Page 34 of Queen of the Night
I continue sawing at the threads feverishly. “Whywould I have done that?” I grunt as I press even harder, and a thick bunch finally loosens.
“I think that’s obvious,” she spits.
“You don’t understand any of this,” I growl.
“Onthatwe can agree.” Her voice is as cold as an ice-crusted lake.
Finally, I cut through the largest portion, leaving only my ankles still wound tight. Rupi still perches on the edge of my boot, quilled up and looking ready for a fight. The ominous popping sounds closer. I give an extra push and grab on to the hanging bit of thread, my muscles resisting like flames beneath my skin at the deep stretching I’m unaccustomed to.
I thrust the knife quickly into the last section, slicing through the remaining thread, and keep a firm grip on the thread now hanging loosely above me so I don’t fall on my head. Rupi takes flight as I let go and land in a crouch beside Vera, grabbing both our swords from the ground and shoving hers into her hand. It takes a moment for me to gain my balance as the blood rushes from my head, and when it clears, I glance at Vera to make sure she’s prepared to battle our way out. But instead of choosing a defensive position, her weapon before her, she looks at me like I’m a deathstalker and she’d rather side with the velvet widow in front of us.
The spider lunges, and Vera finally does something besides stare at me with abject horror. She darts to the right, her movements mirrored in the numberless reflective eyes.
I take a swipe at one of the jointed legs, and the spider hisses and comes at me instead, grazing my arm with its pincers, but I move quickly, and finally feel the rush of lucent magic from Vera. I pull it quickly to increase my senses and speed while seeing it as a good sign she doesn’t want me dead, at least.
I scan the length of the spider, calculating the best way to kill it when I hear smaller skitters—many of them. Vera shoutsfrom somewhere in the cave and whatever she’s done draws the widow’s attention once more. It shifts its velvety body to investigate, and I spot her swinging wildly, slicing through wave after wave of baby velvet widows. Rupi swoops down to attack, her feathers still spread out in her quill form, and punctures the tiny arachnids until they stop moving. I’m impressed by the tiny bird; she’s more formidable than I’d have ever guessed.
The small purple spiders rise almost to Vera’s knees, pincers opening and closing ferociously, but their attack can only be described as disorderly. I take advantage of the widow’s distraction to use one of its long thin legs to swing onto its back, then waste no time thrusting my sword through the top of its head. It jerks, skitters from side to side momentarily, then falls in a quivering heap. I jump down to the cave floor, intending to help Vera and Rupi with the continuing wave of miniature widows swarming her.
“I don’t need your help!” she shouts as she stabs one, flings it against the wall of the cave, and goes for another.
From the look in her eyes, it’s what she’d like to do to me, as well.
“I know.” And I mean it.
It appears she can be quite fearsome when she’s angry, but it doesn’t stop me from jumping in to help. As I do so, almost methodically swinging my sword against these small enemies, I also battle confusion. One of the first conversations we had was about her dislike for kings… but she knows me now. We’ve traveled together for weeks, even visited her family. I have to believe that her reaction is simply born of habit. If we can just get a chance to talk, she’ll understand. I hope.
Chapter 22
Vera
The three of us leave the cave covered in widow blood and bits. It’s gooey and it smells, but it’s not as bad as knowing that Ikar is a king. I shoved that fact aside for survival while we fought the widows, but now that we’re out, I’m done. You cannot simplyarresta king. Or kiss one, for that matter. I mean,I did, but I most definitely shouldn’t have. I know for a fact now his story is true, but I wish he could be a criminal instead.
I could definitely fall in love with a reformed criminal… I can never be in love with a king. My breath hitches with a painful tug. I need to get away from him, end whatever this is between us.Escape.
My eyes meet Ikar’s with fiery accusation. “I still can’t believe you’re a blazingking,” I spit out as if it’s the most disgusting word I’ve ever spoken.
He stares at me, eyes hard and a muscle in his jaw flexing. I want to cry when attraction still burns bright beneath the all-encompassing betrayal.
I fist my hands, force all emotion from my face, and keepmy voice flat. “I’m done. Whatever this was”—I motion with my hand in the air between us—“it’s over.”
I need to get away from him, find another job, forget about his smile, his presence, his draw… that glimpse of bare torso and his muscled back. I shove it all down and begin formulating a new plan for my life. I pat Rupi in all her sticky widow-blood glory, but she quills her feathers out to prevent me from stroking her, as if she’s upset withmeand what I’m doing. I ignore her silent argument. She gives me a short, angry chirp and flies into the trees at our right. I’ll smooth things over with her, just as soon as I escape the king at my back.
Ikar calls from behind me. “What about my contract? You’re going to take off on your own in the Lucent Mountains?” His tone is challenging.
I hate that he’s right. I fist my hands and stop, which gives him time to catch up to me. My mind packed the last few weeks into a neat, tidy box labeledmistakeand was ready to run. But here in these mountains, I’m well and perfectly stuck.
I turn toward him with ice in my voice. “Why did you let me arrest you in the first place? Why didn’t you say something?”
My eyes burn, and my voice is louder than I intended. I feel like a fool.
He’s in front of me now, appearing just as frustrated as I and somehow still achingly handsome covered in widow-battle gore. To make it worse, there’s a guarded vulnerability in his eyes, and I don’t like how it tugs at my heart. He runs a hand through his hair, making it stand up in places, always perfectly mussed.
“I couldn’t just tell you. You don’t understand the pains I took to stay invisible, what my mission truly is.”
A bark of laughter rises in my throat. Ikar? Invisible? Hewas doomed from the beginning if that was what his plan was built on.
His eyes fill with accusation. “Don’t forget that when I dropped the biggest hint I ever could have, you rejected it and called me a murderer.”
