Heart [ON HOLD]

Chapter 3: The Queen

If your hate could be turned into electricity, it would light up the whole world.
-Nikola Tesla

The Queen was not happy to see her assassin distracted. She glared into the ornate hand mirror, watching him catch her around the waist to keep her from the bloodroses' thorns. The normally emotionless assassin was apologizing now, and both she and Cora narrowed her eyes. He didn't think she knew about his disobedience the night before, but it wasn't hard to keep tabs on him. He had turned his back to Cora now, and the Queen squeezed the mirror's handle. On cue, the assassin grimaced. She ran her finger around a set of runes carved into the mirror's edge and they pulsed orange.

"Wolf..."

It was all she needed to say. The assassin began to walk away from the maid, leaving her just below her own balcony. The Queen nodded.

"Good boy."

She set the mirror down and waited. Within moments, the Wolf entered.

"My Liege."

"Wolf."

"You called."

The Queen reexamined her reflection. She lifted her chin, analyzing the cut of her jaw, the fierce, blood red color of her hair, the ice in her eyes. But for just a moment, the ice was thin, and if the Queen had wanted to, she could have seen the hollow abyss beneath the cold skin. But then the ice thickened like bristling permafrost. She searched the mirror for something more, but her lips only pursed and she set the mirror back down. She stood up from the vanity where she sat and ran her fingers over the back of the mirror. The Wolf watched her fleeting hand with a tight jaw.

"You're distracted," she said. "You know I don't tolerate laxness. Or disobedience."

The Wolf's expression didn't change, but his fists clenched a little tighter at his sides.

"When I leave a girl in the woods I expect her to fend for herself. She should be able to do that at least. All orphans should."

She turned her ice on the Wolf.

"I don't want my assassins going soft."

The Wolf continued to stare straight ahead.

The Queen sighed.

"Wolf, when you look at me, what do you see?"

"My Queen, my Liege."

His voice was as emotionless as his expression.

"Am I powerful?"

"The most powerful in all the Seven Kingdoms."

Nothing but stone.

"Regal?"

"As a lioness."

As frigid as a blizzard.

The Queen nodded. That was all anyone needed to see.

"And am I not the fairest in Catrimar?"

The Wolf's face twitched.

"Yes."

But the Queen had caught it.

"Liar."

Her hand reached for the mirror and the Wolf tensed in anticipation. Her fingers hovered over the handle.

"The truth, or I'll use the mirror."

The Wolf stayed silent. The Queen curled her fingers around it's handle and caressed her fingertips the runes on its surface. They pulsed hot.