and I’m beginning to understand that in this world, the weak are dispensable.
And I’m not weak. Not anymore.
“I need to fix my hair,” I murmur quietly to the guard, “do you mind? I’ll do it as we walk.”
Grunting, he releases my arm and I keep up with his steps as I redo my hair, which had come out of its French knot when I was thrown over his shoulder. I’m bothering with it not only because I know I’ll need to look my best if I’m to bluff my way out of this predicament unscathed, but also to gain his trust.
When we reach what I have to assume are the doctor’s rooms, the guard knocks on the door, and a familiar face answers.
“Hello, Doctor,” I smile sweetly.
“Lady Dragonspur,” he bows, “what a pleasure to see you again. Please, come in.”
As I step into the room the doctor closes the door firmly behind me, leaving the guard outside just as I’d hoped would happen if I appeared to be compliant. And just as I’d hoped, the doctor was the same one who had visited Tiger when the boy had fallen intoa coma. A doctor who has no reason to believe me to be anything other than kind and civilised, and most certainly no reason to anticipate any violence from ‘Lady Dragonspur.’
His mistake.
“The queen has asked that I examine you, Lady Dragonspur,” he says quietly as he turns to me, drawing on rubber gloves.
“Yes,” I frown, my eyes drawn to his hands, “however, I’d prefer not, if you don’t mind.”
“I understand. However, she hasorderedthat I undertake this examination.”
I raise my eyes to his.
“And if I refuse?”
“I hope, Lady Dragonspur, very much, that restraint isn’t going to be necessary.”
I follow his eyes to the thick leather straps hanging from the side of the examination table, and try to suppress the shiver that runs up my spine. It’s obvious that being the personal physician to the Queen has meant he’s no stranger to doing bad things. It also seems to me, now that I look around the room, that he might enjoy his role a little too much.
Keeping calm, and reminding myself to act ‘royal’ I channel my inner Eleanor.
“Of course, Doctor,” I smile and nod my compliance, “I was merely curious.”
“Wonderful,” he smiles, the sentiment not showing in his eyes. “Now if you wouldn’t mind disrobing and hopping up on the examination table. You can cover yourself with the sheet and call when you’re ready.I’ll wait next door.”
He heads through another door on the opposite side of the room and the moment I’m alone I scan my surroundings, eyes wide and breath coming too fast.
‘What kind of a doctor has restraints? Holy fuck, what the hell are some of those implements on the wall, torture devices? They look like something from the Spanish Inquisition. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck.”
My knees are trembling, but the Queen cannot know that I can still have children. I have to do everything in my power to avoid this examination if I want to avoid becoming nothing more than a brood mare destined to watch countless children be taken and destroyed by The Families.
As I spot a covered tray on a stainless-steel bench near the window, I flick off a blue cotton cloth and find a range of hypodermic needles. One is full of a pale orange liquid. Taking the syringe, I hold it behind my back and walk to stand by the door. I steel myself for what I’m about to do by recalling Yin once telling me that the only solution for bad people was good people more skilled in violence.
These past few years, I’d upskilled.
My heart is literally pounding in my chest as I brace myself to call the doctor back. He’s a vampire, so I know disabling him isn’t going to be easy, but I’m going to try.
“I’m ready, Doctor!”
The moment he opens the door, I lunge.
