Bloodguard

chapter 66

Maeve

“Ugeen. Take the queen back to the castle,” Soro says.

Soro doesn’t like me cheering for Leith, but I can’t help it. Just as I can’t help my response. “Fuck off, Soro,” I snap. No way am I leaving Leith.

I cry out in pain when Soro snatches my wrist. “I wasn’t asking.”

“Did you not hear me? I won’t go anywhere—”

His next squeeze breaks the bones in my wrist and brings me to my knees.

“Take her,” Soro orders.

I go back on my promise not to slap the unholy hell out of Ugeen. He falls on his ass, since that’s all this knob knows how to do. I reel on Soro, knowing everyone in the royal boxes is watching and can hear me. I straighten my shoulders and speak clearly for our audience. “You are unworthy to lead Arrow, just like your father before you. You threw in those gladiators—those friends of Leith, who have stood by him—on purpose. You must have known he would fight today.”

“I knew he would hear about the fate of his… friends at the hand of another gladiator during today’s battle,” he says under his breath with a sneer. “But I never imagined he would enter the arena of his own free will.”

I point an accusing finger at him. “What kind of man—no, what kind of king relies on devious mental games and trickery mere hours before he’s to sit on the throne?” I inch closer and drop my hands to my sides like a disappointed mother whose brat son went too far. “How can I ever trust you? How can our entire kingdom trust you?”

Around us, murmurs rise, and I’m emboldened. “What did you hope to accomplish with your cruelty? Did you want to win the pot? Was this all about money, just as it was when Vitor called the shots?”

The grumbles in the royal stands grow, the discord loud enough that I will have to shout to be heard. The arena isn’t about making money for Soro, but money is what this group of dunces cares most about, so I continue with the lie, hoping to rile them further. “You always wanted all the gold in all of Arrow.”

Soro may have doubted my involvement before, but he recognizes the game I’m playing now. And boy oh boy am I playing it well.

His gaze slams into mine as he stares me down. “You killed Aisling,” he says. More gasping from onlookers, this time directed at me. “You killed General Tut,” he adds.

I frown. It’s easy—I’m enraged. “Oh?” I say.

His hot, ragged breaths strike my face.

I smile sweetly. “Prove it.”

He points toward Leith. “That axe. That sword!”

Soro edges back as I straighten to full height. “What about them?” I ask. “I can see that it resembles Tut’s axe. But he’s an ogren general.” I purposely use the present tense to imply that murderous oaf may still be alive. “Are you saying your queen is stronger than your generals?” And by implication, stronger than him? Soro blinks several times. “Are you claiming I can bring down such a warrior single-handedly?” It’s hard not to smile as the royals in the box with us react in agreement. “And what of the Good King Masone’s sword? How would I possess such a weapon? Where would I find it, when it’s been hidden for years?”

What’s Soro going to say? I’m stronger than he wants anyone to know and I found the sword hidden in the secret catacombs where he keeps the damn phoenix?

As if I’m not daring him to kill me, I tug on the sleeves of my gown and settle back into my seat, eyeing him as my heart continues to pound at record speed. I insolently cross my arms as I take in Soro’s scathing expression.

Stars above, please let Leith survive this, even if I don’t.