Page 35 of A Court of Hearts and Hunger
“We’re getting to know each other better,” says Caer cheerfully. “Some Heartless tore a few holes in me while I was out doing your dirty work, and Alice saved my life.”
“Saved your life,” says the Rabbit hoarsely, with a fierce glance at me. “Why would she do that?”
“Well, because… because I may have bargained with her… just a tiny bargain…” Caer cringes as the Rabbit stalks nearer.
“What was the bargain?”
Neither Caer nor I respond.
The Rabbit crouches beside us, his red eyes burning with a terrible, agonized rage. “I just finished cumming inside the fucking Eater of Hearts, the vile Queen who is rotting this kingdom from the inside out. I’m not in the mood for your bullshit,” he spits the word toward Caer, “or for yours, girl.”
My mind whirls at this revelation—and my heart sinks, disappointed for some reason I don’t want to explore right now.
“Tell. Me. The bargain,” he growls.
“I promised I wouldn’t harm her,” says Caer quietly. “And I vowed to protect her from you.”
“That’s rich,” scoffs the Rabbit. “How did you bind the oath?”
“Blood and kisses. And I gave her my name.”
“Fuck.” The Rabbit chews his lip. “It will be a difficult bond to break, but it can be done.”
“I thought as much.” Caer rises from the floor, stretching his long limbs and cracking his neck.
The gleam of hope in my heart goes out in the chill wind of realization. “You knew he could undo any oath you made to me,” I say faintly.
“Sorry, mousie.” Caer flashes me a grin that shows all his savage, sparkling teeth. “I did what I had to do to survive. How very human of me.”
“Take her back to her cell and give her some food,” says the Rabbit. His scarred fingers are twitching, fiddling with the edges of his satin garments. “I need to wash off the stench of the Dread Court and its insatiable tyrant.”
“Did you learn anything new?” asks Caer. “Anything that might help us?”
A shadow of pained desperation falls over the Rabbit’s face. “Only what we already knew. She eats nothing but hearts, and chooses her victims at random. No chance of knowing whom she’ll pick. She drinks nothing but wine, tasted for her in advance by one of her personal bodyguards. Someone tried to kill her last night—threw a rictanus bomb right at her—it did nothing at all. She laughed, Caer. Laughed, and then slashed the Fae to bloody, pulsating ribbons. She perceives the results of spells normally, but when magic is enacted on her, it seems to have no effect.”
“And you still don’t know how she became this—thing? This creature that subsists on hearts and draws power from her victims?”
The Rabbit tosses jeweled fingers through his wavy hair. “I am trying.”
“I know.” Caer sighs, then reaches down to me. I’m too shaky to stand on my own, so I let him help me up. “I’ll take care of our little pet. You get cleaned up and get some sleep. And then I’d be glad to play a few rounds of Jacks-and-Antlers, if you need something to take your mind off your time with her.”
The Rabbit nods, his jaw hard.
“You know I’d do it if I could,” Caer tells him softly. “If she had shown any interest in me—”
“I know.” The Rabbit cuts him off. “I don’t need your pity. Do your job, and make no more bargains with the kitten. Understand?”
“Agreed.” Caer sounds almost penitent, and it makes me furious because I thought he was softening toward me. I thought he and I had a connection, a friendliness developing between us.
But I was wrong.
11
My mind is a slow, groggy sludge. It takes me a moment to recall where I am, what happened last night—and in that moment of uncertainty I panic, picturing all the terrible places I’ve awakened throughout my long life.
I leap upright, standing on the mattress, wings rigid and claws out, my chest heaving as I stare wildly around the room.
Small fingers curl around my ankle, warm and reassuring.
