Twisted Metal Heart - Eve Langlais Page 0,24
past, a skirt hanging just past the knees in a fabric thick and intricately stitched touching the high tips. Expensive clothes.
For a queen. Fuck.
The woman went right past Titan, leaving him only an awkward view of her. She wasn’t interested in him. When she stopped, her voice held a hint of amusement amidst the cold indifference. “Riella. It’s been a long time.”
“Not long enough,” Riella muttered, her words low and thick.
“Is that any way to greet your queen?”
That was met with a derisive snort.
But of more interest to Titan, it sounded as if they knew each other. Riella knew the wicked Emerald queen. A queen he’d hated his entire life.
“How did you find me?” Riella murmured. “You were supposed to believe I was dead.”
“I did for many years. Bravo on pulling off such a valiant stunt. But did you really think I wouldn’t hear of the incredible metal parts being sported by the gladiators in the other kingdoms?”
“I’m not the only one who makes them.”
“No, but yours are the most successful. And for a time, I was content to let you ply your trade, but now there is need of you.”
“Need?” Riella snorted. “I’m not interested in helping you with anything.”
“Yet you will serve. Whether you like it or not.”
The ominous note didn’t quell Riella’s rebellion. “I won’t.” Quiet. Determined.
His admiration for her grew. A rebel. Against the very queen he hated. He might have fallen in love in that moment.
“Defiance despite the fact you have no choice. I could kill you right now, and you couldn’t do a thing to stop me.”
“I’d rather die than go anywhere with you.”
Titan would have trembled with frustration if his body weren’t frozen. There was something inherently awful about listening to a threat, of knowing the danger surrounding them was to the extreme and being unable to do a damned thing about it.
“You won’t be dying anytime soon. As a matter of fact, your new home will be doing its utmost to keep you healthy.”
“And prisoner.”
“Can’t have you wandering away again, now can we? Take her.” The command was barked.
Booted feet tromped past, giving him a glimpse of composite black footwear that led into the metal leg guards made of a dark green. They looked like large robots. In a sense they were. Turn off the power and the Centurions couldn’t move, but with the power on, it made the Enclave soldiers a force to be reckoned with.
The queen swept past, and he wished he could grab hold of her ankle. Drag her down that he might exact his revenge on the woman who took his father from him.
As if sensing his regard, she paused. “And who is this?” The green leather boot toed him, and he couldn’t do much other than drool because of the paralytic.
Fear me with my vacant gaze and slobber. Instead he managed to spit, “Your days are numbered.” One of his most courageous and stupid moments.
It should have resulted in instant death.
The queen crouched, and he truly got to see her, from her unearthly pale skin to the deep red of her hair pulled into a messy bun atop her head. The tightness of her skin spoke as much to her age as wrinkles did. “Such brash words from trash.” Her gaze flicked over him, cold enough to make him inwardly shudder.
“Don’t waste your time with him. He’s no one,” Riella said.
Understanding she said it to probably help him nonetheless didn’t take the sting out of the words.
“Is he really nothing to you? Because he is rather attractive.” Fingers pinched his chin and turned him left and right, perusing him. “A decent body. A shame he’s missing parts. Although, I will say, fine work on the replacements. Is that all you upgraded?”
“He’s not my lover if that’s what you’re asking.”
“I’m just here for parts,” he grumbled, joining the charade.
“I should hope you’re not fornicating with him. A daughter of mine is expected to have some standards.”
Daughter? The word slapped him. It couldn’t be…
Looking again, he saw the resemblance: the straight nose, the hair a similar shade of red—although the mother’s was a halo of messy curls compared to the sleekness of Riella’s.
But who cared about their appearance? Riella was the queen’s daughter. And a liar. He’d slept with the enemy.
“You’re part of the royal family?” The words seethed from him, and the queen’s eyes widened.
“Don’t you look perfectly disturbed by the fact.”
He was beyond perturbed. She lied. The knowledge of it burned.
“You’re Enclave,” he snarled.
“Not anymore,” was Riella’s