Page 31 of Autumn Queens & Shadows

“A queen cannot be insane.”

“It will be our little secret.”

There it was again. That scornful look.

I chuckled. “Don’t know if you look like you want to choke or stab me to death.”

“Don’t know why you’d think I’d have to choose. I can do both. Without even being near you.”

“I’ve created a monster.”

Briefly, I thought she almost, almost smiled. Maybe I’d imagined it because I longed to see it. I wanted her to smile for me. Like she’d done before.

The wolves returned, circling her as if she was part of their pack. Her expression fell soon after and she sighed. “Nothing.”

“You speak wolf?”

Kneeling on the ground, she patted their furs one after the other, making sure to give attention to all of the toothy creatures. “Hungry, my ladies? He’s not all bones. You’ll have a feast with this one.”

“Flattered that you’re putting in a good word for me.”

Just then, she smiled a little, but I didn’t know whether it was directed at her wolves, or me. It had to have been at me because it was brief, and she looked angry at herself afterwards. “I’m not insane. I know what I saw.”

“Nobody will burn you at the stake even if you were, little bird. Not the first or the last insane ruler sat on that throne.”

“I saw it,” she snapped at me.

Smiling inwardly, I said, “Then you saw it.”

“You won’t believe me?”

I always believed her. But she was talking to me, so I would say just about anything to keep her going, to get her to be angry at me if she must. I needed her to feel something when she saw me. Anything. “Does it matter?” It mattered. It mattered so much.

Her lashes fluttered fast and her lips parted. A sheen of unguarded innocence falling on her features. “No, it doesn’t.”

“Settled then.” So not settled. Very much not settled.

One last time, she glanced at where she thought she’d seen something, and then let out a sigh.

“What? Nothing else to say?”

Everything but me got her attention. The boring snow, the boring skies, the boring treelines, the boring wall. She wouldn’t look at me. “What? Already tired of engaging me in conversation?”

“You were usually the one who filled the empty space, Thora.”

“That is not true. But I do not fault you for not remembering. You were piss drunk the majority of the time.” She straightened that fringe. “There was nothing worth remembering either way.”

“Such a shitty liar.”

Her eyes rolled back. “Spare me.”

“You can’t be mad at me forever.”

“Watch me,” she said, marching back towards the castle, her wolves trailing along.

Chapter eight

Red Calla Lilies