To Court a Queen

by H. L. Burke

  “But to woo me, shouldn’t a man be able to face any—and therefore all—of those challenges?” Agalea extended a hand towards the archway. The metal grate creaked upward as if on command.

  Devin clutched his sword hilt. While he wasn’t sure it was the best weapon for whatever fight lay before him, it was the one he had the most familiarity with, and that could be an advantage.

  A sound burst from the darkened tunnel—no a series of sounds, overlapping each other in a way that would be impossible for one animal to produce. A roaring, hissing, bleating, snarling cacophony. Devin’s heart chilled. Was Agalea really expecting him to fight multiple monsters at once?

  The ground beneath his feet jolted with the footfalls of some great creature, then with another series of bestial cries and a cloud of smoke, a monster burst from the tunnel. Devin stumbled against the wall, his breath abandoning him.

  The beast was easily three-men high and as long as four horses, end to end—maybe five if he counted the … tail? The tail twisted and turned behind the monster, then rotated to look straight at him with dark eyes and a flicking forked tongue—how by all that was holy did a tail have eyes and a tongue? Unfortunately, the serpentine backend wasn’t the most notable or terrifying thing about the beast. Three heads protruded from its stalky, four-limbed body: a gray-haired goat with curling black horns and fiery eyes, a roaring lion with a tangled tawny mane and foam dripping from its fang-lined jaws, and a dragon, smoke billowing from its nostrils, green scales glistening. The creature’s body resembled a lion, except with patches of green scales bursting at random from the golden fur and cloven hooves on the two back legs.

  Someone in the crowd screamed. In response the creature threw all four of its heads—tail-head included—back and emitted another chorus of deafening cries.

  With a self-satisfied grin, Agalea flew over the creature and landed on the platform holding her throne.

  Devin’s heart pounded in his stomach. The trick to fighting a dragon was to stay behind it and away from the flames that could shoot from its mouth at any given moment—not an option considering the swaying snake head that rose from the tail-end of this beast. Also, did he have to put a crossbow bolt into every single one of its heads to kill it? The thing had one body, so did it also have one heart? He snatched up the crossbow and leveled it at the intersection between the goat’s head and the lion’s head. The bolt flew.

  The snake’s head whipped around and clamped down on the bolt mid-air. With a snap, it dropped the broken bolt to the ground. Devin’s knees wobbled. He was definitely going to die.

  The dragon opened its mouth. Its throat glowed a fierce red like a forge heating up. Panic and training kicked in and Devin dove to one side just as a blast of fire splashed against the wall where he’d stood only a moment before. The weapons rack burst into flames, the metal weapons blackening.

  Devin picked himself up. The beast—from somewhere in the dusty archives of things he’d learned at school, the word “chimera” presented itself—pawed at the earth in front of it. Dust rose like a sandstorm. Recognizing the motion, Devin leaped and rolled right before the creature crashed into the wall behind him.

  The crowd gave a collective gasp. The chimera sat down heavily. The snake tail gave a hiss of protest, but from the dazed look in the lion’s eyes, it hadn’t been prepared for the goat’s decision to ram all three heads into a wall. Apparently Agalea hadn’t bothered to enchant the thing to think communally. Seeing an opportunity, Devin drew his blade and charged the flank of the beast just behind the goat’s head. He sliced at the hide. Blood flew from an all too shallow wound. He raised the sword for another strike, but the chimera wheeled to face him. He ducked and rolled. Too slow. A curled horn clipped Devin in the side. He spun head over heels before landing in a heap a good ten paces from where he’d started.

  Ribs aching, breath fleeing, head spinning ...

  Devin pried open an eye and caught the gaze of Agalea on her throne, smiling smugly as she watched him struggle for his life. She savored it, seeing a man face doom and danger for the sake of her vanity. Anger spiked in his chest. His fists clenched. He would not be a victim. Another sacrifice on the altar of her pride. No, damnit, Devin was going to survive.

  He reached for his sword, but his fingers met only dirt. His eyes darted over the arena’s floor. There it lay, several feet from him. He scrambled for it.

