The True Queen- Book Two

Chapter Forty: Cordelia

Cordelia pulls on her dark robe just as there is a knock on her door. She sighs and pulls it open. Her grandfather stands there.

"You're going into the city again tonight, yes?" he asks.

"Yes, Grandfather," she says. "Though I don't think I'm going to find anything," she warns. His jaw clenches and he sighs.

"Two weeks, Cordelia. Two weeks you've been going into the city, almost every night and you have brought me nothing," he growls. Cordelia steps out of her room and glares at her grandfather.

"It's not easy," Cordelia tells him. "I have to avoid all your patrols, make sure I'm not being followed and try and find information from a group who has managed to stay hidden for years. If the Red Guard can't find them, then how to do you expect me to?" she asks. His jaw clenches.

"Because Princess Shaelyn is with them and  she's your sister..." Cordelia laughs.

"If you think Shae is going to just find me and lead me straight to their secret hideout, you're stupid." He raises an eyebrow. "She was suspicious of me just like Fallon," she sighs and turns to her grandfather. "Look," she says, "give me time to work. This isn't going to be instantaneous," she explains, "I'm putting some bits together and soon, I'll have some clues at least from some old contacts. When I have something, I'll come to you," she smiles.

"You better not be fucking with me, Cordelia," he warns. She laughs and steps forward.

"Or what?" she asks, raising an eyebrow. "May I remind you that though I have returned Amalie to you, I am not afraid to use her again," she smirks and takes a step closer. "For some reason, you actually love that granddaughter," Cordelia sighs, looking straight into his eyes. Unflinching at his cold, terrifying glare. "Which is strange, considering how you think love is a weakness," Cordelia chuckles, then her look turns cold. "You used Shae to hurt us Grandfather. Tortured and mutilated her whilst we were forced to watch all in your attempts to get us to fall in line." Cordelia turns her lips into a twisted smile. "I have no one left in this castle that you can torture to hurt me. But you have her and if I think you or anyone in the council are working against me, then I will do to her what you did to Shaelyn, understand?" Cordelia asks. His mouth twists and a nasty sneer crosses his face.

"You don't have it in you to torture, Cordelia. You're a nasty, spiteful little bitch, but torture is very different from whispering little seductive words in a pathetic lord's ear," he tells her. Cordelia raises an eyebrow and steps closer to him.

"I find it strange," she begins, "that people seem to think my sister's and I are innocents. You all seem to forget that we slaughtered an arena full of soldiers during the first combat and didn't even bat an eye," she tells him, stepping closer. "I promise you, grandfather," she tells him, "I absolutely have it in me. In fact, I almost want you to work against me just so I have an excuse. There would nothing that would bring me more delight than hearing Amalie scream as I cut off the same parts you cut from Shaelyn. Than hearing you shout and beg for me to stop whilst you're forced to watch, just like what you did to Fallon and Ray." A sadistic smile twists on her face. "I may be plotting against my sisters," she tells him, "but that does not mean that I want them to suffer as you made them suffer. So I dare you, please carry on plotting and threatening me, see what happens." He goes quiet then smirks.

"You know," he begins, "I can't help but feel a little bit proud," he tells her. She raises an eyebrow. "I thought all this time you were dull. A snivelling, pathetic little arse kisser," he continues. Cordelia smiles.

"Because that's how I wanted you to see me, Grandfather," she tells him. He laughs.

"I'll admit, you did have me fooled for a long time. I am..." he smiles, "impressed," he continues. Cordelia smirks. "Perhaps, I really did chose the wrong granddaughter to put my faith in," he says, referencing Amalie. Cordelia laughs.