The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash 4)

“Haven’t been one of them in a long time.”

“Doubtful,” he murmured, beginning to unwrap my hand. His fingers were warm and callused. I wondered if he still handled a sword, and if Isbeth would allow that. He uncovered the wound, letting the bandage slip to the stone. “Fuck.”

“Attractive, huh?” My laugh was cold, even as I thought of all the times he’d inspected some minor scrape when we were young. When I was a brat. “Is this the truth she opened your eyes to?”

His gaze flew to mine, his eyes brighter than before. “You don’t know what you’re talking about.”

I pitched forward, ignoring the band as it started to squeeze. My face was suddenly in his. “What did she do to break you?”

“What makes you think I’m broken?”

“Because you aren’t whole. If you were, you wouldn’t stand beside the monster you came to free me from. The same piece of shit that—”

“I know exactly what she did.” His stare held mine. “Let me ask you a question, Cas. How did it feel when you realized that our mother—and likely our father—lied to us about who Queen Ileana was?”

Anger pulsed hotly within me. “How do you think?”

“Furious. Disappointed,” he said after a moment. “Even more pissed. That was how I felt.”

Yeah, that about summed it up.

“Is that why you’re with Isbeth? Betrayed everyone and your kingdom?” I asked. “Because Momma and Papa lied to us?”

His lips twisted into a thin smile. “Why I’m here has nothing to do with our parents. Though, if they had been honest, I have to wonder if either of us would be here.”

Knowing who the Blood Queen truly was could’ve changed everything. “Yeah.”

“But none of that changes that your wound is infected.”

“I don’t give a shit about the wound.”

“You should.” A muscle ticked in his jaw, in the same place it did in our father’s, right below the temple. “This should’ve healed by now.”

“No shit,” I spat as the band dug into my windpipe.

“You need to feed.”

“Dare I be repetitive and say no shit?”

A slight upward curve of his lips appeared. “Dare you continue choking yourself?”

“Fuck you.” I sat back, taking shallow breaths as the band slowly loosened.

“You curse more than you used to,” he remarked, looking back down at my hand.

“Does it offend your newly found sensibilities?”

He laughed. “Nothing offends my sensibilities anymore.”

“Now that I believe.”

Malik raised a brow. “If I give you blood, my visit will be discovered.”

“So, you do worry about being punished?”

Those cold eyes lifted. “It’s not me who’d be punished.”

Disgust churned in my empty gut. “Is that supposed to mean you care about what she does to me? Even as you stand by her side?”

“Believe what you want.” He reached into the folds of his cloak, tugging on a strap. He pulled a narrow leather satchel forward, the kind Healers often carried with them. “Figured you’d need aid.”

I said nothing, just watched him pull out a small bottle. What that Handmaiden had said came back to me. She’d claimed to have made a promise when I asked why she was here. And said that she was bored. But she’d known my hand was infected.

And by the looks of it, Malik had come prepared because of that knowledge.

Had he asked her to check on me? Or had she gone to him?

“Without blood, your body is about as useful as a mortal’s,” he remarked. “The infection will spread and get into your blood. Won’t kill you, but you’ll end up where you don’t want to be even faster.”

I knew exactly where that was. I’d been at the edge with Poppy in New Haven, but I’d toppled over that cliff when I was held before.

Malik unscrewed the lid, and an astringent scent filled the space. “This is going to sting like the fires of the Abyss. Hope you don’t scream and cry like you used to.” He took my wrist in a firm grasp. “It won’t end well for you if you do.”

“I didn’t scream when the fucker cut it off, so what do you think?”

That muscle flexed under his temple once more. “You might want to take a deep breath then.”

I did, only because I knew what was coming. Malik poured the liquid over the partly exposed bone and nerve, his gaze locked on mine. And, fuck, I wanted to scream like holy hell. The breath I took did nothing to ease the fiery burn. I gritted my teeth so hard, it was a wonder my molars didn’t crack. The pain made it difficult to breathe or understand what the hell Malik was saying, but he was talking because his lips were moving, so I made myself push past the torment and focus.

“Stings like a bastard, doesn’t it? The pain is worth it. Shit’s a miracle. Not even sure how she created it. Didn’t really want to ask.” A wry grin came, and even in scorching agony, I recognized that lopsided grin that revealed one fang. That was real. “But it will force the infection out and get your skin healing.” He paused. “Yeah, it’s working.”