Chapter 34 – Alex
Chapter Thirty-Four
ALEX
My tower door opens, but this time, it’s not the enchantress queen.
“Get up,” one of her favorite guards growls.
For a brief moment, I wonder if I can get away. This guard cannot compel me, he’s not much bigger than me, and I could probably overpower him.
“Don’t even think about it, human,” the guard says, pulling a pair of shackles from his belt.
Before I can pounce, three more guards enter my room. One of them tosses a fireball back and forth between his hands. Then a gust of wind blows through the room despite the closed window.
The first guard smirks. “The queen isn’t stupid. Of course you’d be foolish enough to think you could best us.”
I press my lips together as I hold out my arms for the shackles. They weigh heavily, and I groan as I stand. “I have to say, I appreciate the compliment.”
“What compliment?” the first guard asks with a sneer.
“That the queen believed I needed four guards to keep me in check. You must not be formidable enough on your own without your backup.”
The guard kicks me in the shin and I almost fall, but I grit my teeth and roll my shoulders back. “That’s the best you got?”
The guard throws a punch, and I barely get my arms up in time to block the blow.
Catching his arm between my shackles, I pull him down and whisper in his ear, “Shall I tell the queen how useless you are?”
I don’t know if I have a death wish, but taunting him really isn’t the best idea.
Before he can respond, another guard yanks me away from him. “Stop messing around or I’ll break one of your hands,” he threatens.
I already feel a bruise forming on my shin, but what does it even matter? I’m the queen’s plaything now and she’s hunting Sera. I have no allies, no one to help me, only a prayer that Kian and Rae will show up and save the day . . . eventually.
The guards escort me to the queen’s chambers, and a pit forms in my stomach. What new horrors await me today? I hope Sera is safe. I hate that I have no way to know for sure, though I suppose if the queen is still hunting her, that’s at least one indication.
I’m ushered back into the queen’s scrying room. As soon as I step into the space, a wave of nausea floods me. The enchantress is sitting in a large tub of viscous red liquid. The iron scent stings my nose and I try not to gag.
“Leave us,” the enchantress says to the guards with a flick of her wrist. Blood drips down her arms, and she has a satisfied smile on her face as she leans back, tipping her head into it, coating her long, dark hair. What in the realms is she?
“You summoned me?” I ask, wanting desperately to get this over with so I can leave this nightmarish room.
“Alexander,” she croons.
“Yes, my queen,” I grit out.
“Your quaint little accent is adorable,” she says, surprising me when she switches to the fae tongue.
“I don’t understand what you’re saying,” I reply in the common tongue.
She clucks. “Don’t play dumb with me. I’ve heard you practicing in your tower. It’s sweet you’re learning her language. How very romantic. Perhaps a little outdated, but still romantic.”
I roll my eyes. “It isn’t romantic, it’s political.”
A high-pitched laugh leaves her, and I look away as her breasts emerge from the blood.
“What in the realms would you need to learn ancient fae for? Or was that always your plan? To come back and rule with sweet Seraphine? Tell me.” Her gaze goes sharp, and the compulsion pulls at me.
At least she’s not in my head this time, digging around for answers.
“I’ve always been good with languages,” I admit. “Sera’s curse was in ancient fae, and I was trying to find answers. I had to learn.”
“So, not political. You know how much I hate when you lie to me, Alexander.” She sniffs before summoning me with one of her long talon-like nails.
I try and fail to fight the compulsion once again as I shuffle toward her.
“Shall I punish you?”
A fresh wave of nausea roils in my gut.
“Grab that bucket,” she commands.
I pick up the small bucket next to the tub, dread and disgust slowing my movements.
“Fill it and pour it over my head.”
Revulsion threatens to choke me, but her command leaves no room to disobey.
It’s incredibly awkward for me to scoop the bucket into the blood while my hands are bound, but I make do.
I try once again not to gag. I don’t know how Rae can stand the stuff, and I’m now fully certain the red liquid the queen constantly drinks is blood and not wine.
Is she part goddess? I didn’t think enchantresses drank blood, not that we have any left in the forsaken realm.
I pour the blood over the enchantress’ head, and the moans that come out of her are disturbing.
“More,” she hums. “Yes, cover me.”
I fill the bucket again, and she sits up, baring her breasts to me once more as she tips her head back and I pour it over her. The blood slides down her body, coating her face and hair.
She wipes a hand over her face, cleaning the blood off her cheeks before sticking a finger in her mouth and sucking.
This time, I do throw up a little in my mouth.
“Grab my robe,” she commands, pointing toward a black silk garment hanging from a chair.
The enchantress queen rises from the tub, but I refuse to look. I’ve seen more than I ever needed to. I pass her the robe while keeping my eyes averted.
“You’re such a prude, Alexander. Do you know how many of my servants would be honored to clean my body with their tongues?”
Unless one was a godsdamned vampire, I can’t imagine anyone desiring that task, but I will keep that thought to myself.
Unable to stop myself, I blurt out, “What are you?”
“My, my, aren’t you bold today.” The queen glides over to a small table and picks up a goblet of what is probably more blood. Hasn’t she had enough? “What I am is powerful and ancient, but you needn’t worry yourself about that.”
“What you are is disgusting,” I mutter under my breath.
My head is thrown back under the force of her slap, and I suck in a breath. I should have seen that coming, but how in the hells did she move so fast? My cheek throbs. Worth it.
“I believe I’ve been a wonderful host to you. For you to spew such an insult toward me is uncalled for.”
“You locked me in a tower and pushed me back into a relapse with the substance that almost killed me. Yes, you’ve been a wonderful host,” I retort.
She squeezes her hand into a fist, and my heart feels like it might burst. “Don’t forget who holds the power here.”
I double over, trying to catch my breath, my bound hands resting on my knees.
“I apologize, Your Majesty.” The squeezing sensation lets up, and I suck in a deep breath, slowly straightening my posture.
“Is there anything else you need?” I ask.
Surely she didn’t have me brought here just to watch her bloody bath.
“Why yes. It’s time for you to fulfill your purpose. Marc!” she screeches, and my least favorite guard appears. “Unbind him.”
Marc gives me a dirty look before pulling out a key and finally loosening my shackles. I rub my wrists and grimace at the blood staining my hands.
The queen moves to her scrying mirror and runs a hand through it. The gentle ripples are almost hypnotizing. She speaks in a lyrical language I don’t understand, and when a picture comes into view, it’s just a nondescript forest.
The queen turns her wicked eyes on me and approaches, poking a finger to my chest right over my heart.
She says more words I can’t understand, and my chest burns as if seared by a brand.
I’m overwhelmed with the need to hunt. To chase.
There is nothing else in the world that matters but finding her.
“Bring the axe, Marc,” the queen says, a pleased look in her eyes as she takes me in.
Marc glances at me warily before grabbing a large axe from the wall. Almost reluctantly, he passes it to me, and it feels right in my hand. Like it was meant to be there. But no. Something is very wrong.
The queen goes back to her table and starts crushing herbs and mixing them into her goblet. I gulp. That better not be for me.
When she turns to me, goblet in hand, my heart sinks.
She walks over and holds it to my lips. “Drink.”
I don’t have a choice. I’m not in control. The liquid burns down my throat, and I want to vomit it up, but I know that won’t go over well.
“What now?” I croak.
“Now, we wait for the enchantment to solidify.”