The first queen stands before me, clear as can be. “So, you found me.”
“I wanted to make certain you're real.”
“That's smart. Good initiative, like a queen needs.”
At least I did one thing right.
“You did more than one thing right. You've done a lot of things right. You're making a lot of progress, a good portion of which is due to Nash.”
“You know Nash?”
“I do. He's good for you. You should open up to him more, instead of arguing with him.”
“Because that would mean opening up with you too.”
“It's true. It would help me as well. That doesn't mean it wouldn't be good for you. If you're not ready to talk to him, are you ready to talk to me?”
“No.” Never. I can't open myself up to secrets that would hurt.
“You have to give in sometime. It's not good to keep things locked up inside.”
I ignore her comment and say, “I need your help.”
“That's why I'm here.”
“How have the other queens ruled? How have they handled changing laws and doing what's best for the people?”
She gives me a look that I don't understand, which is strange; I can usually read people. Maybe it's because I'm in a dream. She says, “Queens don't always do what's best for the people.”
“That much is evident. How can I?”
“You need to look into your heart. Your feelings. Deep down, you know what you should do.”
It doesn't feel that way.
“Why is it so hard to find information on you?” I ask.
“Because I existed so long ago. Most knowledge about me was long ago lost or destroyed.”
“Why destroyed?”
“Because people don’t always appreciate what they have. Which is why I imbued myself into the Mortum Tura with magic. I knew things would be misplaced over time, but I wouldn't go missing, as long as they used the chalice to choose a new queen.”
“How did you make the chalice?”
She sits down like she's on a chair, but really, she just floats in the middle of the blurry, colored space. “That is a story for another time. For now, we need to learn about your worth.”
“I'd rather learn about the chalice.”
“Of course you would, which is part of the reason it's so important to discuss your value. You're over an entire kingdom now. You can't be taking risks like climbing up the side of the building. What if you fell?”
“I never fall.”
“But what if you did?”
I jolt awake. What was that sound?
There it is again—a faint patter of steps.
I slowly reach under my pillow and grab my dagger. Whoever it is, they aren’t going to take my life. The first queen has a point. I'm over a whole country now. Besides, I won't be killed in my bed.
The whistle of something moving quickly though the air is the only warning I get that a knife is hurtled toward me. I dodge out of the way and then spring up on my feet. I take a step toward the window, where my attacker is, and kick him square in the chest.
He falls with a grunt. There's not time to light a candle and see who it is. I crouch down, dagger in hand, ready to attack.
There's a shuffle of movement from my attacker, but he’s moving away from me, not closer. My attacker is scared. I run toward the noise. A shadow moves. I jump on it, putting my dagger to its neck.
The person tries to shove me off, but I cling to them. “Move, and I'll jam this dagger through your neck,” I say.
My attacker freezes in place.
“Guards,” I call out as loud as I can. I don't need them, but it'd make things easier. Especially since my attacker is big. I'm glad I already I had my dagger to his throat before I realized how big he is. Not that it would have stopped me, but maybe I wouldn't have been so quick to jump on him, and the fight would have lasted longer. It would have been nice to spar with someone like I’m used to.
My door opens, and my two guards come in, one holding up a candle.
“Crimany,” one of them says.
The other jumps to action, pulling out his sword and putting the blade between me and the big man. I pry myself from the attacker, who has a mean grin.
“Are you all right, My Queen?” Afet asks.
Before I can answer, the attacker swings around and knocks to the ground the soldier who drew out his sword. I throw my dagger at the burly man, and the blade sinks a couple inches into his back.
He howls and barrels at me. I jump back as his sword swings my way. Afet has no such problems. He knocks the attacker's sword with his own. Soon, the sound of metal against metal fills the room.
The first guard gets to his feet and glances at me.
“Go for help,” I tell him.
Not that we have much use for it. By the time assistance arrives, this fight will be long over. The guard listens, though, and runs from the room. That or he's a coward.
The attacker doesn't seem to care about the guard going for help. He keeps at Afet, trying to get to me. I circle around with Afet as he moves to avoid being hit.
An opening appears. I pull back my arm, ready to throw, but at the last second I stop myself. It's that or have the blade embedded in the huge man's heart. I want to let it go, but I promised myself I wouldn't kill again. Even if it's to defend my own life, I can't bring myself to break that promise.
The moment is gone.
“Get out of my way,” the attacker yells at Afet.
“On my honor, I won't leave the queen.”
“She's no royal.” The man growls and hurls himself into the fight.
I dive down and watch the men's feet move like a dance. As soon as Afet lunges to the side, I spring up and jam my dagger into the man's thigh.
He howls and flashes his blade my way. I dive back, but before I get there, Afet's sword blocks my attacker's.
The huge man continues to fight, even with my blade jammed in his leg. He leans heavily on his good one, his swordsmanship more than making up for his injury. I pull myself toward the bed and grab two more daggers from under my pillow.
Afet cries out. He's been hurt, a line of blood welling up across his arm. If I didn't know he was on my side before, now would tell me he is at least trying to appear that way. Not that I can ever be sure. I let my daggers go, one right after another, to sink into the attacker’s upper left shoulder and his sword hand.
He drops his sword with a grunt. Even as it clangs to the floor, I'm grabbing another blade and running toward him. His good hand also has a dagger in it, but that doesn't stop me. I move right up to him, block his dagger with one hand, and press a blade to his neck with the other.
“Don't move.” Venom oozes through my words.
“Are you well, Your Majesty?” Afet asks.
“Fine.” Though I wouldn't be if I hadn’t woken up.
The attacker isn't only big but has a scowl on his meaty lips. It's not enough to scare me. Is he sent from the same person as the others, or are there up to three people who want to take my life?
Knowing I'm not going to get an answer, I ask, “Who sent you?”
“Someone who wants you dead.”
Afet shoves him to his knees, his arm still bleeding. “Your queen asked you a question.”
The man has the audacity to laugh.
Thoughts of the torture I've been through hum to life. I'm confident I could get answers out of him, but at what cost? Could I forgive myself for becoming like Daros?
Guards run into the room, but I only pay them enough attention to make certain they're not a threat.
“You're going to spend a long time in the dungeon, unless you tell me who sent you,” I say to my attacker. I'm confident he won't care, but I have to try.
“There's nothing you can do to me that'd make me admit anything,” my attacker says.
Which makes me think of Daros sending him again. But he can't be the only cruel person out there. It could be anyone. “Take him away.”
“I'll get him to the dungeon,” Afet says. “We'll find out what we can from him.”
“Thank you, gentleman. That will be all.”
The guards leave the room with little fuss from my attacker, but Afet stays behind.
“Are you all right?” I ask him.
“It's a scratch.”
A guard goes to the window. “There doesn't seem to be anyone else out there.”
I nod. That doesn't mean I'm safe, though. I've got to find out who's sending these men after me.