“There are many, many other eligible knights in this castle, Aiofe. Plenty of suitable gentleman who would just love to have a spitfire such as yourself on their arm. Don't you want Arthur to be happy? Don't you want him to be with the woman he has loved for centuries and to rule as a good, happy king?”
Aiofe found herself nodding along as Guinevere spoke. Her head felt foggy and she really just wanted to lay down. “I do want him to be happy...” she mumbled as her fingers began to untwine. She tilted to the side, letting herself sink into the chair as Guinevere's fingers brushed against hers.
“Of course you do. You care for him, but you care for him as a king, not a lover. You want to be his most loyal servant. You--“
A shout came from outside in the training yard, followed by the clanging of swords. The warmth flooding over Aiofe's body shattered and she shot to her feet. Her legs were weak and she stumbled as she scrambled away. Her eyes watered and she blinked rapidly to clear them.
“What are you?” she spat. “What have you done to me?”
Guinevere's nose curled. “Lilia said you were a strong one. I hoped destroying that locket would do the trick, but I guess I'll just have to do this the hard way.”
“Mortal enemies,” Aiofe agreed with a snarl.
Guinevere raised her hands.
“You can't do anything to me,” Aiofe said. “If you do, I'll scream, and they'll hear it outside. The guards will come running.”
Guinevere's hands danced in the air. “Oh, foolish child, they won't hear a thing. I've encased the room in silence. Nothing in or out.”
Aiofe's ears perked up. The clanging of swords had disappeared, along with all the other sounds she was accustomed to from the outside.
“And that guard wouldn't come anyway. He's one of mine now. Just like Lancelot and Lilia.”
Aiofe thought frantically for a comeback, but she didn't have one. Instead, she darted around the chair and grabbed the poker sitting by the fireplace. “I can take care of myself,” she said, but inside her chest, her heart was beating so hard she wanted to puke and her confidence was waning by the second.
“I'm sure you could, in a fair fight. But I don't fight fair.”
“Why are you here?” Aiofe asked.
Guinevere sat back in her chair and sighed. “Why does everyone keep asking me that? So silly. Like I would ever answer.” She cocked her head to the side. “Maybe I will answer you, since you'll be dead soon anyway. Would you like to hear a story?”
“Only if it involves you dying,” Aiofe grumbled.
Guinevere laughed. “So witty. It's a shame I won't be able to hear that wit for much longer. Where was I? Oh, yes. A story. It started with my mother. A long, long time ago. You do know her, right? Leanansidhe? She's fairly famous around these parts.”
Bile rose up in Aiofe's throat. “Leanansidhe is your mother?”
“Absolutely. Like you, I am half faery, half human. My father was a fool noble that she found to do her bidding. She had me, set me up as his daughter, and through his status and her cunning, I found myself married to Arthur, ruling the land like a true queen.”
“Why?” Aiofe asked. She rebalanced the poker in her hands. “What was her goal?”
“Our goal,” Guinevere said as her smile fell a bit, “was to rule Camelot. It was the most fruitful of human lands at the time and afforded us great power and wealth.”
“But what good is human power and wealth to you? Why bother?”
“We had other goals, of course. Considering who Arthur is, being part of his court was extremely important, and being his wife, well, that was a wonderful benefit all its own.” Her predator's smile grew as she looked at Aiofe. “He's quite the lover, you know.”
Aiofe growled. “No, I wouldn't know.” As she spoke, she swung the poker around and let it fly.
Guinevere screeched and dove out of the chair. It caught her on the arm and ripped a hole in her dress. Aiofe rolled to the side and hid behind a heavy wooden chair.
“You witch,” Guinevere screamed. “You cut me! How dare you!“
The chair exploded and covered Aiofe in a million splinters. She squeaked and ran, trying to hide behind the wall separating the main room from the bed chamber. “Half faeries don't have magic,” she called as her eyes searched for something else to use as a weapon.
