I sit outside the room where Daros has been kept with numerous guards the last several days. I should have come sooner, but I let despair about my situation overcome me.
No more.
I won’t allow Daros and the First Queen to win, not without a fight.
After steeling myself, I tell them to go in. Nash pushes my chair, and Jaku is by my side with his shoulder in a sling. With their help, I will do this. Daros doesn’t stand a chance under our pressure. We will find out how to take down the First Queen and restore this country to the glory it deserves, instead of letting it be ruled by a tyrant who’s taken over queens since the beginning of her reign.
That’s what I tell myself.
In reality, I’m scared of him like never before, my insides quivering. What secrets does he hold? What does he know of the First Queen? How is he going to use it against me?
“Are you ready to do this?” Jaku asks before he opens the door.
Not sure. “Past ready. This needs to be taken care of.” Though if I lose the connection to the First Queen, will I lose my access to a world where I can move? Will the nightmares return? So far, despite the First Queen no longer visiting my dreams, my sleep has been heavy and dreamless, but the worry is still there, hovering.
Doesn’t matter. I will do what I’m called for on behalf of my people. Besides, I want to live my life, not be under the rule of someone inside my head.
Jaku opens the door and orders the guards out to wait in the hall with the rest of my escorts—Julina, Eldim, Afet, and several others. None of them have been told what’s going on. Only Jaku, Nash, Daros, and I know about the First Queen and the full extent of her reign of terror.
Once the guards exit, Jaku enters, and Nash pushes my wheelchair inside. The room is dark, lit only by a couple of torches by the door. There’s a bed on one side, a pot in the corner, a small table, and by the far wall is Daros, tied to the chair multiple times. At Jaku’s orders, he’s not to be around me unless he's incapacitated. Orders I agree with, not for my sake, but also for all those around me.
“Finally come to see me?” Daros’s voice is hoarse, as if he’s been talking or screaming for a long period of time.
He was not to be tortured, so he shouldn’t have been screaming, and I can’t imagine what he would be talking about. His dark eyes are sunken under his thick eyebrows, and his cheeks are leaner, as is the rest of him. The bulk of fat and muscle has been replaced with a thinner, weaker Daros. He'd lost weight before his captivity, but I’d never bothered to care why. Part of me wants to ask what happened to him, but I can’t let his appearance distract me. Just because he looks weaker, it doesn’t mean he is.
I wait until the door is closed behind us before saying, “It’s time for you to give us some answers.”
He looks me up and down, taking in my chair before he darts his gaze to Puneah and back. “Seems like you figured out a way to get around. Good for you. Too bad you’ll never throw a dagger again.”
I want to snarl. To poison him with my words, but it’s what he wants—me to defy him and him to berate me, so we can go back to the way things used to be. I won’t allow myself to give into it again.
It doesn’t stop the fear from snaking along my spine or the spool of terror from wounding inside me at being so close to him, even when he’s tied up. “The First Queen—what do you know about her?”
He stares at Puneah. “Is this a fila? I’ve heard they existed, but I was never lucky enough to get my hands on one. Seems as if someone is favoring you.”
He wants to focus on the wrong thing? Fine. I’ll play that game. “Puneah, search him.”
She stalks forward, her sleek movements hard to follow in the low light. Daros has been searched, but I’m looking for something the guards may have missed.
Daros laughs as she moves closer. She growls, the sound reverberating through the air, making him shut up for once. It brings me deep pleasure, but I don’t let it show.
Puneah sniffs him. To his credit, he doesn’t flinch even when she nears his face. Her great fangs could do great damage, but I don’t think she would attack without my word or being in danger. I think she wouldn’t. It’s hard to know for certain, when I’m still getting accustomed to the fact that she doesn’t bite.
She sniffs his entire body before coming back to me. Never once did her tails twist into the sign that would tell me he’s carrying magic on him. So far, it looks like nothing is here.
“Nash, help Puneah search the room. Leave nothing untouched.”
I can’t see them as they go behind me. There’s no sound either, as both of them move silently.
A moment later, Nash says, “Found something.”
He moves to my right and holds out a hand to show me a thick-chained gold necklace with a green gem set in it. Puneah puts her nose to the gem and twists her tails together. “Trying to sneak something past us, is he?”
Daros doesn’t react, save for a slight tightening around his eyes—enough to let me know he’s upset by what we found and that I’m taking it away. Good. Maybe he’ll be more likely to tell me what I need to know now he understands I’m serious.
“What does the necklace do?” I ask.
“What makes you think it’s anything more than simple jewelry?” His look is innocent, but I know better.
I’m not about to admit what Puneah can do, even if he’s guessed it. The necklace will have to wait until more immediate things are dealt with.
