“What shall I do with it?” he asked the king.
“Destroy it,” he replied.
Angelique’s heart sank. Although she’d stopped using it, the wand held sentimental value. “That would be such a… waste.”
“It means a lot to you, doesn’t it Angelique?” Gaylen said with a smirk.
She nodded.
“To bad. In any case, you know why you can’t keep it,” the wizard said, obviously enjoying her misery.
She gave him a dirty look. “May I have my satchel back?”
“What’s in it?” the king asked Marcus.
“Just a few belongings. Nothing else that appears… dangerous,” he replied, digging around.
Edward looked at Angelique. “Yes, you may have it.”
“Thank you,” she replied, picking the bag up off of the floor.
“Now, bring her to the dungeon until we appoint an execution date,” the king said to his soldiers.
“Don’t I at least get a trial?” she asked, stunned that he was talking about her death like it meant nothing to him at all.
Because it doesn’t.
“You were found guilty twenty-years ago,” King Edward said. “You disobeyed my orders and returned. You will not get another trial.”
“You will wait until the Truth Stone test though, correct?” she reminded him.
He nodded.
ANGELIQUE WAS TAKEN to the dungeon by the king’s soldiers and then handed over to a large, muscular guard who smelled like rotten cheese and had a scar that ran from his left eyelid to the right side of his cheek. As he walked her to her cell, the other prisoners began heckling and shouting vulgar obscenities. One of them dropped his pants and began fisting his penis, trying to get her attention.
Shuddering, Angelique refused to give it to him.
“How long do I have to stay here?” she asked, when the guard placed her in a cell. Thankfully, it was down the hallway from the others.
“Your guess is as good as mine,” he said, locking the door.
She sighed.
“Careful for the rats. Some of them bite,” he said as one raced across the hallway floor, just outside of the cell.
Angelique hated rodents, but was used to them. The cave, where she’d been staying, had been infested with them until she’d used her wand to clear them out. She didn’t dare try the spell in the dungeon, however. The entire place would light up and she needed to keep her wand a secret for as long as she could.
The guard’s bloodshot eyes roamed over her body. “If you want to make your stay here more bearable,” he said with a lecherous grin. “I can help with that.”
“For a price, right?” she said dryly.
He winked. “Just a small one.”
“Thanks, but no thanks,” she said, turning away from him.
“Your loss.”
Angelique glanced around the dank, disgusting cell, wondering how she’d make it through the upcoming days. Reminding herself that it would be worth it in the end, she walked over to the far wall and sat down. Closing her eyes, she prayed that the king’s promise to find a Truth Stone wasn’t a lie. Especially since his ethics were almost as questionable as his wizard’s.
18
THE QUEEN WAS livid. She’d seen the longing in the witch’s eyes and had witnessed her pathetic proclamation of love. That had been irritating enough. What infuriated her, however, was that she’d noticed something in her husband’s eyes. A look of longing that shouldn’t have been there. He was obviously spellbound by the sorceress, which meant trouble… and in more ways than one.
He was such a fool…
She loved Edward. He was the father of her children. Her husband. Her king. But, she wasn’t blind or stupid. He’d had his share of whores throughout their marriage, as did his father before him and his grandfather before that. He was a good king, but far from being a perfect husband. She tolerated it, because she had to.
This thing with Angelique, however, was dangerous.
Lizbeth pictured the two of them together, intimately, and it made her sick with jealousy. Somehow, she just knew that the witch was plotting to take him away from her and that her stay in the dungeon was all part of a greater plan. After all, what kind of a fool would give herself up to be executed? Especially after being banned from Syracuse by the man she claimed to want to help.
It didn’t make sense.
As far as Angelique’s accusations, in regards to Gaylen, there was something about the wizard that left a bad taste in her mouth. She would definitely send a message to her father, and his wizard, and if there really was a Truth Stone, Lizbeth would make sure it was used. What worried her was that if Angelique’s accusations turned out to be true, Edward might pardon her.
That couldn’t happen.
Angelique had to go. This time… for good.
19
SOMETHING WOKE ANGELIQUE. She opened her eyes and gasped.
“Hello, Angelique,” said Hecate staring down at her, amused. “I’m sorry, did I catch you at a bad time?”
She blinked. “Am I dreaming?”