“Of course they do, you nitwit.” The bedside table ripped away from the wall. “Anyone with faery blood has magic. Most people just don't know how to use it.”
The table slammed into the corner right beside Aiofe and the impact sent Aiofe sprawling out onto the floor. Her head hit the stone and black dots formed at the edge of her vision. She coughed and rolled onto her back.
“I bet you wish you had that fancy bow of yours right about now, don't you?” Guinevere's blond-ringed face hovered hazily over Aiofe. Aiofe tried to push herself up onto her elbows, but any movement set her head pounding so hard she wanted to pass out and never wake up.
“Do you want to know something else?” Guinevere said as she leaned over and wiped some blood from Aiofe's face. “I never had to use my magic on Arthur. He fell for me without my having to convince him at all. He's weak, and soon he'll be mine once again. And I'll make sure he forgets all about you.”
Guinevere grabbed a candlestick holder from a nearby table. Aiofe struggled to climb to her feet, to protect herself, but she slid back to the cold, stone floor. The last thing she saw was the heavy object descending toward her face, and then her world went black.
*~*~*~*
Guinevere curled her lip into a sneer and tossed the candlestick holder onto the bed before wiping her hands together. It was usually easier to use magic to achieve her goals, but sometimes it was just more fun to do it the hard way. Blood pooled on the stone beneath Aiofe's head in a satisfyingly wicked halo.
She enjoyed her handiwork for a moment longer before waving her hand at the door. It unlocked and the guard came in. “Help me take care of this,” she commanded him. “Take her to my room. I'm not done with her just yet, but I don't want her to be found. Be very careful.”
“Yes, your highness.” The guard bowed and picked Aiofe up off the floor. He slung her over her shoulder as Lilia came in.
“Miss,” she said with her head low. “I couldn't find--“ Her voice squeaked to a halt as she finally looked up. “Lady Guinevere? What... what happened?”
Guinevere crossed the space between her and the handmaiden quickly. She brushed her fingers along Lilia's bare arm and then her cheek. A satisfied smirk crossed her face as she watched the girl's bright eyes dull just a bit. “Oh my darling, something terrible has happened. Miss Aiofe wasn't feeling well and she fell and hit her head. I'm going to take her to my room and make her all better. But I need you to do something for me.”
“Of course, anything.”
Guin smiled. “Clean up this mess. Make this place shine like it did this morning. And tell no one what happened. I don't want anyone bothering Miss Aiofe while she's recovering. Can you do that for me?”
Lilia's nod was slow. “Yes, my lady,” she drawled. Her eyes were flickering and Guin could feel the small amount of magic she put into Lilia's will wavering.
Guin leaned forward and kissed Lilia on the cheek. Magic surged between them and she solidified the hold she had over the handmaiden.
“I will take care of this, my lady,” the girl said, brightening up. “And I swear I will tell no one.”
“Thank you, dear.” Guin brushed her cheek once more and then beckoned to the guard. “Come. We have work to do.”
*~*~*
NINETEEN
*~*~*
After dropping the little girl off in the care of one of her more loyal servants, Leanansidhe walked the halls once more. This time, though, she had a purpose and her boots clacked on the floor with definite intent. She descended down into the pits of the castle and found her way through the labyrinthine halls to the medical labs where her father once ruled. She heard the cries and wh
impers before she even shoved open the door and a small thrill surged inside her.
Her expectations were met with disappointment as she looked around. All of her father's equipment was gone, disposed of after his downfall was complete. The area had been cleaned and sterilized, turned into a bright and welcoming area instead of the dark, gloomy place it once had been. A fresh blood streak marred the white marble floor and Leanansidhe followed it to one of the adjoining rooms. Inside, she found what she was looking for.
On the sterile bed lay the broken and bleeding Titania. She was still unconscious from the fun Lea had had earlier in the throne room, but that wouldn't last long.
“Borton!“ Lea stomped around the room, pulling out drawers and opening cabinets. She pulled out various implements and tossed them all onto the counter.