“You don't wish to share? No matter. We’ll put it somewhere for safe keeping.” To Venda or the treasury, probably. Without knowing what it does, there’s no saying that it would be safe to wear, and I don’t trust Daros enough to keep it in his presence.
What am I thinking? I don’t trust him at all.
“What do you know about the First Queen?” I wish I could stand. Get rid of this weak sensation. I’d feel much more imposing if I was taller than him. And if I need anything, it’s the chance to gain the upper hand.
The corners of his lips twitch upward. “Androlla has been bothering you, has she?”
“Androlla?”
His grin widens. “I see she hasn’t deigned to tell you her name.”
There’s a compression on my chest, like someone's taken a hammer to it. The First Queen’s presence is near. A rightness hums about that name being hers. I glance at Jaku, and then Nash. “I believe he’s telling the truth.”
Nash hasn’t taken his gaze off Daros since he returned to my side, and that doesn’t change now. His hand is white on the hilt of his sword. What he’s been through has affected him more deeply than I wanted to admit.
He’s scared, like I am.
Scared of a frail man, tied to a chair.
“What else do you know about Androlla?” Nash asks.
“That’s Queen Androlla.” The retort rolls off my tongue before I know what’s happening. A shiver of fear crawls over me.
Those were not my words.
Nash looks at me, but Jaku keeps an eye on Daros. I clench my jaw, wishing I could have kept the statement in. It’s bad enough I have no control over my body. Now I can’t even control what I say.
Where’s a throwing dagger when I need one? Not that I could use it.
I shake my head and force my gaze back onto Daros. “What do you know about her?”
“I know she’s taking you over already. Faster than usual, but then, you’re probably the biggest threat she’s faced.”
“Why am I a threat? I can’t move. All she has to do is wait for the next queen, and she’ll control them.”
“Ah, but you know about her. What’s more, even before that, you were strong-willed. Always have been. I assume she’s taking control because you aren’t as easily swayed.”
He swayed me to kill people more effortlessly than I’d like to think. “How do I get her out of my head?”
“You could always try to kill yourself again.”
Nash jumps forward, swinging his arm. He just stops himself from punching Daros in the face. “You will not speak to Queen Ryn that way.”
“Seeing how I’m the only one who knows what she needs to do, I’ll speak to her any way I like.” Daros’s voice is gleeful.
I want to tell Nash it’s all right, but I won’t do so in front of Daros. I don’t want him to know he’s getting to me. That his stinging words met their mark. Before Nash can speak or hit Daros, I say, “What can I do to get her out of my head without her killing me and without her doing any harm to the country?”
“That’s the right question to ask.”
When he says nothing further, Nash prompts, “Well? What can we do?”
“You believe I’m going to give the information to her? That I’ll hand over every detail she needs to get rid of Androlla, without anything in return, so she’s then free to have me executed? I think not.”
Despite my promise not to kill again—one I’ve unfortunately broken but still strive toward—I wish to do him in right here, right now. Lucky for him, I don’t have the physical ability to. “What do you want?” I ask.
He takes his time responding, letting his gaze bore into mine. “Why, my freedom, of course. For starters. You’ll find my list of requests quite extensive.”
“No.” The single syllable is out quicker than a blink.
“Pity. I’ll have to watch you lose yourself while the country turns back into what Androlla wants. I can do so from the comfort of my very own cell. And who knows? Maybe when she gets back into power, she’ll have use for my particular skill set.”
“You’ll be lucky if she lets you live, if you know what you say you do.” Jaku’s words of reason are comforting after Daros’s statement.
“He’s right. The First Queen won’t let you live if you know what you say you do. I can feel her hatred toward you while she plots against you.”
He shrugs, or tries to. The way his skin whitens against the bindings as he tugs at them indicates he’s having a difficult time doing much of anything, yet that smug smirk won’t leave his face. “Doesn’t matter to me. You kill me, she kills me—either way I’m dead. If you want help, on the other hand, I’d be willing to give it to you. For a price.”
And that’s what we come back to. I’m not inclined to let a madman loose for the chance he knows something that might save me. Especially not one whose cruelty I know so well. “Not happening.”
“Guess you’re stuck with her in your head, then. That is, of course, until you are stuck in her head. I wonder if you’ll still be there, watching all she does through you, or if you’ll disappear completely.”
My throat thickens, making it difficult to swallow. Neither option is acceptable, but I can’t let Daros go free. There has to be a way to compromise. A way for us both to get what we want. Well… me more than him.
“Jaku, Nash, I’d like to speak with you outside,” I say.