“No. I’m really here,” the goddess said, walking around the cell, her long gown trailing behind her. “Although, nobody else can see me. Just you.”
Sniffing the air, Angelique recognized the scent of jasmine, which accompanied Hecate wherever she went. As usual, the goddess was a vision of beauty, with her large amethyst eyes, radiant complexion, and cheekbones that some said rivaled Aphrodite’s. Tonight she looked exceptionally pretty, especially with the white flowers laced through her long, black hair.
“I’m honored,” she replied, standing up and curtsying. “How may I serve you, Goddess?”
“I’m not here for me. I’m here for you.”
“Oh?” Her heart pounded wildly in her chest. Being in Hecate’s presence was both frightening and exciting at the same time. The woman was powerful enough to take out a small city with a simple hand gesture.
“There’s not a lot of time, so let me get right to the point,” she said, her eyes full of concern. “I fear that the queen will be visiting you soon and that she means you great harm.”
Her eyes widened. “How certain are you?”
“Very. I had a vision.”
Hecate could sometimes see into the future. She complained that it was both a gift and a curse. “What will happen?”
“I saw death. Yours, to be exact.”
The blood rushed to her ears. Die?
She wasn’t ready to die.
She’d barely lived…
Hecate put a hand on her shoulder. “Relax, child. As I’ve said before, the future isn’t written in stone. You can change it.”
“Who are you talking to?” the scarred guard asked gruffly, appearing in front of her cell.
Angelique looked at him. “Myself.”
“If it’s a conversation you want, I’d be happy to give you some company,” he said, wiggling his eyebrows.
Hecate sneered. “Disgusting swine. He smells as if he’s been wading in orc dung.”
Angelique grinned.
The guard, mistaking her smile for an answer, began unlocking the door. “I knew you’d come around.”
“I haven’t,” she said coldly, backing up. “I do not wish your company.”
His eyes hardened. “You must also wish not to eat or drink?”
“I’m not hungry. Nor am I thirsty.”
“Nor desperate,” added Hecate, shaking her head. “The man is truly vile, isn’t he?”
Angelique nodded. “Indeed.”
“There you again. Talking to yourself. You’re going to regret not being nice to me,” the guard said with a cold smile. “Some have waited weeks for execution. We’ll see how you feel when your mouth is so dry… you’d be willing to swallow anything,” he said, grabbing the front of his pants.
“I’d rather drink rat piss,” Angelique replied.
Hecate grinned. “That’s my girl.”
The vein in his fore
head began to throb. “It can be arranged.”
She didn’t reply.
Whistling, the guard turned and walked away.
“Why are you putting yourself through all of this?” Hecate asked, looking around the cell in disgust. “The guard is bad enough, but this place is repulsive. I sense that they haven’t taken your wand. You could leave whenever you wanted to.”
Angelique told her about Gaylen and his plot to try and kill the Rothhavens.
She rolled her eyes. “His antics never surprise me. But, why do you care? I thought you wanted to take your revenge out on the king anyway? Have those plans changed?”
“I don’t know,” she said honestly.
Hecate sighed. “Let Gaylen kill Edward and then you can take care of the wizard afterward.”
“He means to kill Edward’s children, though,” Angelique replied. “You know I can’t allow that.”
Hecate sighed and shook her head. “You are far too soft hearted, Angelique. I can’t believe that you’re sitting in this cell just to save the lives of children who fear and probably, if we’re being honest here, despise you.”
“I don’t care. No matter their feelings for me, they are still innocent children and don’t deserve to die. I will not sit back and watch it happen. Nor will I allow Gaylen to become king. Imagine what would happen to Syracuse if that despicable wizard sits on the throne? He would have too much power.”
“Only for a short time. Segomo would eventually come for him. Especially in times of war, which Gaylen would surely bring upon himself.
“Maybe, but too many would be hurt in the interim.”
“True.” Hecate touched her shoulder. “But, how does sitting in this cell help your cause? Why didn’t you just kill Gaylen and be done with it? Or at least try. With the wand, you could have taken him out by now.”
“I need Edward to know the kind of evil his wizard is capable of. Maybe then he’ll…”
“Take you back?” she asked, smiling wryly.
“No.” Her eyes hardened. “I would never wish that. I just want him to realize how much he’s wronged me.”
“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,” t
he 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…”
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