Freya gazed at herself in the mirror as her maids fitted the immaculate dress on her. “Oh she is so beautiful.” Valerie gushed, stepping back to admire their work. The deep purple dress hugged her figure to precision, cinching deeply over her waist and flaring over her hips. Her hair was curled up in an intricate up-do with wispy strands softening her face. “I agree.” Nessa, her second maid glowed with pride. Freya could admit that the dress was indeed beautiful and also a perfect fit, but she found her lips turning down as she shuffled on her feet. She could hardly draw a full breath, and there was no way in hell she could fight in this entrapment. Aremin had raised her in practical leather that allowed for an armoury of weapons and though he’d made sure she could endure these dresses, it wasn’t a fun experience. “We’re so lucky.” Nessa said as she rouged Freya’s lips. “Everyone is saying you’ll be queen soon, and that’ll make us the personal maids of the queen!” She said in a
The rest of the festival was a daze to Freya. She pasted on the biggest smile and her energy was unmatched as the game were roasted over a high fire and drinks passed amongst the men. Her arm hung on the king’s the entire time as she charmed his people, being the queen that Queen Renee never could be and no one could tell that the king’s grip on hers felt as terrible as shackles on her wrists. By the time the sun was going down, respectable ladies were flitting into their carriages, leaving the men that would carry the festival into the dead of night. “I don’t want you to leave.” King Ardelan said, the ale on his breath bathing her face. Her brows rose playfully but her voice was firm. “I know the people call me your mistress but you don’t think me a whore do you?” She asked. Her words finally knocked some sense into him and he bowed to her, making people gush again. “Pardon my manners, Lady Reynette. I seem to forget myself when I’m with you.” He said. She smiled and dropped int
Freya laughed bitterly, unable to believe that she’d been caught in a trap she could have so easily avoided. She made a silent promise to Melanie, she would make the betrayer regret her actions, then she turned to the king. “Your Majesty, I’m afraid you’ve mistaken me for someone else.” Said Freya. “I’ve told him everything.” Melanie cut in. “You can quit the pretence.”“I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Freya insisted.“How dare you make a fool of my hospitality?Tell me your true mission, were you sent to assassinate me?” King Ardelan thundered, a muscle ticking on his forehead as he approached her and she scoffed. It seemed denial would get her nowhere. “Our guild carefully sieves the sands of life, we don’t overturn the entire damn thing.” She said and his nostrils flared in anger. He crossed to her and his swing caught her lip, his ring splitting her lip open right away. “In a way, I knew there was something off about you.” He said in a growl. “Why was I so terribly a
“I needed to get my sister.” Melanie said into the quiet room sometime later. Freya didn’t spare her a glance, keeping her eyes closed as her magic streamed steadily from her hands. “The king caught me snooping in his bedchambers.” She continued. “I had no choice. I knew he wouldn’t kill you, I see the way he looks at you.”Freya laughed humourlessly. “Does your sister think so? I forgot, she can’t think anymore can she?”Melanie flinched from the low blow and Freya looked pointedly away and closed her eyes. “Hera looked at me like I was a stranger she met on the battlefield.” Melanie said. “Touching as your story is, I don’t give a fuck. I should have never gotten involved in the first place.” Said Freya. “I owe you an apology Freya, you were a true friend I didn’t expect to find.” Melanie said quietly. “Do you have a plan?”“No.” Freya said and bestowed a cold smile on her. “You are going to die, I am going to die. And we were never friends. I felt pity for how you were deserted
Riordan staggered a step, watching that cursed collar snap around her throat. “No!” He yelled but he was too late. Her face became blank and her fiery grey eyes slowly became a solid black, identical to the other warriors. She was lost. His roar of pain shook the hall and several warriors staggered back in shock. Something powerful and unholy simmered and roiled under his skin, pushing to be let out in an unstoppable tide. “You will die a painful death.” He promised the king and let the rage burn. Fire ignited his skin and burned to the roof, spreading to encircle the room in a flaming wall of red hot flames. The warriors shrieked and staggered back, repelled by his light. The fire engulfed the first of them and she dropped to the ground, screeching with pain. He stared at what used to be Freya and her alien gaze met his. Once, he would have celebrated her end. Guinevere’s collar was clamped around her throat and the only way it would be coming off is from her dead severed neck
Aremin’s fist crashed into his desk and the two men in front of him withered with fear. “What do you mean you can’t find her?” He gritted out and they exchanged a fearful glance. “We were able to trace her to a point up to the woods, after that is nothing. No one has seen anyone that looked like her.” Sting reported. His fist groaned and he fought the urge to pummel his men for their failure. “Go back out, and take Tyrion with you.” He commanded. Surprise flitted over their features at his willingness to set Tyrion loose but they nodded quickly and left. He usually brought in Tyrion only on high calibre cases when he needed someone found quickly. The silent ugly bastard made the rest of them uncomfortable to say the least but he was one of Aremin’s favourite. When the door closed behind them, he rose from his seat and threw the door into his private study open. The old woman was humming some eery tune by the bedside while the wide-eyed woman stared at him with fear. “Who are y
Riordan shook his head to clear his muddied mind but when he looked at her again, he saw Freya. He took a step forward, his hand extended towards her tremulously. The potion Melanie mixed with the ale was Lovers’ bait, a potent poison that changed one’s reality when drank. History had it that it was once used to fell great kingdoms, to destroy powerful wolves before it was completely outlawed by some spineless monarch. This potion showed the drinker a different reality where the person they longed for the most was in front of them. He crossed the room to her and curled his hand over her nape, searching her face frantically. He staggered a little, the potion not only showing him his greatest desires but also breaking down all of his inhibitions. Melanie’s lips parted with burning desire as he stroked her face to her lips. Her breasts ached and she wanted him so badly she thought she would melt to the floor. Gripping his hand, she slowly pushed it down, a smile breaking out on her
Freya kept the act, noticing that more than half of the audience had collars on their necks. She didn't dare give it away that she had taken her body back and she came to a stop in front of the king, staring at his shirt to avoid meeting his eyes. Her mind whirred. So this was his plan, to trap her with marriage and mark her so they were bound for life. What had he done to the current queen to feel free enough to take another? "Do you, Your Majesty, take Lady Reynette to be your queen, to love and to cherish for all time?" The minister asked. "I do." Said King Ardelan. Of course, he didn't even know her name. How many people knew that Freya was Shadow?"And do you, Lady Reynette take Your Majesty King Ardelan, first of his name to be your husband? To serve and to obey him for all time?" The minster asked her. The silence that stretched out to fill the room was deafening. The minister cleared his throat and repeated the question and Freya knew the pretence was over. She dove into