Here Lies the Queen

Chapter 12

After she dressed, a young woman led her to the dining room. One wall was made entirely of glass and looked down upon the glittering city. A table stretched from the window down to the end of the room. Mounds of food were piled on it. A chair shaped like a throne sat at the head and five chairs opposite each other. Across the table from the throne was another chair fit for a queen. The young woman pulled it out for her and she dropped into it.
The door banged open and the king strode in. A black cape fluttered from his shoulders. She noticed the hem was covered in dried blood. The king's face was stone but softened as Bella rose. His eyes skated over her and she had to fight the urge to run.
"Your Majesty," she said, bowing. She was aware of every inch of skin the dress revealed. So was he.
"Don't sit down there." He groaned as he sat on his throne. "Come." She glided down to him. He watched every movement.
She liked the dress. She really did. It wasn't something she would wear in front of this particular king.
It was a sheer black dress that did nothing to hide her body. Darker patches of fabric covered her breasts and lower area, but everything else was exposed. Small designs were sewn in the hem and collar. The open back plunged down to her waist before meeting the gown at her backside.
It was burning hot but she still got chills as she walked to the king. He didn't look away as she sat and pulled a plate toward her.
"You look ravishing," he said.
She choked on a grape she had just placed in her mouth. "Thank you, sir."
"Please. How many times do I have to tell you to call me Cagan?"
"Of course, sir. I mean, Cagan." She smiled at him and made her eyes burn.
"Tell me why you came here again?"
She repeated her story. He nodded and ate while she talked. After she finished, he chewed a bit before dumping food onto her plate.
"And you want some of my armies?"
"Yes, sir." He raised an eyebrow. "Cagan."
"I would, but what is in it for me?"
Bella was prepared for this question. "I'm willing to give my soul to you."
"And my son will die if you decide to keep your kingdom. You will never see him again."
"That is another sacrifice I am willing to make. But we are doing everything we can to prevent that."
He grunted and tore into a chicken leg. Bella waited for him to speak but he didn't.
"Cagan?" No answer. "Our families have been intertwined since, well, forever. You've helped my ancestors keep their kingdoms. Will you help me keep mine?"
The chicken leg hit his plate. All that was left was bone. "I'll think about it."
She tried not to show her disappointment. "Of course. Take as much time as you need."
He dabbed his mouth and unleashed a burp that almost made her pass out. "Thank you, darling." His hand grazed her leg under the table and she jumped. "It's okay." His hand ventured higher and higher up her thigh. She didn't dare move as his hand explored.
He had said no weapons. She still made sure the pins in her hair were as sharp as possible.
"Do you like that?" he breathed. She fixed her eyes straight ahead. He had never dared do this before. What changed? His finger grazed the inside of her thigh and she squeezed her eyes shut. "You do, huh?"
She was about to cut off his hand when a servant ran up. He whispered something in the king's ear and he withdrew his hand. She breathed a sigh of relief as he got up.
"You both are dismissed," he said before striding out of the room. Bella sank into her chair. Never before. Never. He had lost his mind. She could still feel the cold touch of his hand on her. The chair screeched as she got up and ran back to her room.
She couldn't tear the dress off fast enough. A wave of fire burned it as soon as it touched the floor. She barged into her bathroom and, with trembling hands, washed down every inch of her. Until she couldn't feel his touch. Her head spun and she sank to the floor. So close. He had come so close to... She pushed the thought away and heaved.
She heard footsteps, then... "Are you okay?" She shook her head as she vomited again. Mel held her hair back as she heaved. And heaved. Until there was nothing left in her stomach.
"Do you want to talk about it?" Bella shook her head and curled up in a ball. The floor bit into her bare skin. Mel picked her up and carried her back to her bed. The covers were soft as Mel tucked her in. She heard the door open and close and she was alone.
Bella was about to drift off when the door opened again. She cracked her eyes to see Mel approaching, a yellow thing in her hands. The sweet aroma of lemon reached her. Mel propped her up and gave her the tart.
"I used to make these when I was sad," she said. "Even if they aren't good, I hope you feel better."
Bella mumbled thanks and took a bite into it. It was the perfect taste, but she couldn't eat it. "I'm sorry," she said. Mel took it from her.
"It's okay." She took her hand and rubbed it. "Your hands are better. That's good."
Bella drew her hand away. She felt bad for not letting Mel touch her, but she couldn't. Not right now.
"I saw Hunter on my way up." Bella's ears perked up. "He looked well." Mel hesitated for a second but Bella caught it. Hunter was not well.
Hell had a way of messing with people's heads. The most common phrase here is "Keep your wits about you." Nobody comments on how hard it is.
Mel began to talk. It took a moment for Bella to understand. She was telling a story. She told of a girl who wanted to fly, but there was a law against it. Still, every day the girl learned. Bella drifted off as Mel began to sing.
Bella woke to the slamming of a door. She opened her eyes and saw Hunter leaning against it. He slid down onto the floor, a trail of blood following him. Bella slid out of her bed and crossed over to him.
"What happened?" she asked as she knelt next to him.
