The War of Two Queens (Blood and Ash 4)

“Shut up.”

“And when she completes her Culling, it won’t be rage she responds with. It will be death. It will be exactly what Isbeth is counting on. Something—”

I shot forward, closing my hand around Malik’s throat. “Poppy will never destroy a kingdom, let alone a realm. No matter what Isbeth does,” I told him, aware that Kieran had risen again but remained at Poppy’s side. “She, unlike her mother and me, is able to control her anger.”

“Do you know how badly I want to believe that?” His voice broke.

I went cold as I held his gaze. “If you even think of harming her now, I swear to the gods I will tear you apart, limb from limb.”

“If I wanted to try something, I would’ve made a move when she was younger and returned to Wayfair,” he bit out. “I haven’t. Neither has Millicent.”

“Yeah, that’s right. Millicent said it had to be me once she finishes the Culling.”

“And that wasn’t easy for her to say to you.”

“She didn’t appear to struggle that much with the words.”

“Millie doesn’t know her sister, but she wouldn’t choose that kind of end for her. She’s just trying to protect the people.” He held my stare. “And I hate that you even had to hear that. I do. To carry that kind of knowledge…that it will soon only be you who can stop her.”

“Don’t feel too badly for me, brother.” I dug my fingers into his windpipe just enough to cause him to flinch. “For I won’t lose one second of sleep to it because I would never do such a thing, nor would she give me a reason to.”

“And if you’re wrong?” he forced out.

“I’m not.” I let go of his throat and backed off before I did something I might regret. “We’re going to find Malec. We’re going to bring him to Isbeth.”

“But what the draken said about the Joining—”

“We haven’t done it.” I stared up at the sky, unsure of why I’d even admitted that.

“Fuck. For real? You’re married to your heartmate and haven’t Joined? You? Kieran? Hell…” A little of the old Malik I knew slipped in then. “I just assumed you had. Apparently, so did the draken.” He paused. “Will you? It might not work against a Primal curse, but—”

“That’s none of your fucking business. But, Joined or not, I won’t risk it.” I faced him. “Neither will Poppy.”

Malik glanced over at Kieran. He had returned to Poppy’s side, sitting in a way that had him bent over half her body as if he were shielding her. “You sure you aren’t Joined?”

“Yes,” I said wryly. “Positive.”

“Huh,” he murmured.

Several long moments passed as I stared down at him. “Why didn’t you ever try to take her life again when she was young and vulnerable?” I asked, even though I wasn’t sure I should know. Because as I’d said, Poppy was far better at controlling her anger than I was. “Why didn’t Millicent if she too believed in the prophecy?”

Malik gave another shake of his head. “That’s her sister. Millie couldn’t do it. Didn’t matter that Penellaphe was never supposed to know about her.”

“And you? You stopped believing in what Cora said.”

“I…I just couldn’t do it. And by the time she was old enough that I no longer saw her as a child, they sent her to Masadonia,” he said, his eyes thin slits. “And by the end, I’d heard of the Dark One. You. And I figured…”

I tensed. “You figured what?”

“That you would kill her to get back at the Blood Queen.”

Cursing under my breath, I looked away. There was a brief time when I would’ve done just that. Before I met Poppy. When I knew her only as the Maiden. Those brief moments, though, fucked with my head, even now.

I dragged a hand over my face. I still didn’t know if Malik having a change of heart mattered. Or if it ever would. I knelt once more. “Do you or do you not want to defeat Isbeth and the Blood Crown?”

Malik’s eyes hardened into chips of amber. “I want to see them burn.”

“What about Millicent?” I asked.

“She wants the same.” His gaze fell to where Poppy slept and then returned to mine. “She wants to be free of her mother. To finally be able to live.”

“If that’s what you really want, you won’t run back to the capital and get yourself killed. You’ll fight beside us. You’ll help us find Malec and then kill Isbeth. You will help us end this.”

“I will help you,” Malik said. “I won’t try to escape.”

I took that in, wanting to believe what he claimed as badly as he wanted to believe what I said about Poppy. Problem was, that faith wasn’t gained by words. Faith was earned by actions. “There’s something else I need to know about that night in Lockswood. What in the hell was up with that rhyme?”