The Runaway Queen

Chapter 17

Seraphina tightened the belt around her body. The silk dressing gown was in the dressing room that would be hers once she moved into this room. It was full of clothing that had been bought for her, even though she wasn't here. Seraphina didn't want to think about what it meant.

She'd just emerged from the bathroom. A long soak was suggested while the maids changed the linen. Hawthorn was going to join her, but Kohen appeared and requested an urgent meeting.

Sighing as she crossed the room, Seraphina wondered when Hawthorn would return. Hearing a tapping on the window, Seraphina turned and saw the raven had returned. She opened the window, letting Bram into the room.

"What are you doing here?"

She turned, holding a pillow behind her. Seraphina watched in dismay as the feathers took flight. She began collecting them, hoping that Hawthorn wouldn't turn up while Bram was here.

"They're planning on attacking really soon. Wesley is seriously pissed off that Hawthorn is ordering him around and that he has some kind of hold over him. I think he's planning on going public with whatever Hawthorn is blackmailing him with. You need to leave now."

Seraphina dumped a stack of feathers out the window.

"There are guards here. They'll stop any attack."

"Seph, he's calling in the army. It's going to,"

She held up her hand, frowning as she looked out the window. A figure dressed in black moved between the trees.

"Go, Bram. Get out while you can. They've sent another assassin in."

In Hawthorn's office, Orin and Kohen discussed the information that Bram had delivered.

"It would appear that an attack is imminent. He's sending the army to take us down."

"That's a tad extreme," Hawthorn muttered.

The doors flew open, and Seraphina appeared, wildly gesturing to the windows.

"Person in black out in the grounds," Seraphina said, almost out of breath.

Orin stood and rushed to the window. He had his two-way in his hand, barking orders at someone. Kohen stood, fear gripping him.

"We must move you into a safe space."

"And where exactly would that be?" Hawthorn asked in a dry tone. "As someone who has witnessed the worst of this place, I can assure you that this building has far too many holes that need to be plugged."

Orin stalked over to them.

"I will gather a group of guards to escort you back to your chambers. It is a safe space. Kohen, you need to find the staff and ensure they follow the procedures for a siege."

With a nod, Kohen rushed out of the room. The guards were gathered, and Orin escorted the group to the king's private chambers.

"Two inside with me. The rest of you stay at the door until I tell you otherwise."

Hawthorn entered his bedroom and noticed that the window was open. He looked at Orin and nodded to the window. Hawthorn looked around the room. Everything appeared normal.

Orin leaned down and picked up a black feather, quietly showing it to Hawthorn. He turned to Seraphina, who was at the window at the far end of the room.

She looked at Hawthorn and shook her head.

"This isn't enough."

Hawthorn held open his arms, waiting for her to come to his embrace. When she was close enough, Hawthorn frowned.

"Where's the necklace I gave you?"

Seraphina frowned, pressing her hand against her chest.

"I must have left it in the bathroom."

"Or perhaps I never gave you a necklace. Where is Seraphina, Bram?"

Bram produced a blade, but before he could impale Hawthorn, legs emerged from under the bed. Even though she was bound and gagged, Seraphina still kicked her legs out and sent Bram to the floor.

He got up before Orin or the guards could react, and with a fast move, Bram slammed the blade into Hawthorn's stomach. Shifting to an insect, Bram moved to the window. Orin was fast and dropped the sash. When the bug hit the glass, Orin smacked it and flattened him.

Guards lowered to their king, desperately trying to figure out what to do. Orin pushed them out of the way. Seraphina was trying to wriggle out from under the bed. Her arms were tied behind her back, and as she moved over the wooden floor, she was grateful that she'd put something on underneath the dressing gown.

"One of you, please help the queen."

The guard closest freed Seraphina, starting with the tape on her mouth.

"Don't break the shaft."

"Press against the wound to stop the bleeding."

Orin turned to Seraphina as she tossed away the rope.

"Are you suggesting that it's the same as the arrow?"

"Of course it would be. This needs to be carefully removed."

Seraphina had seen the blade before. It was sitting on the table when the government staff handed over the arrows.

"It has a curl back on the blade."

Ripping open Hawthorn's shirt, Seraphina drew the image in blood on his chest. It was like a little wave of death.

"You can't just pull it out. You need to make sure that it won't catch on anything."

"That would mean making a larger incision."

"Why not?" Hawthorn offered in a mocking tone. "We've got time to discuss it, so let's just do whatever."

Orin was on his two-way again, calling for anyone with medical training. There wasn't enough time to call a doctor in, and with the interloper still running around the gardens, it wasn't safe either.

Seraphina sighed. She never thought that this was a decision that she would have to make. Her mind or her heart. The mind told her that justice had not been served and the deaths of those she loved needed to be avenged. Her heart, though, it whispered that love had been found. It was newly formed, still growing, but strong enough to warrant something bold. Something that had her completely turned around.

She was going to save the king of the vampires.

"I can do it."

The guards and Orin looked at Seraphina. Even Hawthorn lifted his head to offer a confused frown. Seraphina shrugged.

"Who do you think repaired Bram's arm?"

"Not a car hitting the poor birdie?"

Seraphina smiled as she pulled the letter opener from underneath her dressing gown. Hawthorn's eyes widened, wondering how she managed to get her hands on it. He was positive that he'd locked it in his desk drawer.

"No, not a car."

"How did you get that? I locked it in the drawer."

"I took this when Wesley was in your office. When I saw the anger on his face, I knew that he wasn't going to lay down and take your nonsense."

Hawthorn wondered if Kohen had replaced the letter opener with a new one.

"Are you sure it wasn't to kill the king?" Orin said with a scornful look on his face.

Seraphina smiled.

"A little from column a and a little from column b."

Holding up the blade, Seraphina turned her smile to Hawthorn. It was dark and wicked. He knew she would enjoy cutting him with a blade that wasn't as sharp as it should be.