Page 56 of Magick and Lead
“It can’t be otherwise.”
“And why’s that?”
“For the sake of Maethalia.”
“Oh God,” he rolled his eyes. “Maybe there’s a way to save your kingdomandbe happy. Did you ever think of that?”
“You assume too much,” I said. “Whoever saidyoumake me happy? Whoever said I want tobehappy? The feelings of one person mean nothing compared to the well-being of a nation. But I would never expect a fame-hungry peacock like you to understand that.”
Anger flashed in his eyes. “You sound like your mother.”
My jaw dropped at those words. “I am a queen, just as she was, before your friends murdered her,” I said. “You would do well to remember it.”
He got in my face, then, so close I could feel his breath on my lips.
“And you would do well to remember I’m sticking my neck out to help you, Princess. I’m riskingeverything?—”
“Please! Helping me is the only thing keeping you alive,” I shot back. “I came here to end you. To free Parthar from his bond.”
For a second, he paused. “Is that true? You really came all this way just to kill me?”
“What did you think? That I missed you?” I snorted a bitter laugh. “That I crossed a sea and tracked you down in a city of millions just to see your stupid, handsome face again. And once I saw you with that Kitty, I suddenly became so jealous I drewmy dagger…. Yes, Charlie. Of course I came to kill you. I couldn’t wait to do it.”
Careful,Othura said in my mind—before I blocked her out again.
She was right, though. This conversation was getting out of control. I shouldn’t push Charlie away now. I still needed him. But telling him the truth—hurting him—felt so good, it was hard to stop.
“And what do you plan to do when this is all over?” he asked now, his voice low. “Once I’ve helped you find Kortoi? Do you still plan on killing me?”
I hesitated so long my silence became an answer of its own. Still, I forced myself to look at him. “Yes,” I said.
Music hung around us, manic and frenzied. Revelers streamed past, chatting and shouting. But we remained still. Frozen. Locked together in silent defiance.
Finally, he leaned in close, looming over me, fire in his eyes. “You think I’m afraid of you, Essa? I’m not the weak little reporter I pretended to be. I’m no poet. I’m a goddamn ace.”
“Yes, you are. An ace and a killer,” I said. At those words, an image flashed through my mind: Mother and her dragon, slipping beneath the water of the Olam Sea, lost forever to the deep. As they sank in my mind, rage rose in me, a desire to deal Charlie a death blow. To end the conversation forever. To win. “That’s why I’ll always hate you,” I said.
At my words, something in Charlie’s eyes changed, like ice cracking on a frozen lake.
My insides squirmed with discomfort. Part of me already wanted to apologize, to take back what I’d said. And yet… I hadn’t been lying, either. I did hate Charlie for the way he’d deceived me.
The orchestra’s frantic song ended, giving way to sudden applause.
“Essa…” Charlie started, his voice low and anguished.
“Why don’t you leave the girl alone, Inman?”
We both turned to find a tall, good-looking young man approaching us. He had perfectly coifed hair and finely sculpted cheekbones and walked with the swagger of a rooster, strutting among hens.
“Major Carter Blaize,” the man said, giving me a nod of greeting.
“Fuck off,” Charlie growled.
The other man tsked. “Language, Charlie. There’s a lady present. A lovely one, at that,” he turned to me and offered me his hand. “Would you care to dance?”
Charlie’s face had gone from flushed to white. His hands were in fists.
Who was more powerful, a queen or an ace? I guessed this was my opportunity to show him. I took the man’s hand.
