“That would be a mistake.” Her eyes narrowed behind the paint. “Why do you have mud on your face?”
“Why do you have paint on yours?” I fired back.
“Touché,” she murmured. “But that’s not an answer.”
The breeze stirred then, kicking up a scent—one of decay and…stale lilacs. My gaze flickered to the immobile Revenants. “They stink.”
“That’s rude.”
I looked back at her. “But you don’t.”
“I don’t,” she said, and that was strange.
But it also didn’t matter. “I think you just need to take your merry band of stinkers and get out of our way.”
The Handmaiden laughed—it was deep and short but sounded genuine. “And let you and your merry band of extremely good-looking men pass?” She dipped her head to mine, speaking so quietly I barely heard her. “Not going to happen, Penellaphe.”
Staring at her, I opened my senses to her and felt sugary amusement. That was all. And it didn’t tell me much.
“You’re out of choices, Queen of Flesh and Fire,” she said. “If you’re as smart as I hope, I would think you’d realize that you won’t get into the capital unnoticed. Not through the mines or the gates.”
I zeroed in on her word choice. She didn’t say that I wouldn’t escape. Only that I wouldn’t get into the capital unnoticed. That was strange.
But also, she was right.
There would be no sneak attacks. I wouldn’t risk Casteel by allowing Reaver to finally get what he wanted. This wasn’t the best way into the capital. We would be under guard, but it was a way in.
“Let my people go, and I will not fight you on this,” I told her.
“Absolutely, not,” Kieran barked out, appearing at my side at once. “We will not be separated.”
I turned to Kieran, but he cut me off before I could say another word. “Don’t start. We’re not leaving your side. At all.” He said the last in the Handmaiden’s direction. “It’s not going to happen.”
His loyalty was admirable, and I…
The draken stepped forward. “If you want the Queen of Flesh and Fire, the Bringer of Life and Bringer of Death…” he said—admittedly, I preferred his version of the title the prophecy had given me—“to accompany you to the capital, then you will allow her advisor and me to travel with her as a continuation of that good faith.”
Kieran’s gaze held mine, a clear warning in them that neither he nor Reaver would allow me to go alone. Swallowing the frustration and worry that this was far too dangerous for them, I turned to the Handmaiden. “That is your choice. Because contrary to what you think, I am not out of choices.”
“Whatever,” the Handmaiden replied. “I couldn’t care less. It’s not like you’re prisoners.”
Kieran’s head snapped in her direction.
“What?” she asked, widening her eyes in feigned surprise.
“We’re not prisoners?” I questioned.
“No. You will be guests.” The Handmaiden bowed with the kind of flourish I’d only thought Emil capable of. “Honored guests. You are, after all, the daughter of the Queen, and a god. You and whoever accompanies you will be treated with the utmost respect,” she said with a bright, overly wide smile. “And if they didn’t want to join you, they could fuck right off for all I care.”
I didn’t believe the being-treated-with-respect part for one second.
“Either way, I do hope we’ll be on our way shortly. The Queen wishes to speak with you about the future of the kingdoms and the True King of the Realms,” she added, holding my stare and…
“You haven’t blinked once. That’s creepy,” I told her, glancing back at the Revenants. They still hadn’t moved. “Not as creepy as them, though.”
She snorted. “You haven’t seen creepy yet.”
“Something to look forward to, I suppose.”
“Then…” She stepped to the side, extending her arm.
A mixture of dread and anticipation rose. “I will…” A floral taste filled the back of my mouth as a whirl of tingles flowed from my throbbing shoulder, over my chest and down my legs.
Kieran grabbed my arm, but I didn’t feel it. “Poppy?”
“I—” A sudden rush of dizziness swept through me, followed by the sharp rise of nausea. I twisted away from Kieran, half afraid I might vomit on him. My wide, stinging eyes connected with the Handmaiden’s.