“And what if that never happens? Or, what if he already knows and doesn’t care?”
“Then… he is more of a monster than Gaylen,” she replied softly, hoping that she was wrong.
20
HECATE WARNED HER again about the queen and then left her. Afterward, Angelique sat down and stared warily at the entrance of her cell, wondering how long it would take before the goddess’s premonition came true. Unfortunately, she hadn’t told her if the queen would come for her directly or send someone to do her dirty work.
Sighing, she pulled her knees close to her chest and closed her eyes. She could understand how the queen wouldn’t be happy to see her, but Angelique was truly trying to help her family. She didn’t want to hurt the woman, but there was no way she’d go down without a fight if it came to it.
AN HOUR LATER, she heard the guardsman unlocking her cell again. She opened her eyes and was surprised to see that he was holding a tray of food. She stood up and watched him as he brought it inside, her mouth-watering at the delicious smell.
“A gift from the queen,” he huffed, looking irritated. He dropped the tray on the ground and left without saying anything another word.
Angelique looked down at the meal. Fresh bread, some kind of pottage stew, and a handful of red grapes. It was obviously not typical prison food. Licking her lips, she reminded herself that Lizbeth was trying to kill her. As hungry as she was, the food wasn’t worth dying for.
Noticing a rat heading toward her meal, she quickly picked the tray up and immediately regretted it. The food smelled so tantalizing, she began telling herself that Hecate’s visions weren’t always accurate.
The rat squeaked, as if protesting the way she’d taken away it’s meal. Looking at mangy rodent, an idea formed in her head. She placed the tray on the bed, grabbed the bowl of stew, and poured some of it on the floor. Then, she backed away.
The rat raced over and began inspecting it. Soon, another one joined it and soon both were nibbling on chunks of vegetables and meat.
Now… to wait, she thought, her stomach rumbling.
Hoping that she was wrong about the food, mainly because she was starving, Angelique watched them closely. Unfortunately, it didn’t take long for something to happen and when the rats began to foam and the mouth and have seizures, Angelique became furious.
This was the thanks that she got for trying to save the queens children?!
When the two rodents stopped all movement, Angelique called for the guard.
“What?” he growled, appearing at the doorway.
“I wish to speak to the queen,” she said angrily.
He grunted. “And I wish to be rich.”
Angelique scowled at him. “I mean it. I demand to speak to her. Now.”
He stared at her curiously. “On what grounds?”
“On the grounds that I’d like to thank her personally for my meal,” she replied coldly.
“What?” The guard looked at the tray of food. “It doesn’t appear that you’ve eaten much of it.”
“No. The rats sure enjoyed the stew though.”
He stared at her in disbelief. “You fed rats your stew? If you didn’t want it, I’d have gladly eaten it.”
She moved out of the way so that he could see the two dead rodents. “And you would have ended up like them. Now, fetch me the queen. Tell her that if she doesn’t come down here, I’ll make sure that Edward finds out that she tried to poison me.”
THIRTY MINUTES LATER, the queen herself stood on the other side of the cell door, staring at her with contempt. “How dare you try and threaten me with lies,” Lizbeth said coldly.
“How dare you try and poison me.”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about,” she replied.
The queen was a horrible liar. Or maybe she wasn’t even trying to cover it up. The look on her face told her everything she needed to know.
“The food you ‘gifted’ me had poison in the stew.”
Her eyebrow arched. “You’re obviously still standing so I don’t know where you’re getting this from.”
“I didn’t eat any,” she turned to the side and waved toward the dead rats. “They did, however.”
The queen wrinkled her nose. “Let me get this straight, you fed perfectly good stew to those rats?”
“Yes and obviously, the only thing perfect about it was the strength of the poison used.”
“You’re wasting your time, accusing me of this. Slandering my good name. I haven’t been in contact with your food. If someone tampered with it, you’re barking up the wrong tree.”
“The guard said the meal was a gift from you,” Angelique said.
“Yes. I thought that it was a decent thing to do, since you’re trying to help save my children.”
“I think I will ask the king to have you try out the Truth Stone, as well,” Angelique replied. “After I show him the rats and the food you sent.”
Lizbeth’s face turned red with rage. “If you think for one minute that Edward will do anything that you request, you’ve got another thing coming.”
“What’s wrong? Are you afraid to hold the stone?” she asked, still smiling.
She grabbed the metal bars so hard, her knuckles turned white. “Listen to me, you… you gutter-slut-whore. I don’t trust you and if you think for one moment that I believe you’re trying to save my children, you’ve got another thing coming. Make no mistake, you’re not getting out of here alive. Whether it’s at the end of a rope, or the end of a blade, death will be coming for you and there isn’t anything you can do to stop it.”
“Edward-”
“Enough about my husband! He wants you dead just as much as I do. Are you really that stupid not to see it?”
Flames of anger shot through her and she began to shake.
“You should have heard him laughing about how pathetic you are,” the queen sneered. “And that talk about you loving him. Really?”
“He loves me, too,” she said weakly.
She snorted. “He loves that you’re stupid enough to let him arrest you.”
“Leave me.”
“Leave you? I give the orders around here. Not you.” The queen smiled coldly. “You know, the guard fancies you and he’s more your class. I bet he’d keep his mouth shut if I gave you to him for the night. It’s amazing what some men will do for sex.”
Angelique stared at her in horror. The woman was a complete monster. “He touches me and I’ll tell Marcus; he’ll have you both arrested.”
“I doubt it. Anyway, it will be your word against mine and of course… the guard’s.” The queen called out for him.
He appeared by her side. “Yes, Your Majesty?”
She pulled him away from the cell and whispered something near his ear.
His face lit up. “Of course. Thank you, my queen.”
“You’re a good guard, Berake. I have a feeling you’ll be promoted soon,” she said with a smile.
“Thank you, Your Majesty,” he said, beaming at her.
“Just don’t forget our deal,” Lizbeth reminded him.
His face turned serious. “I won’t.”
“Touch me and you’ll die,” Angelique threatened, backing away from him.
“Oh, I’m going to do much more than that,” he said, licking his lips.
Unable to take it anymore, she pulled her wand out, stopping the guard in his tracks.
“Whoa,” Berake said, raising his hands defensively.
Angelique pointed the wand at the queen. “I tried to help you, Lizbeth, but you’ve treated me horribly. Even worse than Gaylen and Edward.”
Lizbeth stared at the wand in terror. “Where did you get that?”
“Don’t interrupt me!”
The queen flinched.
Every cell in Angelique’s body hummed with rage. She wanted to strike out at the queen. At the guard. At Edward. Everyone. “I’m through with trying to help you. In fact, I think Gaylen is right… the Rothhaven’s reign needs to come to an end, although I don’t want him to rule the country. If your bloodline runs out, however…”