The Gender War (The Gender Game #4)(92)

If only. I kept my face calm and friendly as I backed toward the vehicle. After a few footsteps, I turned and finished the walk as if I did not feel the persistent itch of so many people’s gun sights on the back of my neck. Tabitha’s orders carried weight, and no shots were fired as I climbed back into the car. I placed the egg on Maxen’s lap and put the detonator back into my shirt pocket.

“That wasn’t so bad,” I said as I started the car again. Maxen squirmed, making muffled sounds through his gag, and once again, I ignored him.

The crowd pulled away, one of the wardens driving the truck that blocked us out of the way, and I gunned the engine of my vehicle, remembering to take my foot off the brake this time. We jerked forward, speeding up much faster than we should’ve, and the tires squealed, the sound deafening under the arch. I cringed, but kept my eyes on the road. Having crossed the river, we rounded a corner, where I immediately spotted the guard station.

I pulled up next to it, then reached over to collect the egg from Maxen’s lap and climbed out, closing the door behind me. I didn’t know how to stop the engine after Thomas had rigged it, so I simply left it running in park.

Carefully, moving slowly, I went around and opened Maxen’s door, not really looking at him. Then I moved to the front of the vehicle and leaned against it, pressing the egg—explosive side out—against my abdomen and staring at the line of guards that was forming in front of us. I heard footsteps as the king clumsily got out, stumbling a little, and I tamped down a vindictive smile as Maxen came to stand before me.

The guards immediately turned and started walking, their faces reflecting a wide range of emotions at the sight of the king, from rage to fear to surprising pleasure. A quick nod from one of the nervous guards told me we were to follow them. I straightened back up and began to walk. Maxen followed, and then moved faster, so that he was walking beside me.

I ignored it all, taking the time to run my eyes over the inner walls of the outer courtyard. The drive beneath our feet was composed of smooth, rounded stones pressed together, and all around me there were little manicured alcoves of nature with various trees and bushes growing.

We came up to the wall that divided the outer courtyard from the second, inner one. This one was not just a barrier, but a long, tall branch of the building, with the second story built atop the wall. The wall was breached by another tunnel-like archway, set off a ways from the one I had just driven through. This tunnel was longer, but not by much, and when I stepped through the other side, I gave a low whistle at the density of the landscaping here.

Trees lined the drive on one side, a small swath leading off to my right giving the impression of a patch of forest by the castle walls—but a cultivated forest, with a little walking path through it. Although we had maybe an hour before the sun was fully gone, the garden area was already beginning to succumb to the darkness. The shadows under the branches and leaves were beginning to spread outward, cloaking the warm brown earth beneath like a protective shield. I was almost sad we didn’t get to walk through it, but continued down the wide drive to a more spacious area.

The guards led us farther in, their presence dampening the majesty of the area somewhat. My left palm was sweating around the metal egg case, my right pulsing with my heartbeat underneath the bandage. Past the miniature forest, a concrete square lifted slightly off the ground. A small fountain flowed into four aquifers that jutted off to the side, feeding streams that I assumed sustained the garden. Beyond that, I could see a third wall of buildings, a full three stories high, with its own arch that probably led to the third inner courtyard.

Next to the fountain, Tabitha was already waiting, my family lined up in a row beside her. My relief to see them unharmed battled with a rage that spread in my chest at the way their hands were tied behind their backs, the fear in the eyes of Cad’s young son and daughter… From the corner of my eye I saw Cad’s eyes widen in recognition, but I couldn’t spare a real glance his way—I had to keep my focus on Tabitha. She wore black slacks with a purple jacket that looked similar to the dress jackets the men of Patrus normally wore.

I approached her, stopping just shy of the fountain, which was to my right. King Maxen stopped next to me, and I glanced up at him. His face was hard as stone, but I knew he was afraid. He must be afraid—he’d always been a coward. I, on the other hand, was a crazy woman.

The group of guards that had escorted us in looked expectantly at Tabitha. “Four of you stay—the rest may go,” she commanded. I kept my gaze on her and my face impassive as they quickly followed her orders. I was grateful for the egg in my hand; it was helping me hide the worsening tremor in my right hand from where she had stabbed me, as though the wound was responding to her presence.

“Let them go,” I said once most of the guards had left, and Tabitha made an ugly, childish face at me.

“Not likely,” she said, and I narrowed my eyes at her.

“The women and children, then, and you can take the king,” I offered.

Tabitha gave me a considering look, and then nodded to the guards, as if the matter was settled and done. “All right. Take him—”

“Not so fast,” I said, taking a step forward, willing my voice to stay steady. “You’re going to have your guards escort the women and children to a vehicle, and give them a handheld. Once they radio that they are clear, then you can take the king.”