Of Thorn and Thread (Daughters of Eville #4) - Chanda Hahn Page 0,92
The scent was growing stronger, making me sick. I could feel my terror rise, my stomach doing flips. Someone grabbed my elbow, and I cried out in surprise.
“What are you doing here?” Liam whispered.
“She’s here,” I cried out and felt myself lose control. My entire body trembled.
“Who’s here?”
“Madam Esme, I can smell the devil’s breath.”
Liam looked around the room and took a deep breath. “I smell nothing, except the smoke from the fireplace.”
“I’m telling you she’s here in the palace. You have to find her. She’s planning something. Alert the king.”
“Aura, it’s fine. You’re just overwhelmed with everyone’s emotions. You probably imagined it.”
“No, I’m not. I didn’t imagine it.” I couldn’t keep the terror out of my voice.
Liam pulled me into a hug, and I crumpled. The fear disappeared, along with the voices. I relaxed and let him shield and comfort me.
His head snapped up, and his eyes filled with sorrow. “I need you to stay strong. Filter through the fear and focus on me. Or no one will survive this meeting. Come. It’s time for you to get dressed and meet the queen of the fae.”
I didn’t recognize the young woman staring at me in the mirror. The servants, Hermine and Herla, had outdone themselves styling my hair. The sides were pulled back and braided into a crown. They left the rest long, cascading down my backless dress. Delicate silk and pearls adorned the long sleeves of my white gown, which felt as though it were made for a wedding. It was too extravagant. I feared it brought out my pale skin and eyes and made me look ethereal and wane, not beautiful. But then I had never worn such a dress as this before.
Hermine beckoned, and I leaned down for her to place little pearl drop earrings as a finishing touch. Herla brought me white satin slippers with no soles. On the cold stone floor, they did little to insulate my feet. They left me to await my summons. Liam said he would return to escort me to the main hall where he would protect me.
The sky had turned to a dark pink, and the sun set. A knock came to my door, and I opened it, expecting to see Liam.
The smile fell from my face when King Pharell greeted me.
“Well, if it isn’t my own personal slave.”
“What—?”
He stepped back and a familiar woman raised her hand and blew a fine powder in my face. Instinctively, I inhaled. The powerful drug filled my nose, and I felt my senses dull as the devil’s breath entered my body.
Madam Esme leaned forward. “You will obey the king’s every command. Do you understand?”
My limbs were heavy, my brain a fog, and I could not do anything but obey. “Yes, Madam Esme.”
King Pharell had retreated to a safe distance and came forward to test out my loyalty. “Stand on one leg.”
Fighting the compulsion, I cried out as my body balanced on one silk slipper. His eyes took on a mischievous glint. “Slap yourself.”
I did. My cheek stung and my palm burned.
“Good. You will do me no harm, protect me with your life if need be, and obey only my commands.” The king stepped further into the tower. “How long will it last?”
Madam Esme followed. No longer dressed in silks, she wore a deep red velvet dress, making her pale pink eyes seem even more sinister. Her pale hair was pinned back by a simple comb.
Madam tested the weight of the bag of powder. “A few hours at the strongest, then she will gain more control, unless you give her a second dose.”
“You didn’t give me enough last time. I could only control her for a few months before she wanted to go home.”
Contempt flickered briefly across Madam Esme’s face before it was replaced with a small smile. But I had seen the anger she had for the king.
“If I had known you were planning to start your own permanent personal harem of one, I would have given you more. Plus, she was fae. You knew you couldn’t keep her.”
My stomach dropped as I pieced the story together. The fae woman in the story wasn’t King Pharell’s true love, but his prisoner.
“Stop whining. I looked the other way for you for years. Now you owe me.” King Pharell held out his hand expectantly. “Give me enough this time.”
The king took the bag, and Madam added, “There’s enough to keep her compliant for years.”
Her? Was he referring to me, his wife, or Tatiana?