Chapter 3
"Lady Ari, please be respectful," an attendant said firmly. "She had passed the Trial of Fire."
She sneered at me. I returned her dismissive look. Ari flushed.
"Even if that's true, my brother deserves better," she snarled. "You have no right to wear the queen's colors, human!"
I narrowed my eyes. "Is that because you want to wear them?"
She snarled and drew a sword.
The attendants went still, but I darted forward, striking her in the wrist. She let the sword go, and I snatched it out of the air. Ari stumbled and tried to swipe at me, but I dodged and shoved her back into the wall, then pressed the blade to Ari's throat. Ari gasped and flashed her sharp teeth.
"Your Majesty--"
"Let me make something clear," I said. "You may have run around being a terror before I arrived, but I'm not one to be bullied."
She snarled. Her eyes flashed with light. "You human wretch. You'll regret this."
"Not as much as you will." I pressed the blade closer to her neck. "The next time you pull a sword on me, I'm going to take your fucking arm off."
She snarled. "My brother will never accept you."
I scoffed and stepped back, dropping the sword at her feet.
"I'm not asking him to. I didn't ask to be here. Send me back."
The attendants looked nervous. "That's not possible."
Ari snarled, snatching the sword up from the ground. "You..."
"Lady Ari, you've attacked Her Majesty," the attendant said. "Under the law..."
powers that be are. Whoever is going to get her in the most trouble." Her eyes bulged. She
"Aren't there officials? Elders?"
the attendant said slowly, glancing
"No, thanks."
"That's not an option."
have any
Their eyes glinted. "No."
I scoffed.
at me.
and stomped out. Two
have to report to the Elders about you.
Maya. She smiled as a gong started to ring through
"What is that?"
said. "It's just past dinner time, heading into the sleeping hours... As the new queen, it's your duty to bathe the King and change
expect me to change a man... twice my size?
"It is your
"I could kill him."
went still. "Please
forced me through a wall
lineage
my thumb back. "She seemed more than
her gaze. Her lips twitched into a smile. "Lady Ari was
An enemy I didn't ask for. Why aren't there attendants
You will understand the longer you
"Highly doubtful."
shuddered. I watched Maya walk into the attached
if you need
"Wait a second!"
odd idea for a marriage night? I shuddered, feeling more sick by the second. I looked down at the bowl of hot water and
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