“Yes, mistress... er, your highness?” Borton's oozing voice came from the doorway.
“Get me a tray.”
“Yes, mi-- your majesty. Right away, your majesty.” He scampered off to another room and the clanging of equipment could be heard throughout the lab. He returned several minutes later with a large wooden tray.
“Hold it,” Leanansidhe commanded.
The Igor-like assistant stood dutifully by her side as she swept scalpels and syringes and medical supplies from the counter space onto the tray. She stalked across the room to a locked cabinet and beckoned for him to follow. The cabinet was warded and sealed with some very strong magic, but Leanansidhe was still running high from the attack on the castle and she had it open in minutes. She swung the doors open and peered inside.
“Oh my,” she whispered as her jaw dropped. “I remember this.” She reached in and picked up a strange device that had been cobbled together from several other items. “And this.” She grabbed another invention and stared from one to the other as the grin on her face grew to maniacal proportions.
“Miss... my queen?” Borton's knobby arms shook as he struggled to hold onto the overflowing tray.
“My father's equipment,” she explained without looking at him. “It was here all along. They never disposed of it.”
“They were ordered to.”
Leanansidhe's grin turned into a sneer when the raspy voice spoke behind her. She spun with the items in her hand. “Oh, I'm sure they were. You and your mother were always so pure.” She spat the last word and a small glob of spit shot out and stuck to Titania's cheek. “You thought you could keep your little court safe and protect your people from the terrible influences of science.”
“It was not science we were protecting them from, Leanansidhe. It was your father and his vile experiments.”
Leanansidhe waved one of the devices over Titania's head. “You did a lovely job, my dear. Clearly whoever was commanded to dispose of them did not feel the same way. In fact, they felt the complete opposite. These have been used, and fairly recently.” Leanansidhe set the object on the tray Borton held at her side. “I do hope I didn't accidentally slaughter them. They would have been very useful.”
“You did. You killed the whole medical team barely an hour ago.”
“Shame.” Leanansidhe picked at a hangnail before biting it off. “Luckily, one of them left a daughter behind. A beautiful blond thing.”
“Ryanne,” Titania whispered.
Lea grinned. “Yes, Ryanne. She will make a great apprentice.”
“If you so much as--“
Titania's threat was cut short as sparks danced across her skin. She sagged beneath the assault and lay gasping on the table as Leanansidhe's hand finally dropped.
“You have no power here anymore, Tati. None whatsoever. You cannot tell me or anyone else what to do. I am the queen here. I am the new ruler of the South. You are just a washed up hag with no king. That's what your kind always had trouble with, you know. That whole 'there must be a king and queen' thing. 'Without one, the other will fall.'“ Leanansidhe snorted when she laughed. “And fall you did. It was so easy to convince Kane to chop off your darling Oberon's head. Oh so easy.”
She leaned against the table and looked at Titania's bruised and swollen face. “He always did have issues with daddy dearest.”
“You can't rule without a king,” Titania said, ignoring Lea's attempt to aggravate her more. “There must be two. There always must be two. You cannot hold the castle alone.”
Lea leaned over and brushed a hair away from Titania's face. “Weaklings can't rule alone. I am not a weakling. I do not rule by love and honor.” She said love and honor as if they were distasteful guests who showed up uninvited to a party. Her hand slammed down onto the table, making both Titania and Borton jump. “I will rule by fear, by bribery. I will control my land and protect it as you were unable to do. And then, once the South is completely under my control, I will take the East, and then the West. I will watch Mab squirm in her ice fortress as she sees her fellow queens fall, one by one. And then, when she is broken and her people are destroyed, I will take the North.”
“You can't do it, Leanansidhe. It is impossible.”
Leanansidhe's hand flew out and smashed its knuckles across Titania's already swollen cheekbone. The queen's head slammed to the side and she cried out as blood flew from her lips.
