Page 72 of Queen’s Gambit

‘So, you did. The Hierophant will be pleased with your accomplishment.’ I recognised that voice. A curse slipped from my lips, but that was all I could manage while fighting the malicious spell burrowing into my brain.

A shadow fell over me. I flinched away from Prefect’s hand reaching for my face.

‘Easy, my friend. She is not to be harmed. Tivala’s mishandling of her will not be repeated.’ He nodded toward Irsha, who fought to stand up. ‘Do what you will with your wife’s lover, but keep him alive. Our vivamancer needs a leash.’

The invasive assault on my mind eased enough for me to act. I lunged toward the Tangra Prefect, fire blooming in my hand. He jerked back and my glowing hand slammed on the floorboards, charring the wood.

Irsha screamed, hammering his fist into his temple, and I froze.

‘Please, Roksana. Give me a reason to turn him into a mumbling, drooling idiot.’ Niersen’s silver eyes glowed.

‘Don’t you fucking d…’ I gasped when Irsha picked up his dagger and slammed it into his thigh.

‘Oh, you were saying?’ The Herald’s mocking smile made my eyes burn with tears.

‘Stop. Please,’ I begged when the knife fell again, piercing Irsha’s flesh.

‘Niersen, you heard our guest,’ the Prefect said, and Irsha’s hand fell to the side. My Blade was still there, his eyes blazing with fury, but like a puppet, he couldn’t move without his master’s command.

How did we fuck this up so badly?

The Prefect wrapped his arm around my waist and helped me to stand. He was gentle and considerate, using just enough strength to steady me without hurting me.

My skin crawled, yet I didn’t protest. I couldn’t. Blood still seeped from Irsha’s thigh. Any resistance could cost him further injury.

‘How did you know?’ The question slipped out before I could stop myself.

‘That you’d come?’ Niersen chuckled. ‘The elders from the village you slept in sent a message as soon as you got a room in the tavern. As for the rest, Lilliana’s mind hid many secrets, and they painted a beautiful picture of you—a dark sister who protects the innocent.’

‘I am not,’ I sneered. He was laughing now.

‘Really? All those missions, testing Jagon’s poisons on yourself to protect the other apprentices, getting captured by Tivala because you helped his daughter escape? You are predictable, Nightshade. Once you went to the dungeons to neutralise the Void Cube, I knew you’d come to find me. Why do you think I stayed in the castle?’ He moved closer, sliding one finger over my cheek. ‘Lily told you that you need me to deal with the pillars, but now your little hero act is done.’

I remained silent. There wasn’t much to say to that. I was predictable and foolish. And my inability to sacrifice others would cost Reynard his kingdom and Tir ha Mor its magic. It would cost Irsha his life.

The Prefect took my elbow and pulled me towards the door. ‘Come, Roksana. We have a long journey tomorrow. You should rest beforehand.’

‘Not without Irsha.’ I jerked myself free, but the infuriating man only raised an eyebrow.

‘I promise your friend will still be alive tomorrow. Niersen may toy with him a little, but he won’t damage him too much. Even a piece of shit like him won’t risk the wrath of the Hierophant.’ I frowned at the hostility in the Prefect’s words.

‘Not so fast. I want Roksana to see my collection first.’ Niersen snapped his fingers, and the fae lamps lit up, revealing the room in all its opulent glory.

They also showed the large paintings covering the walls.

My legs buckled, and if not for the Prefect holding me up, I would have collapsed to the floor in a trembling mess. Niersen had covered the entire room in Ignac Tivala’s art.

Long-dead women stared at me, caught in agony. Their mutilated bodies contorted obscenely with their skin flayed in ribbons. The entire horror of Ignac’s perversion was thrown in my face again. I’d killed the man, but his art remained, and even after all these years, a shiver of fear still ran through me.

‘How did you… get these?’ I stuttered, bile rising in my throat.

‘The first time I came to search for my disobedient wife, I found him. Ignac understood me as no one else could. He was a marvel of a man, a miracle that created divine art. And you killed him.’ Niersen glared at me with such hatred. ‘You killed the only man I’ve ever loved.’

‘One monster begets another. I’ll kill you too, one day,’ I sneered, regretting it when Niersen shrugged with a smug grin.

‘Try, and I’ll eviscerate his mind,’ he answered, and as if on command, Irsha’s back arched and an inhuman scream tore from his lips.

I grasped the Prefect’s hand. ‘Tell him to stop. You want my cooperation—fine, but if he keeps hurting my Blade, I’ll fucking kill myself. Then any chance of reviving Tangra will die with me.’