Hunter grinned at her. "My father. He was upset and grabbed the nearest person to beat. Guess who it was."
Without waiting for him to tell her more, she scrambled around him and pulled off his shirt. Gashes crisscrossed his back. She followed one spilling blood from his neck to the middle of his back. He groaned as she scooped him up.
She helped him undress before putting him into the bathtub. Water splashed down onto him and he closed his eyes. She sent a line of fire to burn his bloody clothes.
Hunter leaned forward as she cleaned his back. Blood turned the water red. A stitch kit was hidden behind some soaps in a cabinet and she hurried back to him. He clutched the sides of the tub so hard it cracked as she sewed him shut.
He stumbled as he got out and she had to carry him to her bed. She laid him facedown and applied some salve Sanriel had left for her. Hunter moaned as she massaged it into his back. She bandaged it and rolled him over.
"Do you ever feel like you're not enough?" he whispered. She stilled. "Like, you can't do anything right, no matter how hard you try?"
She brushed his hair out of his face. "All the time."
"I don't think I'm enough."
"Don't say that."
He huffed a laugh. "It's true. Everyone thinks it."
"Hunter. Look at me." He did. His eyes were nothing more than husks of the flame that once burned there. "You are enough."
"You don't think that." He let his head fall back and closed his eyes. "I don't deserve any of this." He gestured around.
"You deserve all of it." Bella laid down next to him. "You are enough for this kingdom, for your friends. You are enough for me."
"When have I done anything right?"
"You saved me," she whispered. His body went taut. "Don't you remember?"
The day was the best it's been since winter. The sun peeked out from behind the clouds. Small berries dotted the garden underneath her.
She was no more than eight. Her brother had just joined the Kingdom Guard. The anger her parents felt at him was directed at her. She remembered the feel of the fire licking her skin. How she screamed. The whole city must have heard it.
Her white dress floated around her ankles as she climbed up onto the balcony. Cobblestone greeted her down below. The sun shone over the city. She looked out over it and whispered goodbye. She was about to step off when a voice behind her drawled, "I hope you're not thinking of jumping."
She almost toppled over the edge as she turned but the boy caught her. He was the same age as her but was unusually strong. His eyes flared brightly as he set her down. She realized their eyes were the same.
"The blood would take days to get out," he continued. Something burst inside of her as she looked at this strange boy. She glanced at her city again and felt like crying.
That day, she decided that no matter what, she fought. Nothing would ever make her want to kill herself again. She would fight.
Hunter looked up at her. "I remember," he said, his voice barely audible. "You were going to jump."
"Hunter, if you hadn't, who knows what would be going on now? You are enough. If you won't listen to me, then listen to everyone but your father. That man can..." She rattled off a list of what he could do.
Hunter traced her face and she went silent. A single tear snaked down his face. "I love you."
"I know." She pressed a kiss to his cheek. "I love you."
They laid there, not quite asleep, not quite awake. Light danced over their bodies as they breathed. At that moment, they were more than people. They were two souls bonded together, destined to be together. Intertwined for eternity.
They only stirred when the sun began to sink below the horizon. Bella summoned a servant to bring clothes for Hunter. While he slept, she dressed in a dress of shadows. She will let them see the darkness in her.
The servant returned carrying a set of clothes that were made for Hunter. It was a bright red suit that would highlight his assets. She poked and prodded Hunter until he pulled them on. Together, they were the Crimson King and Dark Queen.
The hall went silent as they entered. Mel stared at Bella and Hunter before dipping into a bow. Sanriel met Bella's gaze and nodded.
The king flushed an ugly shade of red as he saw them. "What are you doing here?"
Bella bared her teeth into a smile at him. "We're going to fight. You have until tonight to decide if you're going to join us or not."
The king snarled, the sound ripping through the air. Bella merely turned away. Mel rose from her bow as Bella said, "Sanriel, there is something I would like to discuss with you."
Hunter glanced at his father, who gasped like a dying fish. "Are you okay? You look a little unwell. Maybe you should take a break."
The king stepped forward and a wall of fire immediately surrounded them. Bella glared at him through it. "Don't try anything."
"You don't command me." He took another step and a second wall joined Bella's. This was a gray cloud of smoke. It swirled and shrieked like souls were lost within.
"Listen to her," Hunter growled. The king stared at his son. He must've seen something he didn't like because he turned and walked out. The magic vanished as soon as he was out of sight.
"Sanriel." Bella cocked her head. "Mel. Let's go."
They walked to the library. It was old with the smell of old books hanging in the air. Nobody came here except grumpy old men. It was the one place they would not be overheard.
They settled at a table in the back. Rows and rows of books shielded them from any prying eyes. Bella turned to Sanriel and said, "We need to discuss something with you."
The woman's wings flared as Bella told her what she needed. A way to get the Elder Sword.
"It's in the treasury," she said when Bella was done. "Guarded by the best knights the king has."
"And that's why you're going to go down and get it for us."
Sanriel's face blanched. Before she could protest, Bella said, "If you get caught, either act dumb or blame it on me."
She nodded. "Why do you need it?"
