Page 15 of Queen’s Gambit

Chapter 5

Roksana

My body tilted. Instinctively, I reached out, fingers closing on my fanged dagger.

‘Sana, it’s me. It’s Rey.’ A hand caressed my forearm, raising goosebumps, until our fingers entwined, stopping the sob in my throat from breaking free. The nightmare was over. A warm, masculine scent melted away the fear, relaxing my muscles, and a tender smile escaped.

‘Rey,’ I murmured, turning to the source of my comfort.

‘Shhh, it’s late,’ he whispered, kissing my eyelids when I tried to open my eyes. ‘Forgive me for waking you. I just landed, and I missed my Viper.’

He was lying. He hadn’t just landed. His scent was fresh, and his short black hair was soft and wet. Still, I didn’t argue.

‘The orcs arrived, I…’ My attempt to speak was cut short by a slow, lingering kiss.

‘Bedtime, sweetheart. We’ll talk politics tomorrow,’ he cooed without deepening the kiss before his arms wrapped around me, cocooning me.

I sighed and nestled closer, enjoying the slow, steady beat of his heart. My warrior was home; now I could sleep without nightmares.

The cold, empty bed was at odds with the warmth of his lingering scent. If not for the riding leathers thrown over a chair, I’d have assumed Rey’s return was a dream. I yawned, looking at the painted ceiling and bracing myself for the day ahead.

‘My lady, you’re awake. Let me help you dress.’ Danka stood in the corner unflinching despite my assessment. She attended to me more than any other maid, and, in truth, I liked her attitude. Most served me with heads bowed low. This one was as brazen as a bull, diligent, and wasn’t afraid to speak.

‘Did the head housekeeper send you, or did you ask to be here?’

The chief housekeeper was a fair woman who gave all the maidservants equal opportunities. That made me question whether Danka turning into my shadow was a mere coincidence.

‘I volunteered. With you as my mistress, I’ll be head housekeeper in no time,’ she answered, pouring water from a carafe and placing the glass on a dinner tray. My eyes widened.

One look at me, and the girl gasped, the colour draining from her face. Her hand covered her mouth. ‘I’m sorry, my lady. I forgot myself. I just thought, you know, you’re not like those other pampered ladies, so you’d want the truth.’

‘I do, but there’s a difference between honesty and attitude. I appreciate the former but won’t tolerate the latter. Am I clear?’

‘Yes, my lady.’

If I were to stay in the palace, I’d need a confidante, someone to act as my shadow and go places the queen couldn’t. This girl seemed intelligent and ambitious; for now, that would do. Still, her eagerness was too convenient, and I didn’t trust it.

‘Tell me about yourself and don’t lie. I’ll have a Brotherhood Observer check every word,’ I warned her, fully invested in the idea.

‘My family is from the north, and my mother still works in the palace, although she mostly works in the kitchens,’ she answered, pointing to her long, almost white braid.

‘And your father?’ I asked, standing up. Danka rushed to help me dress as if I had suddenly lost the use of my arms.

‘Mother doesn’t know. Life under the last king wasn’t easy for women,’ she said without grief or anger. Just stating a fact, but at those simple words, my jaw clenched, and I forced a smile.

‘If anything like that happens in this palace, you’ll tell me, and I’ll handle it. Danka… you know who I am, what I am. Do you really want to serve me?’ Her chin tipped up, calculation in her gaze. She was considering the danger. Good. She wasn’t a simpleton, so I pushed a little harder. ‘I won’t be offended if you say no. I’m not… unkind, but if you enter my service and betray the king or me, lie or consciously act to harm Dagome, I’ll kill you without a second thought.’

Danka’s breathing hitched, her face turning as pale as the chemise in her hands, but her eyes held nothing but determination. ‘And if I serve you well?’

Morana’s tits, this little sparrow wants to bargain?

‘Prove yourself useful, and you will be rewarded. Be aware, though, I walk in the shadows, and so will you. It is not a path for the faint-hearted or those with delicate constitutions,’ I said, observing her reaction. ‘You’ll receive training from the Brotherhood and enough money for your mother to retire, but you’ll be mine, heart and soul. Even if you leave my service… You will still be mine.’

That was the Brotherhood’s creed. Our lips were sealed during and after our service. Once you dipped your fingers into someone’s secrets, there was no true end.

‘You ask a lot, my lady,’ she mumbled, and I nodded.

‘Because I’m giving even more. You’ll be the right hand of the King’s Shadow, the Queen’s trusted confidant… well, eventually. You have till tomorrow to decide. Now, help me dress.’ I stretched while Danka went to the wardrobe and pulled out a simple grey dress.