She comes in; the
shadows cling to her like dead leaves.
“Do you honor me
now? Now that I have taken your kingdom from you? Now that everything that was
yours is mine?” She stands triumphantly, like a warrior after a long campaign.
I look at her
through my hollow eyes. There is nothing to say, nothing even to beg for.
“I have made you
pay for preferring Alena, haven’t I? You and Marcus both, shells of what you
could have been. Alena’s daughter a virtual prisoner and her son… Oh I have
plans for her son.”
There is still
nothing to do or to say.
She smiles now.
“It is so funny to remember that you thought I would be content to play second
fiddle to a dead woman.”
Still I do not
move or speak.
She seems annoyed
by my lack of reaction. “I killed her you know. It was easy, like blowing out a
candle.”
I still do not respond.
This something I had guessed long ago when the terrors of the night first began
to show their faces as that of my wife.
“You are not
surprised by that.” She says. “You knew I hated her. But this will surprise
you. I killed your first wife.”
This does shock
me. I had never connected Aria’s death with Shay.
She smiles again.
“I’ve waited so long to tell you. You see it was quite clever really. When she
visited Marcus and Alena I knew right away who she was. I knew that if I wanted
to be your queen I would have to get rid of her somehow or other. So I gave her
a bottle of wine. I knew you wouldn’t touch anything from Marcus but I thought
that she perhaps would. The Wench took her sweet time about tasting it but when
she did it worked like a charm.”
I remember the
wine and pray that she truly does not know why Aria waited so many months to
take it.
She is getting
ready to leave. “Die then, knowing what I have done to you, knowing everything
you have worked for is meaningless, knowing that your line ends.” That sentence
gives me more hope than anything. “Know that I played you from the beginning.
That no matter how beautiful or kind Alena was, no matter how strong and good
you and Marcus were.” She leans forward until her face is inches away from
mine. For some reason I think of that night we spend together so many ages ago.
“I have won. I convinced Marcus not to tell you that he and Alena were engaged.
I ripped up the letter telling them you were coming. I convinced you to
continue your feud with Marcus after Alena’s death. I killed my husband so I
would be free to be queen. I killed Alena because she outshone me from
childhood and because it was the only way I could get you to marry me. I
convinced you I was pregnant by you when the child I later killed was mine by
one of my servants. I killed every child
you planted in me because I do not share power. I killed your wife because she
was in my way and I am killing you for the very same reason. I have won and you
and Marcus and Alena have lost.” She smiles again. “I could not send you to
your grave without you ever knowing that Shay, who you avoided, disregarded and
finally took as a consolation prize is better than any of you.” She moves her
hand to cover my eyes almost gently. “Sleep now Kail. Die childless and
heirless and utterly defeated.”
I close my eyes
and feel myself slipping away.
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