Chapter 23 – Sera
Chapter Twenty-Three
SERA
“Your Majesty,” I breathe, taking in the impostor queen.
The words taste wrong coming out of my mouth, but now is the time to play nice and pray to whatever gods might be listening that we make it out of this alive.
“I was taking my companion to look at the gardens. They are stunning in the early light.”
The queen cocks a brow, and her eyes scan my clothing and latch on to the small pack slung over my back before stopping to rest on Alex’s bo staff sticking out from behind him. I don’t even know why I’m bothering to lie. She locked us in. She didn’t want us going anywhere.
“You need weapons to look at the gardens?” she asks coyly.
Alex steps up, placing a warm hand on my lower back that sends a frisson up and down my spine. “Sparring, Your Majesty. We are fond of exercise early in the morning, especially outdoors. And we brought some refreshments with us, of course.”
His excuse is surely better than mine, but the queen doesn’t look convinced. On the other hand, she isn’t calling for our heads, so perhaps she’s buying it?
“Be that as it may, you are to join me for breakfast in my private chambers,” she says, turning her nose up and waving. “Follow me.”
I incline my head and force myself not to roll my eyes. As if I don’t know where the queen’s rooms are located. I assume she made herself comfortable in my parents’ old wing after she murdered them. “Lead the way, Your Majesty.”
The queen turns, two guards at her side while the other four wait to follow us. Nice of her to think she needs six guards to protect her from the two of us.
Alex presses in and whispers softly in my ear, “Do you want to handle this diplomatically or get the hells out of here?”
I turn my head and glare at him, subtly gesturing to be quiet. Gods only know if anyone heard him. His hand on my back moves in a soothing circle in response, and I hate how calming it is.
We follow the queen down the familiar passageways, and the sense of nostalgia brings another wave of grief over me.
It still doesn’t feel real. The swan under my skin writhes and squirms, and I try to slow my breathing.
We will make it out of this, if only for Alex’s sake.
He doesn’t deserve to find his end here in a foreign realm.
He needs to return home and live a normal life.
Find someone worthy to bind with and forget all about me, regardless of what that means.
Perhaps death would be a mercy with so many I love already long gone.
The queen leads us into the wing. It used to be full of light and love, but there’s little of that to be found now.
The pastel and diaphanous fabrics have been changed out for heavy damasks and dark colors.
There is so much black and aubergine that fully contrast with the woodland palace, it’s oppressive.
Only one window lets minimal light in, and we’re led to a rich mahogany table that has an impressive breakfast spread laid out.
My nerves have my stomach in knots. I don’t know if I can eat.
Once the queen takes her seat, she motions for us to join her.
Alex pulls out my chair like the gentleman he is and waits for me to sit before he takes his own, and the queen watches us with her unnerving gaze.
I can only hope the bath oils I doused myself in are enough to hide how his scent has started to mingle with mine.
Damned kiss. If only I didn’t want more.
“Princess,” the queen begins, “you can imagine my surprise upon hearing of your miraculous return. Your family believed you lost, and now it’s been three centuries. Wherever did you come from?”
I meet her imperious gaze and straighten my shoulders. “I was trapped in another realm and only now discovered a way to return home.”
“How fascinating,” she purrs, picking up a goblet filled with a rich-looking liquid.
“You mentioned my family,” I say. “I was informed they are all dead.”
The queen’s brows pinch, and what I assume is fake sympathy is pasted on her face. “I’m so sorry you had to find out that way. Trust that the guard has been punished for his lack of tact.”
I can’t help the shiver. Punished all right, merely for knowing I exist. She’s a wicked creature.
“You must introduce your companion,” the queen continues, brushing past my family’s demise as if it isn’t even worthy of a footnote.
I clear my throat and turn toward Alex, remembering how he introduced himself the night before. “Alex Grey. A friend I met in the human realm I was trapped in.”
The queen cocks a brow. “A friend? What a true friend he must be to have traveled all this way.”
I hesitate, not wanting to reveal too much of our situation. I hate the fact that she might be exactly the enchantress I need to break my curse, but even knowing of its existence would give her far too much leverage. I don’t trust her for one damned minute.
Alex cuts in before I can respond. “I don’t plan on staying in this lovely realm; I merely came to make sure Sera arrived safely.”
“Oh? And how, pray tell, do you plan on returning to your realm? There aren’t any portals lying about as far as I’m aware.”
“Good thing I’m best friends with the husband of a goddess,” he replies with a smirk.
This does take the queen by surprise.
Cocky asshole. What does he think he’s doing, revealing that so quickly? As if sensing my unease, Alex slips a hand under the table and gently squeezes my thigh. Trust me, it seems to say.
