Thirteen Samkiel

I stared at my reflection as I laced my pants. A sharp pain pierced my side, originating from the slash across my abdomen. I winced and pressed my hand over it, surprised at how much it still hurt. Not that I would tell Dianna. She was worried enough. She’d been asking often and always watching me. I’d been forcing smiles, pretending it didn’t ache every damn second. I felt weak and off balance, and my power still danced across the sky.

I carefully traced my fingers along the wound. The damn thing nearly split me in two. The purple lines along the edges were new and another cause for her recent hypersensitivity. I bit back a curse as I pulled the white tunic over my head, letting out a shaky breath as it settled. The laces that crisscrossed my chest stayed untied. The clothes were already a tight fit.

Turning from the mirror, I glanced at the empty room and prayed to the old gods the root Dianna brought back would help. I thought of last night and how I’d awakened in such intense pain that I had to run to the bathroom. A small smile curved my lips as she sat with me in there, her hand running across the back of my head as I expelled my previous meal. She talked to me, comforting me with stories of her past with Gabby and all the things she still wanted to do. Gods above and below, I loved her even more for that.

I was half afraid that if I didn’t heal soon, she would start threatening the healers or, worse, burn the whole damn place and send it to the seafloor. Although what the healers were doing didn’t seem to be helping. The only remedy that seemed to provide any relief was the tea Miska snuck off to make. I padded toward the edge of the bed, holding my side as I slipped my shoes on.

Someone knocked on the door, and before I could answer, it opened, and the healer named Killie entered.

“She will see you now.”

THE DINING HALL WAS OVERDONE, TO SAY THE LEAST. FLOWERS AND vines decorated the tables, and lillievines climbed so high they breached the open ceiling. Frilla sat at the head of the table, and one of her consorts leaned over, pouring a liquid of shimmering yellow into her glass. She stepped back, and Frilla took a sip. The cream garment she wore twisted and curved high on her shoulders, rising behind her neck and head in a mock crown.

“Cedaar, you look well,” she greeted, waving her hands. “Please, have a seat.”

I smiled at her, my hand instinctively going to my side as I sat. “How are you this evening, Queen Frilla?”

Her cheeks flushed as she sipped her drink. “Very well. I hope you don’t mind that I called this dinner.”

Her consorts walked around the room, placing plates of fruits and meats in front of Frilla, then me. I tried to hide the curl of my lip at the smell. My stomach still had not settled.

“No, not at all. I’ve been meaning to speak with you as well.”

“Oh?” She tipped her head toward me as a glass of wine was poured near me. “What of?”

“The youngest healer here,” I said, raising the glass of wine to my lips. The others in the room froze. “I don’t think she is treated fairly by the older ones here.”

Frilla bristled. “I assure you she is. She has a room, a bed, food in her belly, and the opportunity to learn the art of healing. She is just young and thinks the world is against her. You know teens.”

My stomach pinched as the liquid settled, and I placed my glass down. “Yes, I am also aware that less than kind words or tactics at such a young age can affect growth and development,” I said, glancing at a few healers who had stopped eating and were openly listening to our conversation.

“She’s young,” Frilla said. “She probably embellished stories of how she is mistreated, hoping a daring, young male will swoop in and save her. Are you to be her knight now?”

The words were laced with an edge of bitter hate, and I knew Miska’s words rang true. They did despise her mother for whatever she had done and were taking it out on Miska.

“I am no knight, I assure you, just simply an observer.”

Frilla’s sweet demeanor melted away. She didn’t like to be challenged. That seemed to be the only thing we had in common. The doors behind me opened and closed as a healer entered and shuffled across the room. She didn’t spare me a glance before leaning in close and whispering to her queen. I grabbed my side, another pinch of pain making me nauseous.

The healer and the queen finished their hushed conversation, and the old woman hurried from the room. A look of pure contentment crossed Frilla’s face as she sipped her drink.