“Do not tell me what I cannot do!“ The dark-haired faery stepped back and forced herself to take a deep breath, and then another. When Titania's head finally rolled to look at her again, she stared into the one open blue eye. “Don't tell me what I can't do,” she repeated. “Don't tell me something is impossible.”
She walked forward once more and placed her hands on the table. “Do you know what I have been through, Tati? Do you know what wrongs I suffered, what terrible, horrible things I had to do to survive? Do you know what hell you threw me into when you kicked me out of the castle, when you forced me to flee, when you abandoned me?”
“Lealea,” Titania whispered. She tried to move her hands to brush Leanansidhe's fingers, but her wrists were bound tight. “I'm so sorry, Lea. I was young and I did the only thing I knew to do. They would have killed you.”
“That would have been better.” Leanansidhe walked away to stare at the wall. “It would have been better than being tossed out into the wilds without anything, without help, without so much as an ally. I was a young girl, barely old enough to be on my own at all. I met people, awful people, people who took advantage of me, who took things from me that I did not want to give.”
“Oh, Lealea.”
Leanansidhe huffed and turned back. “It doesn't matter now. That's all in the past. A life I can forget.” She raised her head and reached into the cabinet for another of her father's inventions. It was a long thin stick with two sharp points on the end.
“I have failed you. As a friend and a queen,” Titania said as Leanansidhe walked back to the side of the table.
Lea smiled down at her. “No, Tati. You didn't fail me. You helped me become who I am today. Without you, I would be dead. Or at best locked in a dungeon somewhere. You showed me that I can't trust anyone but myself.”
“L--“
Titania's screams rang through the room as Lea slammed the two points into her side. Arcs of fire danced down the stick and into Titania's body. The skin bubbled around the entry wounds and grew a bright orange as the flames raced through her veins.
Leanansidhe pulled stick back and left Titania panting on the table. “Interesting. My father was so creative.”
“Your highness? We have a message for you.”
Leanansidhe turned toward the door. A pair of blond knights stood there, knights that had been loyal to her from the beginning. “And?”
“It's from Guinevere. She says the battle is over and Lancelot is hers once more.”
Leanansidhe tapped the stick on the palm on her hand. “Very well.” She waved them away and they left.
“Guinevere?” Titania's confusion was apparent.
Lea's grin returned. “Ah, yes. I forgot you didn't know. You see, that young woman you oh so kindly helped Arthur woo
? Well, she was my daughter. Half faery, half human.”
“I don't--“
“But of course you do, Tati. You understand completely. I know you tried to hide Arthur's true identity. I know you tried to help protect him, but you failed. I found out, and I used Guinevere to gain his trust, to seduce him and ruin him. It was just too easy.”
Titania straightened on the table as best she could. “I have no idea what you're talking about.”
“Don't play with me, Titania. You're not good at this game. You're a terrible liar. You always have been. You protected him, and you used the other queens to help you. You kept him as a backup plan, waiting until the day you needed him.” Leanansidhe leaned over the table again. This time, her face was so close to Titania's that the queen could feel her hot breath. “I know why you brought him back. You think he can rule. You think he can beat me and him and that little bastard child of your son's will rule the South. You're a bigger fool than I thought.”
“I--“
Leanansidhe slammed the stick into Titania's stomach and her screams ripped through the castle once more.
*~*~*
TWENTY
*~*~*
Lancelot rubbed his face as he descended the stairs into the servants' quarters. Sleep had been fitful and his brain simply would not clear. Every part of him felt sluggish, oppressed by some unseen weight. And deep in the back of his mind, he fought to uncover some truth that had been hidden, locked away from him. He felt it there, poking at the bars of the prison cell it was locked in, screaming to be released. He scratched his head and searched for the thought, but it skittered away once more.
He found himself standing in front of the door to Guinevere's small room and his lips twitched. He couldn't remember why he wanted to talk to her, he just knew he needed to. The hallway was deserted. No guards were about, which was strange.
“Maybe she's in the garden,” he mumbled to himself and turned to walk away.
Queen of Hearts (The Risen King) Page 11
