The Golden Dynasty (Fantasyland #2)(130)

In it was a man wearing a steel breastplate of armor with a black and red dragon painted on it. There was a helmet of armor by his booted foot that had a shock of black and red feathers shooting out of the top. But he wore breeches and boots and, on his head, a crown pulled low, almost to his forehead, made of gold inset with diamonds and rubies.

He was graying and jowly with ruddy cheeks and mean, beady eyes. He had a very big gut which meant the breastplate had to be fashioned to contain it and it made him look ludicrous.

I did not laugh or even smile.

This was because his beady eyes were on me and they blazed.

Beside him, my heart lurched to see, stood Geoffrey, looking much thinner, much paler but much cleaner.

His eyes were on me too and they also blazed.

I was thinking whatever this was, something I already sensed was not good, was actually even worse.

Last, there were eight, tall, armed men wearing full armor lined behind the man with the crown’s chair.

Bohtan rode to my side and muttered, “You do not dismount. Swing your leg sidesaddle. Zahnin will deliver you to our king.”

I gave a slight incline of my head and did as instructed when we stopped before Lahn who did not watch us dismount, his gaze never shifted from the man seated before him.

As Bohtan told me, Zahnin came forward and pulled me from Zephyr. He escorted me, with Ghost prowling close at my side, to my throne and I vaguely realized all of his lieutenants had formed behind us as we walked.

Lahn didn’t look at me as I moved in front of him nor did he do so as I sat and my guards moved to flank the backs of our thrones, Zahnin standing beside mine or next to Ghost who had settled on her belly, her head up, her eyes on the man in the chair, her demeanor watchful.

“You do not bow to your king?” the man in the chair said and my eyes shot to him. “My Circe grows a big head.”

I blinked and realized several things at once. One, The Xacme was translating for Lahn which I thought was weird since Lahn was mostly fluent in English. Two, this man in front of me thought he knew me and I didn’t think that was good. And three, I knew as a dangerous vibe slithered through the air that Lahn did not take kindly to this man calling me his Circe.

When no one said anything, I ventured in English, “Do I know you, sir?”

I felt that vibe coming from Lahn shift but only to get sharper, more alert, no less dangerous.

At my words, the man in front of me returned my blink.

“Do you know me?” he asked.

“Yes, do I know you?” I asked back.

“I would hope so, my dove, since you’ve been warming my bed since you were fourteen years of age,” he replied and I couldn’t contain a sharp gasp nor could I hide the disgust in it.

Then I whispered, “What?”

His eyes narrowed. “Good question, sweet Circe, but the what I would wish to know is what do you expect to gain by playing this game?”

“Game?” I asked quietly, my mind reeling, trying to catch a thought.

“You know you are mine. You have been mine since you were six. You became really mine,” he leaned forward suggestively, “when you were fourteen.”

“That’s absurd,” I returned, not thinking and not including the words, “and sickening” because, seriously, fourteen? Not to mention, I’d never let this man touch me. He was old, for one, he was gross, for another.

His brows went up and he leaned back. “Absurd?”

“Absolutely. I’ve never seen you in my life,” I replied.

He glared at me. Geoffrey shifted at his side. I tried to stop myself from hyperventilating.

Then his eyes moved to Lahn. “I tire of this. You know why we are here.”

The Xacme translated (unnecessarily) and Lahn grunted, “Meena.”

“Yes,” The Xacme called.

“Then I will lay down our terms. You will see in front of you on your plain that with me, I brought thirty thousand Middlelandian soldiers. I do know, of course, that your savages will cut through them with all due haste. I also know, before they do, they will ride into Korwahn and likely not be careful who their swords slash through… women, wives, future warriors.”

I sucked in breath again at his heinous threat but he continued.

“Not to mention the warriors of yours they will take in the process, on the eve of your riding on Maroo. This is, I would suspect, not what you would wish just prior to you leading your campaign.”

I would suspect it too.

He kept speaking. “In payment for you seizing my enchantress, and to stop us from riding on Korwahn, I will accept four trunks of Korwahk gold, four of your silver, four of your diamonds, the same of your rubies, emeralds and sapphires and…” he paused and looked up at Geoffrey then back at Lahn, “another trunk of gold as payment for what you did to one of my most trusted ambassadors.”

My eyes flew to Geoffrey who was staring at me with unconcealed hate. Then he leaned forward and opened his mouth wide. I leaned back instantly for even in the light of the torches and fire pits, I saw he had no tongue.

Oh God. Lahn had had him captured and his tongue cut out for speaking to me the day of the selection.

No wonder he was so thin and pale.

Oh God.

I tore my eyes away from Geoffrey and looked back at the man with the crown.

Lahn didn’t reply.

So the man did. “You delay which is unfortunate. You must know I can easily signal my troops to ride. I’m sure your men have been alerted and are preparing their defense. I will countenance no delays.”