Queen of Nothing

Chapter 12

I'm exhausted when I arrive at Locke's estate. As it seems he isn't here yet. Good for me. I decide to take a bath. Taking a bathing knowing Locke is far away makes it feel much safer to stay in longer and not rush it for fear of him walking in at any given moment. Just when I'm about to doze off voices reach my ears. Many voices. A sense of panic fills me. If Locke had moved the party from the palace to his estate I would have some serious problems. I jump out of the bath nearly slipping on the wet floor. I left my clothes in the bedroom so I dash for it. Just when I enter the bedroom I hear footsteps outside of my room. "I'll show you the surprise in a second, first let me get my wife." Locke's voice comes from the other side of my door. My mind is racing. I'll never get dressed in time so I turn back for the bathroom. At that moment a second voice sounds from outside my door. "Do we need your wife for this surprise? She might already be asleep." I freeze, my heart hammering in my throat. What in the world is Cardan doing here? I stare at the door expecting him to walk in at any moment. A laugh sounds from the other side of the door. "My wife doesn't sleep so early." I hear Locke turn the doorknob and I take that moment to dash back into the bathroom. I look around for anything to cover myself with. I find a towel in the corner of the room, it's not to big but it'll have to do. "Taryn?" I hear Locke call from my bedroom. "I'm here! Just a second!" Frantically I wrap the towel around me. It goes from covering my breasts to barely covering my ass. I cringe. I don't want them to see my like this. "There you are, bathing without me?" I whirle to find Locke standing in the doorway. I can feel my cheeks flame a deep red. "I didn't expect you home so soon." Is all I can think of too say. And it's not even a lie. Locke smirks at me, his gaze roams over my body. In that moment Cardan steps up by sides Locke. His clothes and hair are slightly disheveled. His black eyes a haze as he takes me in. I shiver at his gaze. I fear for the moment he will meet my gaze. I probably don't wear any of Taryn's expressions right now. But that moment never comes. His gaze lingers on my body, some sort of hunger flickers in his eyes for a moment before he casts his eyes away. "She should put on some clothes, or do you intent to paraded her around naked?" Locke gives me a wink that could mean both options were fine to him. "Get dressed my dear and meet us in the garden." I just nod as I don't trust myself to form words right now. Locke guide Cardan out of the room. I wait for their footsteps and voices to fade. I drop the towel with a sigh. This day had just taken a turn for worse. I quickly dry myself off and pull out another dress and put it on. I leave my hair lose since it's still damp. It will dry quicker if it's not braided. I take a small dagger and hide it in my boot. I might need it for whatever Locke had planned. Taking a deep breath I head for the garden.