Without a word, Nash moves back behind me, and Jaku leads us out of the area, the guards replacing us. We go to another room several doors down. There are no windows or furniture, just the door and the stone floor. As soon as that door closes, I ask, “What do you think?”
“We can’t let him go,” Nash says.
“But we have to do something about Androlla.” Jaku shoots a worried glance my way before covering his expression. “We can’t let her take over Ryn or the country again.”
“Agreed.” Nash looks at me, his features hard to read. “It’s your call.”
I was afraid of that. Despite being the queen for a while now, I hate being in charge. I give myself a moment to think about it, trying to come up with something that will work, but I have nothing. “What if we find a middle ground that Daros is comfortable with, while still getting as much information from him as possible?”
“Can’t you keep him locked up and force the knowledge from him?” Nash asks.
I give him a level stare.
“Right. This is the king of assassins we’re talking about. That would never work.”
The room is quiet as I mull over options. Will my idea work, or would torturing him be a better option? As much as I want to torture him, it wouldn’t be right, nor would it give us what we need.
“We should go for an exchange, though I’m afraid we’re going to give him more than we want and get little in return.” Nash’s thoughts mimic my own.
“Agreed.” Jaku motions to the door, and Nash rolls me back to Daros’s room, where we exchange places with the guards.
“Ready to give me my freedom?” Daros asks. “Make me your Head Advisor? Pardon me?”
All three options leave me feeling sick. “No.”
“Then say goodbye to your freedom,” he says.
What little I have, I’m not willing to give away. “I have a different proposition for you.”
“Oh? What is it you want to offer me? I must tell you, I’m feeling rather picky, since I hold all the knowledge.”
“I will pardon you if you give me the information I seek. Nothing more.”
His expression remains neutral. “You will pardon me of all crimes, including any I may commit in the future, and I will give you some of the information you seek.”
“No deal. I will pardon you of past crimes, plus I save your life by not having you executed, and you give me most of the information I seek.”
“You will pardon me of all crimes in the past, save my life now and in the future, and I will give you some of the information you seek.”
I don’t want to give in, but what other choice do I have? If I don’t go forward with this, I will be under the First Queen’s control sooner, rather than later. “You’ll have a deal, if you can keep Androlla from controlling me.”
“I can’t promise that, but I’ll do my best.”
Is his best good enough? It’ll have to be. “I’ll take it.”
“Good. Now bring some papers for me to write up the pardon.”
“You mean, for my Head of the Guard to write up.”
“I meant what I said.”
Though we’re done with the main negotiation, I have a feeling I’ll be here for a while yet. At least I have some hope of getting rid of the First Queen.
She simmers in the background, scheming. I wish I could read her mind. More than that, I wish I could ban her from me, but our connection is strong. This deal with Daros had better make a difference.
We procure parchment and a quill and agree on the terminology. Daros concedes to let Jaku pen it. Jaku writes it out in surprisingly beautiful penmanship with the hand that’s not in a sling.
“Before this is signed,” I say, “tell me what I need to know.”
“I don’t think so. There’s no saying you won’t go back on your word once I’ve told you what you need to know,” Daros says.
“Out of the two of us, I’m the more trustworthy one.”
“Might I remind you that you punched Fulla after declaring she wasn’t in trouble?”
I hold back a growl. How does he even know about that? Probably servants gossiping. What doesn’t he know about? “Fine. I’ll sign this, and you will tell me.”
“Some of what you need to know.”
I roll my eyes. “Fine. Some of what I need to know.”
He smirks. “We have a deal.’
While Jaku keeps an eye on him, Nash brings me the pardon to sign. He places the parchment right up to my hand and puts the pen in it. I scratch my name down as best I can. It comes out scraggly and from moving my fingers the tiniest bit makes me tired, but it’s signed. I’m grateful the name I choose is so short. It’s not the first document I’ve had to sign since Daros poisoned me.
“There you have it.” Nash shows him the document, as I say, “What do I need to know?”
He smirks. “Androlla is going to get more aggressive.”
I want to growl but refrain. “There has to be more you can give me than that.”
“That’s the information you get for my pardon.”
A scream tickles my throat. I was already figuring that out. Instead, I look at him calmly. “Then enjoy this nice room.”
His smile falters. “But you pardoned me.”
“I did, but I said nothing about your freedom. You will not be executed or held accountable for your actions. Despite that, you will remain in custody of the crown.”
“You can’t do this.”
“Until you give me more information, I can.” I glance at Nash and tilt my head toward the door.
He rolls me toward the exit.
“It’s your loss,” Daros says. “Androlla will command you before it’s realized. You’ll get no help from me.”
His words sting, but I don’t say anything. Nash takes me outside, and the guards reclaim their place.
I’ve lost this war before it even began.