“Which goddess, if I may ask? I wasn’t aware they still had dealings in the forsaken realm.”
Considering we never even told her what realm we came from, I’m all the more wary of this damned enchantress queen and her motivations, but Alex doesn’t call her out on it.
The way we all dance around half-truths is such a maddening part of court politics and one of the many reasons I never desired to rule.
“Alex is being modest,” I cut in. “We are both closely acquainted with the sun goddess, daughter of Kairros.”
Alex tilts his head at me, a slight frown tugging his lips downward at my pronunciation, but he doesn’t contradict me. The gods are known by slight variations of names in the realm of Lunesai. Other realms don’t even call them gods at all. Travel through realms is complicated.
“How fascinating,” the queen replies. “I’ve never heard of her.”
“Stories have yet to circulate, as she is newly ascended into godhood,” I reply.
“Kairros has never been one to share power,” the queen claims. “I don’t know if I believe this tale you’ve concocted. And I’m quite put out that you’d come to me with lies.”
Alex’s strategy clicks in my mind. Of course. Gods willing, the threat of the new sun goddess coming to check on us will be enough to keep the queen from doing anything brash.
“For goddess’ sake,” I blurt out. “Kairros is dead. His daughter now reigns in his place. I’m sure she’ll make herself known here soon enough.”
The queen readjusts her gown and purses her lips. “No need to be so crass, princess.”
Before I can respond, a flurry of servants descends upon us, piling our plates high with food and pouring tea in our cups.
I can’t help but notice the queen continues to drink from her goblet.
The liquid is a dark, ruby red and appears viscous.
I shudder, not sure if I want to know what it is she’s drinking, but considering all I’ve discovered, I’m left with an increasing sense of unease.
“Please eat. I’m sure you’ll be more agreeable with food in your bellies,” the queen urges.
Alex looks at me hesitantly, almost as if to ask if the food is safe. I sniff at it, and it doesn’t appear to be tampered with in any way.
“Dig in, Alex,” I say casually, lifting my fork. The food tastes like ash in my mouth, but I’m sure that’s just my company.
The queen taps her long, pointed nails on the table, putting me on edge. She doesn’t appear interested in the food. There is more to her than meets the eye, that is for certain.
I wash down my food with an unladylike gulp of tea and set the cup on the table with a clatter. “Your Majesty, I would like more information on my family’s demise, if you’d be so kind.”
I hate how clinical it sounds coming out of my mouth. Alex squeezes my thigh under the table again, and I appreciate his presence more than he knows.
“Yes, it was quite a shame,” the queen says. “Most unexpected.”
“What happened?” I ask.
“Your sister went looking for you after your disappearance and never returned.”
A prickle of hope ignites in my gut. Is she still alive?
“Her bones were delivered to the palace from up north.”
My stomach plummets, and I want to cry all over again. How cruel. She absolutely knew what she was doing.
“With two daughters gone, your parents were consumed by grief. Your mother threw herself from the tower and was found mangled in the gardens, and your father drank himself to death.”
I want to scream. I want to throw up. There is no way they would have done that, nor would our people have believed that .
. . would they? My mind goes fuzzy and I start to question what I heard in the gardens last night.
Did I imagine it? The queen’s story implants itself in my mind, and I keep seeing the image of my mother falling, falling, falling . . .
I push away from the table and shakily rise to my feet, my stomach lurching.
“Sera, are you all right?” Alex’s voice barely reaches me.
I turn and make it only a few steps before I vomit up the contents of my stomach, intense pain cramping in my belly.
The world is swimming around me, but there are soothing words being spoken and Alex is there, making sure my braid is neatly tucked behind me.
Gods, this can’t be happening.
A servant throws some towels down in front of me and starts cleaning up the mess. I have to fight the urge to help them. Acting like a servant in my own home would make me look weak, and I can’t afford any more weakness.
“Sorry,” I whisper.
“Can I get you anything?” Alex asks.
“Help me stand, please?”
I grab hold of his arm, and he gently lifts me to my feet. Turning on wobbly legs, I look at the queen, who stares with poorly veiled contempt while she sips whatever disgusting drink she is having.
“I’m sorry, dear. Did that story upset you? I did try to avoid the subject, but you simply wouldn’t let it go.”
Fuck. Her.
I force myself back to the table, take my seat, and gently dab at my mouth with a cloth napkin.
“I apologize for the mess. Traveling realms has been hard on my body,” I say with all the dignity I can muster.
“Don’t you worry about a thing, princess.”
Sharp pain prickles behind my forehead, and I reach for my tea, needing to get the taste of bile off my tongue.
We should have never come.