Besotted (The Fairest Maidens #3) - Jody Hedlund Page 0,53

powdered basilisk blood. When the recipe didn’t produce the jewels, silver, or gold she desired, she released the remaining basilisks into Inglewood Forest.”

“Such a story may be true, but again, it has nothing to do with me. Jorg and I have done well to keep away from the basilisks.”

“Unfortunately,” Mikkel interjected, “the basilisks are the least harmful of her alchemy experiments.”

Though I was tempted to stand up and walk away, I remained on the bench and let my brothers tell me everything they’d pieced together about Queen Margery’s experimentation in alchemy. When her father, King Alfred, had died, he’d bequeathed a coveted ancient white stone to her, one mentioned in Holy Scripture saying: “To him that overcometh will I give to eat of the hidden manna, and will give him a white stone.”

Rumored to have special transforming powers, the white stone had been placed into the safekeeping of the royals to prevent abuse. But instead of guarding and protecting the stone as other kings and queens had done before her, Margery enlisted the assistance of priests from all over the world to aid her in unlocking the secrets of the stone’s power.

While everyone knew about her obsession with alchemy and her many experiments over the years, no one had guessed just how evil her practices had become. Until Vilmar’s wife, Gabriella, discovered that the queen had created a successful elixir for growing jewels within the Gemstone Mountains long after the original gems were gone.

“She figured out how to make gems,” I said. “Certainly that doesn’t warrant her death.”

Mikkel exchanged a look with Vilmar, one that told me their tale had only just begun. I sighed and settled onto the bench more comfortably.

Mikkel glanced to the door to make sure we were still alone. “Apparently, Margery’s priests spent years deciphering a cryptic language in order to understand the ingredients necessary to mix with the white stone. They discovered blood from a heart was necessary and tried many different hearts, including that of the basilisk.”

I sensed where the story was going and sat forward. “They learned they needed a human heart.”

Mikkel nodded. “Not just any human heart. For jewels, they needed the heart of the fairest maiden in all the land—”

“And Gabriella was to be her next victim,” Vilmar said gravely, “but we outwitted her, which is why she seeks our demise.”

“For making gold,” Mikkel continued, “the secret ingredient is the heart of the fairest royal maiden in the land—or so they believe. The queen meant to use Pearl’s heart to test her theory, but Pearl escaped thanks to Curly, the queen’s former huntsman, who refused to take the princess’s life and instead set her free. She fled to the Isle of Outcasts where she hid from the queen.”

Mikkel peered down the table toward the redheaded man next to Vilmar. Curly gave a curt nod back at Mikkel but otherwise remained silent.

I was growing more fascinated at the unfolding tale by the moment. “So the queen still hunts Princess Pearl, hoping to use her heart to make gold?”

“No. The queen has no need of her now that she is my wife. The elixir can only be concocted from the heart of the fairest maiden—an unmarried woman who has not yet reached her twentieth year.”

“So she intends to use Princess Ruby’s heart instead?”

“Perhaps one day. But for now, Ruby is still too young.”

“Then you and your wife and her sister are safe,” I said. “You have nothing to worry about anymore—”

“Queen Margery not only wants to steal Mercia from Queen Aurora, but she also intends to steal her heart. If Margery uses the heart to make gold, there will be no end to her power and wealth. She will become a threat to every nation, including Scania.”

Mikkel’s pronouncement settled around the table like a knell of death. Finally, I understood the depth of the queen’s depravity, and I stared into my almost-empty mug, my gut swirling with a sourness that rivaled the dregs of ale.

“So now you see why we seek Aurora.” Vilmar broke the silence. “The queen desperately wants her. Thus, if we find her first, we can make use of Pearl’s bargain with the queen. We shall strike at Margery’s weakest moment and crush her evil reign.”

Now that I knew all that had transpired, I understood my brothers’ desire to bring an end to the madness, the needless suffering, and the threat to all nations. But I still didn’t feel right about aiding them in finding Aurora. “Why bring the child