The King of Hearts - Jovee Winters Page 0,39

lips turned down, I’d never though that before. I’d never felt such a visceral feeling of antipathy and repugnance for her before.

She pouted prettily. “You always were a sleepy head. But I’m far too excited. I wish to show you what I’ve got planned for that little bitch, come with me, son.”

So, she did not know. But it did not bode well the level of excitement now pouring out of her.

Realizing the precarious situation, I was in, I knew I could not afford to break character again. She was too smart not to see through it if I kept it up.

So, I once again placed on the mantle of the dutiful son.

I stood, I only ever slept in a pair of black silk trousers, and went to find my shirt.

But she grumped. “Do not worry about it, come. Now.” She held out her hand.

Inhaling deeply, I reminded myself why I was doing what I was doing. Once I had it firmly in mind, did I take her hand.

We flashed.

To the labyrinth.

My stomach slid to my knees and sickness threatened to come up the back of my throat. She knew. She had to know.

But she was racing ahead of me, almost giddily.

It suddenly dawned on me that somehow, by some unbelievable miracle she did not know that I’d come here already and had freed Basil.

We raced down the very same corridors I had left just hours earlier.

My heart raced, my mouth went dry and tasted of cotton.

The rat and Basil looked nothing alike. They looked… glamour! I was best at it on Olympus.

I didn’t have to mutter the words because my mastery of glamour was so powerful. I merely had to think it and suddenly the rat’s head and trunk transformed into that of Basil’s. I’d been with him long enough to recall in vivid detail the small scar above his left brow, the heavy set eyes, and the dirt smudged pectorals.

Mother rounded the corner and squealed in delight, when she caught sight of faux Basil.

“Look!” she crowed and I waited on tenterhooks, expecting her at any moment to see through the charade.

But her broad smile never wavered. “Look what I have found for the uppity bitch,” she singsonged.

I looked at the rat, schooling my features to give nothing away. Any hope I had of saving Psyche from mother’s unjust fate hinged on what happened now.

“A minotaur?” I said, acting surprised.

She laughed and clapped her hands giddily. “I know. Her own father’s personal pet. Imagine, being forced to marry that animal.” She curled her nose and mouth with obvious disgust.

Then before I could warn her back, she walked up to false Basil and reached out her hand to stroke his face. But I could see through the glamour I’d set upon the rat and cringed as its huge, sharp teeth sank deep into the meat of mother’s palm.

She gasped. “It bit me! You bit me! How dare you!”

She struck her fist, and the rat squealed in agony as its cheek was suddenly sliced open by an invisible blade.

“Oh, shut up!” she hissed. “You even sound like a damned beast.” Then she did the most amazing thing and sealed its mouth with a muzzle.

My fear that the rat would squeak or chitter and give away its true identity was taken care of by mother’s own cruel nature.

She cradled her hand to her breast and blew a kiss at it, the smallish bite mark was suddenly sealed with a ball of radiant pink light. Her flesh was soon healed and like new.

“I hope it eats her,” she hissed, then twirled and looked at me. “Well?” she asked and I wished I could say I understood that single word, but I was shaken by what had happened and dumbfounded at the moment.

“Tis a fate worse than death, no?” she asked, laughter sparkling in her words.

My nostrils flared. Were Psyche indeed to marry the animal it would be a fate worse than death, but I suddenly knew what I had to do. How to fix all of this.

And I smiled.

Mother did not understand the meaning behind it. Her psychotic laughter echoed through the stone chamber.

“You will pierce the bitch’s side with one of your arrows in her wedding chamber that night. You will make her fall madly in love with this beast and then we will step back and it shall consume her.”

I nodded. “As you wish.”

I didn’t say anything else, I merely turned and walked out of there. I knew what to do now.