“I’ll be sure Miska is well taken care of. How about that?”

I offered her a soft smile. “Fantastic. I’d hate for any harm to come to her in retaliation for me merely inquiring.”

She sat up straighter and pointed toward my plate. “Are you all right? You haven’t touched your food.”

“Oh, yes.” The smile I forced was anything but friendly. My trust in her and this city was dwindling by the minute. “I am just not hungry. My apologies.”

“Well, that makes sense, given your wound.”

I nodded.

“Especially since I’ve been slipping a tiny bit of poison into your food every day for the last few weeks. In your drinks, too, even the water you bathed in. It was such a small amount that even your blood drinker did not detect it. It will work on her, too, since you share so much.”

The room spun, my side pulsating as nausea once again crept forward. I stared at my drink, my vision blurry as I tried to focus.

“I was kind of worried you’d catch on at first.” She plucked a small needle from her hair and slowly rose from her chair. “The extract in these zeile seeds can knock out even the strongest beasts. It attacks the blood slowly, hindering the healing process before targeting the nerves. Objects that weren’t heavy before suddenly are. It can cause headaches, dizziness, nausea, and even a fever. Given your history, I needed to be sneaky about it, and I needed time for them to arrive. They have been so busy in the realms, you know. Securing our one true king’s power.”

Her laugh was vindictive and cruel, but she was wrong. Dianna had not been feeding on me, but she had eaten the food. Fuck. I needed to get to her, to warn her. I struggled to my feet but nearly collapsed when my side split open. Those lines, it was the poison and why I wasn’t getting better.

My hand pressed flat on the table as I tried and failed to push myself up. A sharp pain echoed through my gut, and I fell back into my seat. Frilla stopped at my side, the needle seed still in her hand.

“Jade City was renowned for its healers. You and your beast have corrupted it.”

I coughed, and the room spun sideways.

“We are still known for it, but only for those under our king’s rule. Our specialty now lies in poisons. It is what truly makes her happy.”

Frilla trailed a hand over my throat and leaned in close to me. I flinched as the needle pierced my neck, and my limbs went slack.

“Undiluted, the seed can act as a paralytic for a short period. It’s how it protects itself in the wild. I figured this would make it easier to transport you.” Her hands trailed along my shoulders and biceps as she leaned forward. “Given all the extra muscle you have.”

Nausea hit my gut, and it wasn’t all from the poison.

“You truly are a lovely specimen. I wished to keep you, kill that bitch you came with, and make you one of mine, but our king does not handle defectors, such as The Eye, well. She will require you both to return and face your punishment. At least I will be well off once she has you.”

Frilla forced my head to the side as she looked at me.

“If you touch me, she will burn you and your precious city alive.”

“Doubtful. She will be dead soon enough. I made sure of it.”

“What did you do?” I sneered.

Frilla yelped, her hand dropping from me as she shook it. Tiny sparks of electricity bit at her palm but flickered out quickly.

“How?” she asked, gaping at me.

Her question went unanswered, the doors bursting open. Armored boots echoed through the hall as soldiers covered in gold and black armor entered, Nismera’s legless creatures emblazoned on their shoulder plates. They came to a stop in unison at the back of the room.

“Queen Frilla,” a voice called, and the soldiers parted to reveal a tall commander.

My body swayed, the room fading in and out of focus. Sweat coated my skin, and I began to shiver. I watched the commander place a parchment in her hand before they exchanged a few words. He turned toward me, the single eye in his head blinking once as he stepped closer.

Fucking cyclops.

His hand gripped my hair, turning my head to the side as he looked at the mark Dianna had shaved there. Our ruse was holding true.

“A member of The Eye,” he whispered close to my ear. “I cannot wait for our king to disembowel you.”

It was the last thing he said before he slammed my head into the table. I didn’t worry for myself as darkness crept closer and my body slumped.

My last thought was and always would be her. I feared for the world and what they’d unleashed.