"To defeat the girl trying to take my kingdom." She pulled the Pearl out of a hidden pocket. "This is the other object that will help us."
"A pearl?"
"The Pearl. It takes you wherever you want to go. It's going to be useful on the battlefield."
Sanriel nodded as she looked at it. "I'll do what I can to help you."
"Thank you." Bella pocketed the Pearl again and stood. "In the meantime, we need to get the armies of Hell."
Sanriel disappeared after their meeting. Bella hoped she was looking for the sword, rather than telling the king of their plans. She would find out soon enough, she thought as she wrote the king a note.
A few hours later, she knocked on his bedroom door. He opened it. Delilah laid in his bed, the covers pulled up to her chin. The king looked like he was dressed in a hurry. His pants were unbuckled and his chest was bare. He glowered down at her.
"You're early," he said.
"My apologies, Cagan." The words held the impact she knew they would. His shoulders relaxed and he opened the door wider. "I needed to discuss this as soon as possible."
He took in her ruffled appearance. Her hair was a mess and she wore a midnight dark nightgown. It was small enough that it revealed her thighs and showed a decent amount of chest.
"Come in," he said. "Delilah, get out."
The woman scrambled out of bed and grabbed a robe. She scurried past Bella without meeting her eyes. The king fastened his pants as she strode in.
"What did you need to discuss?"
"Reinforcements." She lounged on his bed and she saw him swallow. "For my kingdom."
"Of course." He ran a hand through his hair. A couple of strands drifted to the ground and she tried not to gag. "What will you give me in return?"
She smiled sweetly at him, batting her eyelashes. "Anything."
He sat down next to her. Bella scooted over to him and stared up at him from underneath her lashes. He smirked down at her. "Anything?"
"Anything," she sighed.
"Your soul?"
"Done." She drew a knife from under her nightgown and slit her hand. "Do you promise to supply as many troops as you can spare, along with Sanriel's legion, in exchange for my soul when I die?"
He took the blade from her and cut his hand. She grasped his and their blood mixed. An invisible thread tied itself between them. They looked at each other and their blood fell to the ground.
"Is there anything else I can help with?" the king said. Bella glanced at his chest. It rippled with muscles in the light.
"No." She rose from the bed, making sure to give him a full view of her back. "Thank you, Cagan." Her hips swished as she moved to the door. She tried not to think of Sanriel sneaking around somewhere below. Heaven forbid she gets caught.
"Wait." The king rose and reached for her. She extended her hand and he grabbed it. "You are as lovely as a doll."
She quelled the growing panic inside her. "Thank you very much."
He tugged her down into his lap. She froze as his lips grazed her neck. "If only you were older. We would've had fun, you and I."
"I don't doubt it." She forced herself to shift, ignoring the hard lump beneath her. "Alas, we were born generations apart."
"Curse the fates," he whispered. She agreed, but not for the same reason The candles flickered, turning his white hair red. "Does age really matter, though?"
She pushed off and brushed herself off. "I'm sorry, Cagan. I really must go." He watched her with his dark eyes as she strode out the door.
Bella barely breathed on her way back to her room. The nerve of that bastard. Thinking he could have any woman who he laid eyes on.
The door slammed against the wall, startling Hunter, as she walked in. He jumped to her immediately, asking if she was okay.
"Where's Sanriel?" she asked.
"She hasn't returned yet."
Bella stripped off the nightgown and pulled on a leather bodysuit. She didn't miss Hunter's appreciative grin before going to her bathroom.
The cold water was refreshing on her face. She studied herself in the mirror. Cheeks flushed, eyes glowing. Her stomach threatened to empty its contents again but she forced it down. They had much to do before she could think.
Hunter was resting on her bed when she returned. He studied her, searching her face for something. She crawled in next to him.
"How was it?"
"Horrible." She sighed. "I'll get over it."
"It's okay if you don't. He shouldn't touch people like that."
"It's fine." She closed her eyes. "It's fine."
Hunter pulled her close to him. "We'll get through this."
"I know."
"I promise."
"Stop talking. You're making me anxious."
Hunter shut his mouth. A smile graced her lips as she rested.
Sanriel walked in to find them asleep. She rapped the door frame and they woke, a tangle of limbs. Bella stilled at the expression on her face.
"It wasn't there."
"What?" Hunter said. "How was it not there?"
"The guard said it was in the king's bedroom." She turned to Bella. "Where you were."
Her heart sank. She hadn't noticed any sword. "I didn't see it."
"It would be in a very secure place," Hunter intervened. A good thing too. Sanriel looked like she might explode. "He wouldn't have had it in the open."
"You guys find it, then."
She was halfway out the door when Bella said, "I made the deal. I made him blood promise me you would be on the battlefield."
"You did?"
"Yes. I told you I would."
"Thank you." She seemed to have an argument with herself, opening and closing her mouth. Finally, she said, "I'll find a way into his bedroom."
"You won't have to," Mel said from the doorway. A small figure shrank into the shadows behind her. "She will help us."
"Who?" Hunter sat up and squinted at the shape.
The woman stepped into the light. It washed over dark brown curls and emerald green eyes. Delilah.