I was taught to ignore them, they stung like a rock being flung at my back. Just like all of the stones flung at me in our village. Persecution was unjust and hurt.
“If you won’t stop this, I will.” Xander unsheathed his sword and made to raise it against me.
This would not do. I flung my arm up and he was frozen to the ground, his sword arm pinned.
“I am not the devil! Though I can introduce you two if you’d like.” I turned toward the king. “I will not proceed without your blessing, but take note—the longer we delay, the closer to death’s door she walks.”
King Gerald’s face had turned white; his hand went to his heart as he looked at his frozen son. I tried to not glance at Xander’s immobile expression, my anger seething at his attempt to murder me in front of the king.
“Do what you can… please,” the king begged.
It was the “please” that convinced me of my course of actions. It was a risky procedure, one I had only read about in a book, but one that would surely haunt me.
“Very well.” I looked around for the knife, and a slim green arm slipped out from under the queen’s bed and handed it to me. Lifting the coverlet, I saw Gobbersnot looking back at me. His jet-black eyes were filled with hunger, and his tongue ran over his razor-sharp teeth. He glanced at the bowl of blood and back up at me, silently asking for permission. Since poison didn’t have any negative effects on goblins, I could see no reason to let it go to waste.
Being very careful that no one saw what I was doing, I nudged the bowl of blood under the bed and heard his greedy slurps like a dog at a bowl of porridge. Taking the silver knife in my hands, I looked at the queen.
Mother would not approve of my recklessness, but I had to help her.
Sighing, I ran the silver blade along her palm, then did it again along mine. Pressing our hands together, I called to her blood, called to the poison within, and pulled.
Come to me, I coaxed and immediately felt light-headed and dizzy as I drew the poison into myself. My blood burned and I wanted to drop our hands, stop the transfer, but I gritted my teeth and held on, pressing our palms together.
Standing became impossible, and I crumpled to my knees as my vision blurred. King Gerald moved to stop me, but I held up my hand.
“No!” I said aloud. “Don’t interfere. Not yet.” When I felt that I had pulled all of the poison out of her system, I let go, keeping enough strength to run my finger along her palm to seal the wound.
I was going to be sick. The bitter poison was rushing through my own veins, and I knew I couldn’t hold on to it without repercussions myself. I grasped for the table as I tried to pull myself up. During the transfer, Xander had been released from my spell, his sword sheathed, his face unreadable.
“Move,” I commanded and rushed out of the room into the hall. Looking for one of the bathing rooms, I pushed on the closest door and stumbled into a sink. I let the dry heaves start, and soon I was vomiting up blood, with it the remains of the poison.
I clung to the sink as my body became heavy and I struggled to stand. My forehead was coated with sweat, and I shook uncontrollably. “Mercy daughter and light,” I pleaded as I fought the poison. Even though I was using magic to contain it and try to keep it from affecting me, I would still have the symptoms of being poisoned.
“Ugh,” I groaned when the vomiting, shakes, and sweating finally stopped.
The door to the bathing room swung open, and I saw Ameline peeking through at me. “Thank you,” she whispered.
“You’re welcome,” I said softly as the door closed.
No one would come for me. I knew that. Xander and his father would be doing what they could to tend the queen. But it was successful. The poison was gone from her system.
But with her being so close to death, I had seen something she had not meant for anyone to see. A secret.
My eyes were closing when I heard the door open a second time and Gobbersnot’s cussing as he carefully leaned over me. I saw his sharp, grinning teeth just as I lost consciousness.