“A true Queen would do no such thing,” I said, yanking down the hood since there was no point in wearing it now. “Only a tyrant would think of people as pawns to be sacrificed.”
She smiled tightly. “We’ll have to agree to disagree.” Her head tilted toward Casteel. “One of you destroyed my cell. An apology would be welcomed.”
“Do any of us look as if we’re about to give you an apology?” Casteel shifted his stance so he blocked the hooded Malik. Kieran did the same.
“Stranger things have happened,” she said. “Even stranger than a Primal mist that was without Craven until it drew them from the Blood Forest to our walls. Now that was clever. Impressive, even.”
“I don’t care what you think,” I bit out.
Isbeth arched a brow as she looked around the kitchen, her lip curling in distaste. “Did you really think you’d escape? That you’d walk right out of the capital, and with something that belongs to me, no less?”
l snarled as the eather throbbed in my chest.
“I wasn’t speaking of you.” Her gaze moved behind us, and her smile twisted coldly. “Him.”
Casteel stiffened as the Blood Queen stared at where Malik stood quietly. “He doesn’t belong to you either.”
“I was so proud of you,” Isbeth said. “And yet, yet another Da’Neer betrayed me. Shocker.”
“Betrayed?” Malik sounded as incredulous as I felt. “You kidnapped and tortured my brother. You held me captive and used me for whatever you desired. And you accuse me of betrayal?”
“Here we go again.” Isbeth rolled her eyes. “Gods, let it go.”
“Fuck you,” Malik spat.
“Neither of us has been interested in that in many years,” she retorted. “So, no thank you.”
Nausea rose sharply as I stared at this woman—this beast—who was my mother.
Her gaze flicked back to me. “If you had stayed where you belonged, you could’ve avoided this. We would’ve spoken today, and I would’ve given you a choice. One that would’ve resulted in his freedom.” She jerked her chin in Casteel’s direction. “And far less mayhem. But this way? It’s far more dramatic. I can appreciate that, as I too love to make a scene.”
My hands squeezed into fists. “What are you talking about?”
“A choice,” she repeated. “One that I’m still willing to offer because I’m that gracious and forgiving.”
“You are delusional,” I said, rattled by the realization that she truly believed those words.
Isbeth’s eyes narrowed. “You know where Malec is. You said so yourself. If you expect to leave this city with your beloved, you will find him and bring him to me.”
Chapter 36
“What in the hell?” Malik exclaimed, his tart confusion echoing mine, but our confusion wasn’t the only emotion I felt. A fainter trace came from…
Callum stared at the Blood Queen, his grip on Clariza still firm but his brows rising under the winged mask.
“What does he have to do with anything?” Casteel demanded.
“Everything,” she replied, toying with the diamond ring. “Bring him to me, and he will give me what I want.”
“You think he will help you destroy the realms? Punish Nyktos?” Casteel’s brows lifted. “You know how long he’s been entombed. He won’t even be able to hold a conversation with you, let alone help you destroy anything.”
Isbeth’s gaze sharpened. “But he will.”
“Your Majesty,” Callum began. “This is not—”
“Silence,” Isbeth ordered, her stare fixed on me.
The Revenant stiffened, his eyes narrowing. He was clearly unaware of whatever Isbeth planned or wanted.
And I was, well, utterly thunderstruck. This was how she believed I would aid her in destroying Atlantia and possibly the realms? By freeing Malec? Casteel was right. Malec wouldn’t be in any state of mind to take part in whatever she thought she could accomplish. “Just to make sure I understand this correctly, you think I will leave, find Malec, and then return with him so that you can then use him to destroy my kingdom? The realms?”
“That’s exactly what I think.”
I glanced at Reaver, who had gone completely still and quiet as he watched the Blood Queen. “Why wouldn’t you just ask that I tell you where he is?” I questioned.
“Because I wouldn’t believe you.”
“And yet you believe I will do as you request once I leave here?”