Chapter 5: A Conspiracy Spoken Aloud

In the cell, water gathered between moss-covered bricks and fell onto the filthy stone floor with a sharp, oppressive drip.

“Listen carefully. Put away your tears and your murderous thoughts.”

Selena’s lips barely moved as she spoke, but the other two heard her clearly. The chains around her wrists clinked dully with each breath.

“When the prince called Rhode comes in, you must cooperate, whatever he asks of you, however absurd or humiliating. Our people must not perish with our generation. Their lives matter ten thousand times more than our dignity.”

Elia huddled in the mossy corner, biting her lower lip to keep her tears from falling. Fear was written across her pale face, but at the mention of their people she nodded hard.

“I understand, Your Majesty.” Her voice trembled, thick with tears. “I was chosen as your heir by the ritual, and you’ve taught me so much. I… I won’t shrink back. For Silvermoon Forest, I’ll do anything.”

“Your Majesty! You’re asking us to beg a useless human for mercy!” Vera jerked against her restraints, the rough iron shackles cutting bloody lines into her brown wrists. Her eyes blazed and her chest heaved. “Rhode is notorious in the capital for his lust! If we’re to fall into his hands, we’d have been better off letting that butcher smash our heads in!”

“Enough, Vera!” Selena’s voice sharpened, unusually stern, as she looked over the general’s scarred body. “Do you think I don’t know what he is? It’s precisely because he’s a fool obsessed with women that we have a chance to survive. If it were either of the other princes, we’d already have been cut up and fed to the dogs!”

Vera clenched her teeth and stared at the floor, her eyes full of resentment and humiliation. At last she forced out the words. “I… I’ll obey. If it keeps you and the princess safe, he can do whatever he likes to me.”

“You don’t have to throw your life away.” Seeing Vera’s determination, Selena softened her tone. “Both of you, listen. When he comes in, I’ll speak first and guide him. You need only follow my lead.”

She lifted her chin, quickly weighing her options. She knew the sordid tastes of human nobles. Rhode had gone to great lengths to take them from the tribunal, and she had no doubt what he wanted. Surely he would prefer someone like Elia, young and innocent, or a fierce, dark-skinned warrior like Vera.

As for herself, Selena sighed inwardly. Outsiders might call her the alluring queen of a fallen kingdom, but she alone knew that, to preserve the purity and magic of the elven royal bloodline, she had not so much as touched a man’s hand in three hundred years. She was a virgin.

Elia, too, was an heir chosen through an ancient ritual and raised under her guidance, not her biological daughter.

“He’ll surely turn his attention to the two of you.” Selena drew a breath, resolve hardening in her eyes. “Do your best to accommodate him. But if he makes any excessive demands, anything cruel…”

She paused and looked from Elia to Vera. “I’ll step forward and take your place. I’m the queen. I should bear the worst of it.”

“Your Majesty…” Elia could no longer hold back her tears.

“Don’t cry! Hold them in. Hunters love to see their prey weep!” Selena whispered sharply.

Just then, disorderly footsteps sounded outside the cell, followed by the harsh scrape of a key in the rusty iron door.

“He’s here.” Selena composed herself at once, adopting an expression that was dignified and vulnerable, with a trace of resignation.

Elia lowered her head, trembling like a leaf in the wind. Vera bit her lip and forced her proud head down as well.

With a clang, the heavy ironbound wooden door was shoved open.

Gray entered first, carrying his bloodstained hammer. “Three honored prisoners,” he drawled mockingly, “raise your noble heads and see who has come to save you. His Highness Rhode, Third Prince of the Empire, has arrived!”