  The snake’s head struck the earth like a lightning bolt before him. Devin rolled to one side, staring up at the beast. Its eyes glinted. Venom dripped from its hooked fangs. A drop splashed onto the dirt inches from Devin’s boots. It sizzled where it landed. The snake’s head reared back. Devin braced for the blow. The snake’s head jerked to one side mid-strike and crashed against the ground.

  Spitting flame, the dragon head whirled to face Devin. The lion head snapped at Devin, pushing the dragon head to one side. The flames hit the wall. The goat tried to charge, but the front lion-legs stayed put even as the back goat-legs pushed forward. The chimera toppled head over heels.

  A hush fell over the crowd. The uncoordinated beast flailed about, heads snapping at each other, snake-headed tail thrashing from side-to-side as it tried to find Devin again but was repeatedly thwarted by the three front-facing heads all trying to get a taste of the hard-pressed knight.

  An incredulous laugh escaped Devin. That stupid fairy had crammed together four animals without any concern for how they might work as a cohesive whole. If so, then maybe—

  Mind buzzing with an idea, Devin snatched his sword from the dirt and ran straight at the goat head. The goat’s nostrils flared, and again it attempted a charge. Devin spun to the side and under the jaws of the lion. His sword ripped into the beast’s hide, tearing a gash into the underside of its chin. The creature snarled and lunged for him, jaws open. Devin feinted in front of the dragon. A burst of smoke and flame spurted from the beast’s maw, straight into the eyes of the already mad-with-rage lion. Sheathing his sword, Devin leaped for the goat’s head. He caught the horns, pulled himself up, and somersaulted down the creature’s neck onto the broad back.

  The snake’s head spun towards him with a victorious hiss. Devin gripped handfuls of mane to keep his balance. The snake reared, fangs bared. The chimera bucked beneath him. Devin let go and tumbled just as the snake struck. Missing Devin, the snake latched onto the lion’s neck. Devin fell to the earth. His whole body ached, and his lungs screamed as his breath left him in a mighty oomph. Somehow he managed to roll over. The chimera convulsed, the snake still clamped onto the body it shared with the three other screaming, snarling, smoke-spitting mouths. Then with a keening cry, the creature collapsed, still except for the twitching.

  Silence fell over the arena. Devin let out a long breath, closed his eyes, and lay as if dead. With the danger over, his muscles gave out and left him weak and exhausted. Heat fled his body, and his sweat drenched skin prickled with goosebumps. He was alive. How in the world was he alive?

  Then, all at once, like clouds bursting with a torrent of rain, the audience exploded with applause. Devin cracked open an eye as the cheers, clapping, and shouts of acclaim intensified. He propped himself up on his elbows and stared into the crowd. Every fae stood … except Agalea. The queen slumped in her throne, her eyes wide, her jaw hanging open. Devin grinned and forced himself to his feet. It was good to see the queen gobsmacked.

  Playing into the moment, he held his hand aloft, then bent in a sweeping bow. The crowd went wild. Flowers, hats, and pocket handkerchiefs rained down upon him. Devin ignored this, instead scanning the audience until he caught sight of her, standing at the edge of the mass, her hands clasped before her, her eyes locked on him.

  Sevaine smiled.

  Devin’s chest lightened. He’d done it. He’d kept his word. He’d survived.

  A flash of blue light hushed the crowd and drew Devin’s attention to Agalea. The queen now stood, her hands glowing with an azure light. She tilted her head to one side, considering Devin. He
crossed his arms and stared her down. Her brow furrowed, her mouth twisting as if she’d tasted something sour, then her expression softened, and she smiled.

  “Again, I underestimated you, Sir Devin. Your demonstration of skill and wit has proven you a worthy suitor for my hand.” She snapped her fingers, and the trees that made up the walls of the amphitheater bent and stretched to form a staircase from the arena floor to the platform where her throne sat.

  Devin exhaled before climbing to face her. “So it’s over? You’re not going to try and kill me again?”

  She hesitated. “I promise I will no longer put your life in danger, Sir Devin. Why would I? You’re my fiancé, after all.” She took his hand, and it took all his willpower not to jerk away. Gliding from her throne, she beckoned to the audience. “My subjects, I introduce you to Sir Devin, my future consort and your future king!”

