Page 45 of City of Snakes
He mouthed, “It’s her, isn’t it?”
I glared at him and led Queen Sybilla out of the kitchenette.
Silence stretched between us as we walked down the hall leading to the main staircase. Light was cast in through one of the floor-to-ceiling windows we passed by, illuminating her golden hair, which was still slick and mostly straight from thenight prior. She wore a loose-fitting green silk skirt that matched the draping silk tunic. While more modest than Elsedora’s typical wares, it still hugged her hips in a way that made my fingers itch to dig in.
Sucking in my cheeks, I broke the silence. “Do you want me to be there when you question them?”
She flashed me a wide-eyed look, seeming shocked to have the option.
“I...” She paused as we neared the bottom of the stairs and turned toward the doorway that led down to the cell. We only had a few holding areas in Sahlmsara—most of our prisoners were held in Sahlmkar.
The steep stone stairway to the cell was lit by the flicking fire of too few sconces. “I’d prefer not to be alone,” she admitted.
“Good,” I answered, secretly reveling in not having to let her walk down those stairs and out of my sight. I might have many reasons to dislike her, but her well-being was now tied to something larger than our feelings toward one another.
Chapter 16
Sybilla
The men were chained to the far wall with magic-binding cuffs and sitting slumped over in their own waste.
They held Source power yet had chosen to attempt killing me by hand.
That ignited an indignant sensation that burned to be let out. I’d felt all the intentions of their cruelty—felt their wretched hatred—and it had been like an ugly brand on my skin. That would last far longer than the extent of my injuries.
I was no stranger to the unkindness of men.
There had been prior assassination attempts.
Poisons.
Convenient carriage malfunctions.
A few attempted break-ins that Emmerick had squashed.
Sources, I missed Emmerick. His steady presence would’ve been a welcome reassurance right now.
No attempt on my life had ever come so close. He’d always been there.
I clapped my hands to get their attention. “Good afternoon, jackasses.”
The sandy-haired man who had sliced my cheek woke first. He paled when his gaze landed on me. The dark-haired man lolled his head. When he woke, his stare was distant, but he trembled.
I steadied my voice. “The faster you cooperate, the more likely you are to live.”
Neither of them moved. Neither of them spoke. When I glanced back at Krait, he was leaning against the bars, and offered a nod of approval.
“Who sent you to kill me?”
Silence. Their fear coated my tongue in a metallic, sticky flavor.
Fear made men stupid.
“I will give you until the count of three. Then I’ll inflict the same wrath I did last night and see how long you last.”
I aimed one palm at each of them.
“One...”
