The Glass Queen (The Forest of Good and Evil #2) - Gena Showalter Page 0,143
once wished to speak with, who supposedly loved Roth, was Eve the avian, a girl I’d liked and admired.
I staggered to a halt at Saxon’s side. Well. No wonder he’d kept this secret from me. “Nice to officially meet you,” I said, and Roth looked surprised.
Everly patted my shoulder. “I’m glad you finally awoke, sleeping beauty.”
“I’m not the sleeping beauty. I’m the cinder girl,” I said. The sleeping beauty fairy tale involved blood kisses, vampires and elves, a monster known as a phoenix, and the most evil of magic. I’d stick with my avian prince. “I’m embarrassed I didn’t guess who you were. You syphoned your magic from multiple sources, didn’t you?”
“Sure did.”
Saxon snaked an arm around my waist, kissed my temple, and whispered, “I’m sorry I didn’t tell you.”
“I know. I understand.” Leonora was to blame. I looked to Roth. “Cousin.” Nod. “It’s nice to see you’re alive.”
“Is it?” he asked, brows arched.
“I don’t know. Give me a little more time to decide.”
He grinned.
“I’m glad the truth is finally out.” The sorceress hiked her thumb in Roth’s direction. “I have a feeling you’ll be seeing a lot more of us from now on, Ashleigh.”
“You owe me a gold coin,” I reminded her.
“Okay, okay.” She dug into her pocket and tossed over a coin.
I caught it and put it in my shoe. My first payment. What a thrill.
“I just have one question,” I said. “What was the original plan for me?”
Saxon closed his eyes and drew in a deep breath. When next he met my gaze, he evinced pure resolve. “I was going to have you bespelled into an eternal sleep and kill your father.”
“The problem with eternal sleep is that it might only affect me, leaving Leonora to roam free. Is Philipp’s murder absolutely necessary, though, or could he be locked up for the rest of his life? He has restitution to deliver.”
Saxon, Roth, and Everly stared at me as if I’d grown a second head.
“What?” I asked. “I know he’s a terrible person and an even worse leader. He usurped Roth’s kingdom. He needs Dior to use up her magical ability just to fund daily operations. What will he do when an emergency occurs?”
Saxon caressed my cheek, radiating tenderness. “If possible, we will lock him up.”
I couldn’t ask for more than that. I didn’t like my father, but I didn’t want him dead if he could be saved.
Roth took a step toward me. “King Philipp may not have long to live anyway. Not as sick as he is.”
Yes. He’d grown sicker over the past week. I’d recommended a food taster at one of the last battles, but he’d waved me away.
The dragons spit darts of ember-laced smoke at him, stopping him. They still weren’t sure of him.
I petted Pagan and Pyre in comfort and support, both of them purring. “Are you the ones poisoning him, then?”
“No,” Roth and Everly exclaimed in unison.
Then who was?
Twigs snapped as Ophelia and Noel sauntered over, joining our group. They were careful to avoid contact with the dragons. As usual, both girls wore leather tops and pleated skirts, with metal mesh mixed in, looking ready to rumble.
“Oh, good. The gang’s all here.” Ophelia clapped. “Let’s get this party started, then. One, two, three, you’re it.” She pointed to us, landing on me. With a grin that made me shudder with cold, she waved in my direction.
Suddenly I couldn’t move, my body frozen in place from the neck down. “Witch?”
“In case someone hasn’t caught up yet,” she told us, “the king knows about the ambush you’re planning.”
“What are—” Everly closed her eyes and dropped, unconscious.
Roth moved to catch her and collapsed beside her.
Saxon tried to push me behind his body, but he froze, too, his wings spread. He bellowed, “Witch.”
The dragons screeched and jumped toward me, determined to shield me, before they, too, closed their eyes and toppled.
Fear and fury bombarded me, everything else forgotten. I screamed and fought. “Pagan. Pyre.”
“Relax,” Noel said. “They’re only sleeping. And I’ll be staying with them when you leave, making sure they don’t torch the whole kingdom in a bid to find and rescue you—yet.”
Relax? Relax? I struggled harder, giving it everything I had. Help the dragons, I beseeched Leonora. Here and now, I had no pride. Please. Take over and help the dragons.
Her laugh whisked through my mind. —Why? I orchestrated this.—
“What are you doing, witch?” Saxon snarled. A vein throbbed across his brow.
Ophelia sauntered around us, a skip in her step. “I’m doing my job, and