  Applause exploded, fairies leaping from their seats, dancing in the stands. Sevaine … where had Sevaine gone? Devin sought her, but the crowd was now spilling out of their seats, blocking his view of the area where she’d previously stood.

  Agalea’s hold on his hand tightened, forcing him to look at her once more. His skin crawled.

  Yes, he’d survived, but in some ways this victory might be a defeat.

  Chapter Fifteen

  Before the shouts of the crowd had a chance to calm, Agalea wrinkled her nose at Devin.

  “You need to bathe and change out of those filthy clothes …” She narrowed her eyes at a red-brown stain on his shirt sleeve. “Is that blood?”

  “Probably.” He shrugged. “Tends to be an unpleasant byproduct of fighting for one’s life.” He sniffed at it. He didn’t feel any pain in that area—at least no more than the ache of weariness he felt all over—so the blood had probably come from the chimera.

  “Well, you need to groom yourself if you are going to be presented as my fiancé at the banquet this evening.” She clapped her hands. “Polexia!” A fairy approached them, and Devin’s chest tightened. It was the same fairy who had brought him to the arena, the one who had caught him with Sevaine.

  The fairy kept her expression blank and her voice cold as she said, “Yes, my queen?”

  “Escort Sir Devin to the bathhouse and see that he is provided with appropriate garments for the banquet this evening. Also, sprinkle a little valerian and chamomile in his bathwater. He put his body through its paces, and it wouldn’t do for him to be stiff and sore tonight.” Agalea traced her hand across his shoulder and down his arm. “I want him in peak condition for our first night as a couple.”

  Devin pushed the sensation of spider legs creeping over his skin to the side before following Polexia to the bathhouse. The fairy didn’t speak the whole way and left him alone as soon as she’d sprinkled a handful of floral-scented powder into the hot water of his bath.

  It was the same bathhouse he’d cleaned up in on his first day in Agalea’s kingdom. As he lay in the water, he couldn’t help staring at the skylight, hoping Sevaine would appear. She did not. After a bit, another trained stork brought him a change of clothes, but he stayed in the water until his head nodded against his chest. The sun had passed its zenith. It sounded as if Agalea intended to keep him up tonight for a feast—and perhaps other things. He grimaced at the thought.

  How was he going to get out of here? The idea of egging Agalea into turning him into a frog or a worm wasn’t appealing. Too many chances for that to go wrong. Either way, whatever he was in for, rest would help him prepare.

  When he emerged, fully dressed, from the bathhouse, another fairy was waiting outside.

  “How long have you been standing here?” He frowned.

  “Not long. I have seen to your quarters. If you’ll follow me.”

  As he allowed the fairy to guide him through the gardens towards Agalea’s palace, he noted that the winged hounds were nowhere to be seen. If so, was there a chance he could slip away and make a run for it? Well, even if he could, he wasn’t leaving without Sevaine, but maybe he could find her and arrange something. For now, however, it was best to act as if he were going along with Agalea’s matrimonial intentions. If he tried to run too soon, he’d use up his only chance.

  The new escort brought him to a room in Agalea’s palace with a table filled with food and drink and a broad bed with white silk sheets. He whistled.

  “The queen says you must be rested and rejuvenated in time for the banquet tonight.” The fairy motioned towards the table and the bed in turn. “She will send for you when you are desired.” With that, she bowed and left.

  Devin inspected the table. A silver knife caught his eye from where it sat beside a tray of cheeses. Preferring not to remain weaponless, he stuck this into his boot before picking up an apple and crunching into it. He snacked on a few pieces of fruit and some sliced red meat before lying down on the bed. He intended to only shut his eyes for a moment, but when his head hit the pillow, exhaustion settled over him like a fog.

  A hand clamped on his shoulder, and he jerked awake. Captain Olysa stood above him, her face cloaked in shadow. Devin sat up and rubbed his eyes. Though it seemed as if he’d only just fallen asleep, a deep shade of blue painted an evening sky speckled with scattered stars.

  “The queen requests your presence,” Olysa said.

