Twisted Metal Heart - Eve Langlais Page 0,26
was going to die. Horribly. And she couldn’t do a thing about it.
Feeling helpless burned. It hurt almost as bad as losing her arm. She didn’t like to be weak, especially in front of her mother. From a young age, when the queen would visit the special nursery for her royal brood, Riella had felt that eye on her, judging. Judging more and harder than the others because of her imperfections. Her mother couldn’t see past it to everything else that made her special. Until Mother found a use for her.
When the queen realized how much power Riella wielded, she decided to profit from it—but her jealousy made her ask the impossible so she could punish Riella when she failed. As her teen years waned, Riella realized her life would be a never-ending series of punishments and misery. Faking her death had been the scariest and bravest thing she’d ever done.
She’d had almost a decade of freedom.
The Centurions tossed her into the heavily armored imperial vehicle. There was no gentleness for the runaway princess. Riella hit the floor hard, shoulder first then her face. She couldn’t move, only listen and chastise herself for letting this happen. She’d gotten caught. Quickly and easily. The shame of it.
The door to the tank slammed shut, the machine rumbled into motion, and she could only offer a silent apology to Titan. He didn’t deserve to die because of her.
Sharp fingers poked at her mind, looking to tear forth secrets. It was hard to keep them out with the poison running through her system.
“Don’t you dare block me out, not after everything you’ve done,” Mother hissed. The queen, the person she hated most in the world, stood over her with an angry look on her face. The kind that meant someone would die painfully. “Let me see what you’ve been up to.”
As if Riella would spill her secrets. Keeping her mind shielded came to her naturally, and with a bit of effort, it fell into place. But not before those cold curious fingers snared an emotion.
“You’re worried about that man we left behind. Maybe we should bring him with us if he’s that important to you.”
That was a fate even worse than digestion by spidus. She had to do something, and quickly. “I’m worried because my client paid good money for the upgrade.”
“Money that the crown will put to good use once confiscated.”
“Good luck finding it.”
“I’ll find it. I promise. And even if I don’t, you’ll earn more for me.”
“Don’t be so sure. Not delivering will ruin my reputation.” Feeble excuse to divert attention, but the queen ran with it.
“You won’t need a reputation, given you’ll be exclusively working for Emerald now.”
“Don’t you already have enough people to bow to your insane demands?”
“We’ve had issues.”
Despite the fact she still lay face against the floor, she couldn’t help but taunt, “Don’t you mean rebellions? Rumor has it that some of your domes have had problems with their citizens.”
“Insurgents!” the queen spat. She crouched beside Riella and in a soft, deadly voice said, “Those that think to defy me will regret it. And you will help me by creating a weapon that will make them fall in line.”
“Not happening.”
She could feel the grip of the fist in her hair as her head was lifted from the floor. The queen’s eyes flashed dangerously. “Still impertinent.”
“Never did manage to beat it out of me.” And she was beaten often. Those in the same litter, because she wouldn’t call them brother or sister, not even cousin, were all too happy to tattle on her and save themselves the strap.
“I have no interest in trying to curb it. I have a theory that the fire in you, the thing that makes you angry and rebellious, is what allows you to design and gives you the ability to forge metal into unique patterns.”
“You’re overstating my brilliance. Alfred does most of the metal work.” She only fine-tuned the end product.
“He might fabricate the parts, but you provide the machine schematics. You are the one who can put them all together.”
“I won’t design a weapon for you.” Riella was many things, but a mass murderer wasn’t one of them.
“You will do as I ask,” the queen seethed. “You owe me for humiliating me. How dare you run away and hide.”
“Not very well apparently,” she muttered.
“You lied to me.”
“Don’t speak to me about the truth.” Riella snorted. “How about the fact it wasn’t marauders but you that killed my father?”
“He left me no choice because