The Kingdom of Vassnia by R.P. Howley

Author:R.P. Howley [Howley, R.P]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: RPH Publishing Ltd

17

For a split second, I nearly ran. The way she stared at me, like she was imagining what kind of treat I’d make, filled me with dread. She drew level with us, and my skin crawled.

Hookfrid stepped up and gently pulled me back. I glanced at him and caught the look of fear flash through his eyes.

"Lady Dunroth," he said, "exquisite taste, as always. But these two're here to see the Court."

Lady Dunroth smiled. Her eyes darted between us and settled on Hookfrid.

"Are you sure?" she asked, her voice low. "Such sweet treats, my darlings so crave the—"

I swallowed. "As he, I mean, as Hookfrid said, we're here to see—"

"He speaks," Lady Dunroth cut me off, "how unfortunate."

Her eyes flashed dangerously, and she drew a claw across my cheek. A brief burning pain. Blood trickled down my chin.

Bile rose as she wiped it off and sucked on her finger, her eyes rolling back as she moaned with pleasure.

"So young, so rich," she muttered, "but something else. Something—"

Hookfrid cleared his throat and dragged us both back.

"This way. To the waiting chambers."

We didn't give Lady Dunroth a chance to stop us. We kept close to Hookfrid at all times, and I saw him shiver as we passed her.

Her wings flicked, and I caught the stench of sickly sweet perfume, covering something metallic, something rancid.

As we made our way up the stairs, I cleared my throat.

"What, I mean, who is she?"

"Not now," Hookfrid muttered. "She'll hear."

He refused to talk again until we reached the waiting chambers. He pushed open the towering, black wood doors and motioned us inside. I stumbled in, my eyes widening and the fear returning with a vengeance.

Skulls lined the walls, carefully arranged in order of size. Some looked vaguely human, and others, well, I’d never seen shapes like that before. Fangs. Too many eye sockets. Tusks and twisted horns.

I tore my eyes away from the gaunt display and moved towards the fire pit. The purple flames pulsed, and I moved closer, mesmerised by the shapes they made.

Whoever maintained the fire did a good job because sweat dripped down my neck within seconds. But the strangest thing: there wasn't any wood. It was like the flames burned on only air.

I sucked in a deep breath, the smell of musk and meat catching in the back of my throat.

"You okay?" Nym asked.

He’d been quiet since we got here, and as I turned, he hugged his arms close over his chest, his eyes darting to the skulls and back again.

“I’m, well, I dunno really,” I said. “You?”

He shook his head and sniffed. “Nu-uh.”

“Both of you,” Hookfrid said, “sit.”

We did as we were told, and Hookfrid took a seat opposite us, his eyes fixed on the flames.

“You didn’t answer my question,” I said. “Who, or what, is Dunroth—”

“Lady Dunroth—”

“Whatever. Tell me.”

Hookfrid glared at me. “She’s, well, no-one really knows. Ever since I can remember, she’s been the sole protector of the Unseelie Court. She’s their enforcer, their advisor, and their most powerful blood magic sorceress.

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