Thorn Queen Page 0,113

price she'd gotten for her.

The other two were stunning as well, and they seemed to glumly accept that their time would come. They faced it without much emotion or protest, like condemned criminals going to the gallows. Mostly, their faces were like pieces of a dream. I was kept so heavily drugged that my moments of clarity were few-though the drugs never made me forget what Leith did. None of the other girls had to be drugged; the iron was enough for them. Cariena told me, however, that when other women had required the nightshade, they hadn't taken nearly as much as me. Art and Abigail were too afraid of me getting loose, so they gave it to me more frequently than usual.

"When will you know?" Leith demanded one day. He had just arrived and stood outside my room, arguing with Abigail. The door was ajar. "I thought you people had the ability to tell this kind of thing."

"We can," snapped Abigail. "But not this soon. You've probably got to wait at least two weeks. Besides, you don't seem to mind passing the time that much." The sneer in her voice came through loud and clear. I made a mental note to choke the life out of that bitch.

Leith, however, didn't sound so happy. "Two weeks is a long time. I need to bring her back pregnant before anyone finds her! They're looking for her. She has powerful allies. Her people are loyal, and both the Oak King and the Willow Queen have taken up the search."

Dorian's dedication didn't surprise me, and knowing he was working to find me gave me the first hope I'd had in a while. But Maiwenn, too? Had that been Kiyo's doing? Or truly her own kindness?

"I don't care about your tree-based monarchs," said Abigail impatiently. "Nobody would think to look for her here."

"She suspected before. She told others. Someone could scry for her."

"They won't find her. Scrying won't work. Not with the wards here. Now why don't you stop whining and just get in there and do your business so this won't be a problem. She's almost due for her next dose."

I decided wringing her neck wasn't slow and painful enough. Yet, their words had given me a lot to think about. There was a search on, enough of one that Leith feared discovery. Her mentioning the wards had reminded me of when I'd sent Volusian here. Volusian...there was an option I hadn't considered yet. I could summon Volusian to me and have him warn the others. The wards were a problem. He couldn't break them on his own, but if I was calling him, the ties that bound us would be enough to pull him through. If I could muster the energy to do it. The iron and nightshade affected the gentry part of my magic. My shamanic powers, the ones I'd used for years, were tied into my strength and will-which I didn't have a lot of lately.

That being said, I felt more coherent now than I had in a while-which was still pretty addled. Abigail had said it was almost time for my next dose. I had to imagine the further from the dose I got, the more its effects would dim. Cariena had said most people didn't take as much, which probably meant the nightshade would still stay in my system awhile. But if I could reach a point when its effects were lessened...

My brainstorming was halted as Leith entered. Consternation from his argument with Abigail showed on his face, but it soon transformed to a smile when he saw me. "Eugenie...you look so pretty today."

Yes, yes, I'd heard it all before. I was so beautiful, so amazing, a jewel among women that he loved so much. His words irritated me as much as insults would have. I'd been put in an ivory damask dress today, which gave me sickening bridal associations.

He looked me over, and his admiration again changed to a frown. I was lying on the bed, one hand cuffed to the headboard. "What's this?" he asked. "Why did they do that?"

"I was a smartass to Abigail. This was her punishment."

His face darkened further as he sat on the bed. "I don't like that...don't like her doing that. But, Eugenie, you have to admit you bring it on yourself...."

Oh, Leith. He was so lucky I could barely lift my free arm, or I would have punched that pretty face of his.

He peered at me intently. "You have to