The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash 4)

“Let my people go, and I will not fight you on this,” I told her.

“Absolutely, not,” Kieran barked out, appearing at my side at once. “We will not be separated.”

I turned to Kieran, but he cut me off before I could say another word. “Don’t start. We’re not leaving your side. At all.” He said the last in the Handmaiden’s direction. “It’s not going to happen.”

His loyalty was admirable, and I…

The draken stepped forward. “If you want the Queen of Flesh and Fire, the Bringer of Life and Bringer of Death…” he said—admittedly, I preferred his version of the title the prophecy had given me—“to accompany you to the capital, then you will allow her advisor and me to travel with her as a continuation of that good faith.”

Kieran’s gaze held mine, a clear warning in them that neither he nor Reaver would allow me to go alone. Swallowing the frustration and worry that this was far too dangerous for them, I turned to the Handmaiden. “That is your choice. Because contrary to what you think, I am not out of choices.”

“Whatever,” the Handmaiden replied. “I couldn’t care less. It’s not like you’re prisoners.”

Kieran’s head snapped in her direction.

“What?” she asked, widening her eyes in feigned surprise.

“We’re not prisoners?” I questioned.

“No. You will be guests.” The Handmaiden bowed with the kind of flourish I’d only thought Emil capable of. “Honored guests. You are, after all, the daughter of the Queen, and a god. You and whoever accompanies you will be treated with the utmost respect,” she said with a bright, overly wide smile. “And if they didn’t want to join you, they could fuck right off for all I care.”

I didn’t believe the being-treated-with-respect part for one second.

“Either way, I do hope we’ll be on our way shortly. The Queen wishes to speak with you about the future of the kingdoms and the True King of the Realms,” she added, holding my stare and…

“You haven’t blinked once. That’s creepy,” I told her, glancing back at the Revenants. They still hadn’t moved. “Not as creepy as them, though.”

She snorted. “You haven’t seen creepy yet.”

“Something to look forward to, I suppose.”

“Then…” She stepped to the side, extending her arm.

A mixture of dread and anticipation rose. “I will…” A floral taste filled the back of my mouth as a whirl of tingles flowed from my throbbing shoulder, over my chest and down my legs.

Kieran grabbed my arm, but I didn’t feel it. “Poppy?”

“I—” A sudden rush of dizziness swept through me, followed by the sharp rise of nausea. I twisted away from Kieran, half afraid I might vomit on him. My wide, stinging eyes connected with the Handmaiden’s.

“Shadowstone,” I whispered hoarsely.

She stared at me, her lips moving, but I couldn’t hear what she was saying. I couldn’t hear anything. My heart lurched, and then my legs went out from under me.

And then…there was nothing.

Chapter 23

“You’ve got to let go, baby. You need to hide, Poppy—” Momma stilled and then pulled away, reaching inside her boot. She pulled a slender, black blade free and then spun, rising so fast I could barely track her movements.

Someone else was here.

“How could you do this?” Momma stepped to the side so she partially blocked the cupboard, but I could see that a man was in the kitchen. Someone clothed in night.

“I’m sorry,” he said, and I didn’t know his voice.

“So am I.” Momma swung out, but the cloaked man caught her arm…

And then they stood there, not moving. I was frozen in the cupboard, heart racing and sweating.

“It has to be done,” the man said. “You know what will happen.”

“She’s but a child—”

“And she will be the end of everything.”

“Or she is just the end of them. A beginning—”

Glass broke, and the air filled with shrieks. “Momma!”

Her head jerked around. “Run. Run—”

The kitchen seemed to shake and rattle. Darkness flowed into the room, sliding down the walls and spilling across the floor, and I was still frozen. Gray and dull things filled the chamber, dripping red. “Momma!”

Bodies snapped in my direction. Mouths with sharp teeth. Shrill howls ripped through the air. Bony, cold fingers pressed into my leg. I screamed, scrambling back inside the cupboard—

Something wet and smelly splashed across my face, and the cold fingers released me. I started to climb farther back.

The dark man filled the mouth of the cupboard. He reached inside, and there was nowhere to go. He grabbed my arm, yanking me out. “Gods, help me.”

Panicked, I tugged at his hold as he swept out his other hand, knocking down the creatures as they came at him. My foot slipped in the wetness as I twisted sideways—

Momma was there, her face streaked with red. She was bleeding as she thrust the black blade into the man’s chest. He grunted, saying a word I’d heard Papa say once. His grip slipped away as he stumbled backward.