Page 117 of Queen of the Night
I try to get past the crazed look in her eyes, help her see sense. This isn’t what she really wants, is it?
“Look. I’m in love with someone else. Help me get away, and Renton willhaveto choose you!”
Sweat rolls between the crease of my shoulder blades as she leans her weight against the swords, pressing them closer to me. I know exactly what I should do next—my training thrums in my muscles, but I resist. Tatania has never said anything like this. She’s just traumatized; she can’t really feel this way.
“Please,” I gasp, struggling to keep hold with my sweaty grip.
But her eyes are cold and hard, unreachable. As determined as a bantha stalking its prey. In that moment, I realize she means it. She won’t stop. It’s her or me, and if it’s me, I’m not going out begging for my life.
“I tried asking nicely, Avenara. I asked you tohideso Renton couldn’t find you, and I wouldn’t have to kill you. Then I was patient enough to help you escape after he caught you. But youconstantlyrebel. You’re caughtagain, and now you’ll die because of it. Renton is mine.”
I risk ducking and pushing my sword up simultaneously, causing Tatania’s blade to slip off mine. It sends her crashing into the weapons behind me as I scuttle away and regroup. I gasp when she turns around. A gnarly gash is openly bleeding, stretching from her cheekbone through her once-perfect lips. If eyes could be fire, that’s what hers would be.
“Your name wasn’t on that list.” Pieces begin to come together.
“Of course not. I’m the one who created it.” The blood is flowing in rivulets down her pale cheek and dripping onto her blouse. It’s making me sort of queasy.
She doesn’t seem to notice it, her eyes full of indescribable hate. “What better way to encourage the rest of you tohide? Or perhaps be caught and killed by a mercenary so I didn’t have to do it? I didn’tintendto kill any of you.Youjust insist on continually being difficult.”
Rage builds in my veins. “I got to know Renton pretty well in his gloam camp.” Her eyes burn brighter in a way I didn’t know possible. “And while I’ll do everything to stop him, I think he wants a woman with loyalty, and you’ll never have that.”
Her lips turn in a bloody sneer as she swings again.
I lived with a hollow belly, dirt-poor and half-starved, taking dangerous jobs becausesheclaimed we needed to be protected and pay exorbitant amounts of money for worthless bracelets. Now she wants to murder me? Not happening.
I block her swings with relative ease. My breath is speeding up with the effort, but not as bad as hers.
But I have to know one last thing. “Tell me, were the duesreallyfor the charmer?”
She grins wickedly. “Of course. I’m not heartless. I gave the charmer half.” Her tone is cocky, and it distracts her enough that I’m able to gather my strength.
I use our crossed blades to shove her sword back with a war cry, and don’t let myself think as I switch the angle of my weapon and push the blade through her.
She stumbles back before she falls to the ground in a heap, appearing surprised that I actually did it. I look down at her with growing horror, but I see none of the love I imagined in her eyes all these years. Even as she dies, she stares at me with hatred. A moment later, her breath stops.
I killed Tatania.
Sorrow tears a gaping hole in my heart as I stare at her in shock. The woman I thought of as a sort of mother… one I trusted all these years… she wanted Renton? This is all too much at once.
My hands begin to tingle, and the sword drops from my hand with a loud clatter as my hands turn clammy and cold. I clutch my stomach as I feel its contents begin to rebel and a single horrified sob that doesn’t sound like my own rips from my throat.
I jump when I hear a deep chuckle to my right, near the entrance of the weapon room. I turn, slightlydizzy, to find Renton, one shoulder against the door frame in a relaxed manner, as though he watched simply for entertainment.
A pleased grin turns his lips. “I knew you had it in you.” He taps his temple. “Like I said, you’re stronger than the others.”
“You stood there and… watched?” My stomach still roils with revulsion over what I’ve done.
Amusement shines in his eyes. He lifts a hand, and I watch tendrils of black gloam swirl around his fingertips. “I wouldn’t have let her kill you.”
I’m not sure what he expects. Is he waiting for me to run into his arms bursting with gratitude that he stood here, ready,just in case? I’m surrounded by lunatics.
“Further proof you will make an excellent shadow queen,” he adds.
I think it’s meant to be a compliment, but I hate it. I just killed the woman I’ve always trusted to keep me safe, second only to Mama Tina. Tatania tried tomurderme. How long has she hated me? I feel oddly numb as Renton wraps an arm around my shoulders, and a wave of chill rushes over me while I stand amidst the gloam that swirls around him. He leads me back toward the room I thought I’d escaped, and I listlessly allow him as my thoughts sluggishly churn.
He chats the entire way, reassuring me that the shock will pass, and I will be stronger for it. He mentions something about how he hates to rush our wedding, but it must take place tomorrow, and that I must get some sleep. It’s odd how normal he seems at times. I don’t say a word, but it doesn’t ruffle him—as usual. We’ve quickly returned to our previous status, and as he tucks me into bed, I numbly accept that this is soon to be my life.
Chapter 65