  Devin rose and tried to straighten the sky blue tunic and dark gray leggings he was wearing to a degree where it wasn’t obvious he’d been sleeping in them. He hadn’t even bothered to remove his boots before getting into bed, so as soon as he’d brushed the wrinkles from his clothes, he nodded to Olysa. “Lead the way.”

  She took him down a spiral staircase into the entrance hall of the palace. Fairies already walked the corridors in their finest garments, and lights, music, and the smell of roasting meat wafted from the banquet hall. He took a step towards them only to have Olysa beckon him in the other direction, towards the gardens.

  Uncertain why they were heading away from the party rather than towards it, Devin followed the silent captain of the guard through the forest to the great courtyard filled with statues he’d passed that morning on his way to the arena. Agalea and two fairy servants awaited him beside a massive stone dragon. Like many of the other sculptures, this one was locked in an aggressive crouch, with a snarl of anger and fear etched on its marble face.

  “Oh, Sir Devin, my love.” Agalea extended her hand at his approach.

  Still planning to play along, Devin bent over her outstretched fingers and lightly kissed them. “Olysa said you wanted me?”

  “Yes, rather.” She gazed at him, her lips plumping into a pout.

  He shifted uncomfortably before his eyes fell on the servant girls, and he froze. One of them was Polexia, this time with a smug smile on her face. He swallowed. Was she following him?

  “Well, here I am.” He flashed Agalea his most charming smile, intentionally ignoring Polexia.

  “Yes, you are.” She released his hand. “If you are to be my consort, you need to understand the way our society works. I maintain control through magic, but also through education.”

  “Education is good.” Anxiety twisted Devin’s stomach. What was this about?

  “Yes, it is … especially when my subjects have been educated in what will happen to them if they defy me in any way.” She waved at the forest of marble figures. “This is how I remind them. All of the statues you see before you were once subjects of mine, or maybe peers, who tried to challenge my authority in some matter. As you see, they now exist as a permanent testament to the foolishness of crossing Queen Agalea of the Fairies.”

  Devin clenched and unclenched his fists. “And here I just thought you had really strange taste in artwork.”

  She laughed. “You are so enchanting in your naiveté. No, these are my enemies … which you are not. You are my beloved.”

  You have no idea what love means, you self-centered witch. Devin had to bite his tongue to stop the words from slipping out.

  “So imagine my chagrin when
Polexia informed me of your apparent dalliance with this little strumpet.” Agalea snapped her fingers, and two of Olysa’s guards emerged from behind the dragon, dragging Sevaine with them.

  Devin’s heart splashed into his stomach. The felys girl’s hands were bound and a gag held her mouth shut. She stared at him, her dark blue eyes filled with terror.

  “Apparently when Polexia fetched you for the trial this morning, she found you in the arms of this little beast.” Agalea flicked Sevaine’s chin. Rage spiked in Devin’s chest, but if he were going to get them both out of this alive, he needed to keep a cool head.

  Fairies didn’t lie, and couldn’t comprehend lying … so he couldn’t very well accuse Polexia of deception. Agalea wouldn’t even understand. Of course, that also meant Agalea wouldn’t be able to know if he were lying.

  “She must be mistaken. I have never seen this girl before.” Devin crossed his arms. “After all, I’m here to compete for your hand. What interest would I have in other women?”

  “Ah, my poor, brave, but easily manipulated love.” Agalea sighed. “You are so readily confused, or perhaps forgetful. I’ve seen how your mind changes at a drop of a glove, and with this girl being so mundane compared to me, I can understand how you would’ve forgotten her already. Polexia, however, is of sound mind, a fairy with a head on her shoulders. If she says she saw you embracing this girl, then it happened … so the question is, what is to be done about it? I can’t have the rumor spreading about my palace that my fiancé would betray me for the arms of another woman—especially not a lowly felys slave.”

  Devin tried to sort out his thoughts, but whenever he tried, he found himself staring at Sevaine again. She trembled against her captors, terrified, and rightfully so. His mind screamed at him. This couldn’t be happening. He couldn’t let harm come to her. He needed to think, needed to find a way to get her out of this.