Just before the maze many of the folk have gathered. Ten poles have been hammered into the earth before the maze. Tied to each pole is a different color of tread. As I take in the scene I find Locke in the shadows whispering to a girl giving her a letter which she quickly hides beneath her clothes. The girl then disappears in the crowd. Locke makes his way to the entrance of the maze. "Attention please!" As the voices fall silent he continues. "I have planned interesting entertainment for you all tonight." I step closer trying to find the girl Locke had giving the letter too. "The ten people who drew the short stick tonight are going to have to chase threads tonight! We'll have ten lovely ladies up here each holding a tread. They will spread out through the maze waving there treads and you will have to find the right one." This sounds like another version of hunt to me but the folk cry out in excitement. "Now for our ten lovely ladies!" I hear Locke say, but my attention has already moved from him to the girl. Her pink hair shimmers in the moonlight. "Lady Asha!, Princess Nicasia! Lady Lillian!" At the name Lillian the pink haired girl moves forward taking up a random place next to one of the poles. I grind my teeth. Keeping track of her like this was not going to be easy. "And at last my beautiful wife, lady Taryn!" I blink. I thought Locke didn't include Taryn in his stupid entertainment. I was mistaking it turns out. But this would give me the chance to stay close to Lillian. Getting the letter form er was the goal of this event. I walk up to the last pole the color of it seems to be yellow. "Look closely, every girl holds a different color. You can only follow one. Now to make this interesting, girls switch places a view times!" I dug beneath lady Asha's tread intertwining our treads. Then I switch places with Nicasia and another girl. Then back to switch with Nicasa. "Now, at my count of 5 switch the tread itself with the person to your left. Then run onto the maze and further if your tread allows it. When there is nothing left, stay where you are." I glance to my left. Nicasia will have to trade with me then. I glance to my right. Lillian stands on the complete other side. It will be hard to keep track of her fae speed. I look around the crowd. Ten men had stepped forward. My eyes land on Eldar, who seemed to be one of the contestant tonight. I try to converse with slight movements that he should track Lillian. He's gaze holds mine then he's gaze slides toward Lillian then back to me. He gives a slight nod towards my dress than slides his hand through his hair. I look at my dress. It was a pink one. I look back at him and give him a slight nod. Lillian had pink hair. He answered with a wink. "On my count now ladies." Locke finally said. "Five, four, three, two, one!" I turn to Nicasia trading treads with her. She now having the yellow and me now having red. Nicasia spun on her heel first for the maze. I dared a look at Lillian. A waste of time since she was already running for the maze, so I did the same. Running for the maze and then taking the first left following a brief glance of pink hair. I dashed a straight line then a sharp right corner, then a left and at the crossing that followed I dug under a blue thread then jumping over green. I turned right following a curve then turning left crossing a pink and white tread. I took the next right then went straight finding the center of the maze. It now had turned into a mess of treads interwoven with each other and plants. I wish I knew the color of Lillian's tread. But in this chaos it would be hard to tell even it I knew the color. I decided to cross straight through the middle. It took a lot longer than expected giving I had to step over or dug under treads. After crossing to the other side I found that three colors had the same idea as me. Yellow, white and orange. Knowing yellow was Nicasia I decided on orange. So I went right. I followed the orange till the end of the maze. Just in time to see lady Asah disappear into the woods next to the maze. Orange was the wrong color then. I wrapped my thread around a tree trunk then when back into the maze taking to following the white tread. I came out at a different exit to the maze. But also disappearing into the woods. I sighed. Hopefully whowever it was would run out of thread soon. Voices sounded now behind me in the maze. Great, seems the guys have started following us then. I grinded knowing that whoever followed me would have to follow orange first then backtrack. With that though I entered the woods following white. The further I went the darker it became. Even though the thread I was following was white, I could barely make it out. The trees grew closer together now too. I followed what I taught would be the white tread until I was at the end of my thread. I sighed. I could just move on. So I dropped the red thread and reached for what I thought to be the white threat. But it turned out to be some sort of plant instead. I gritted my teeth frustrated. I had been going the wrong way and now I was somewhere alone in the middle of the dark woods only armed with a dagger. I considered backtracking to the maze or waiting for someone to find me. Waiting is what Taryn would do. With a sigh I leaned against a nearby tree. I listened to the wind blowing through the trees. I wonder if Locke will casually be the one to find me or if he would let his wife be found here alone in the woods by any one who wished. I recall their wedding vows. "I vow to you that you will be safe when you are around me." Well Taryn would definitely not be safe in these woods. Taryn would also probably not enter these woods to begin with. The moment I wonder if this might give me away I hear branches cracking. The sound of approaching footsteps. I tense. The need to reach for my dagger is strong but I can't be seen holding it. I wait as the footsteps come closer and closer. Finally I can make out a silhouette approaching me. In the dime light it is hard to make out any details. When he is just two trees away from me I can make out his features. The first thing that caught me eye was strangely not the obvious thing. I noticed his black hair first. Then just a second later making out the golden crown on his brow. I wasn't sure if I was still breathing. Cardan here in the woods alone with me. No guards nothing. I could kill him and no one would ever know. The thought gave me a rush of adrenaline. He stopped two paces before me. "You switched threads with Nicasia." His words are facts but they feel like a stab to my heart. "She was standing to my left." I give him also just facts. He huffs a laugh. "Of course." Then he closes the distance between us so fast I can barely blink. He pushes me back against the tree both his arms next to my head caging me. Me whole body tenses instinct tells me to defend against the threat. To reach for the dagger and ram in into his throat. But something else urges me to pull him closer. I end up doing neither as I stare into his black eyes as he studies me. "What is your husband up to?" "I don't know what you are talking about." He narrows his eyes at me. "Really? Then what are you up too?" Now I frown at him. "I don't understand." He shoves me a bit harder against the tree his body now pressing against mine. My breath catches in my throat. I fight for clarity in my mind. But thoughts about his skin on mine keep distracting me. "Vivienne hasn't come to court since my coronation. She has hardly stepped foot in Faerie at all. And suddenly out of nowhere she shows up at my throne room dragging you out of it. You can't tell me she does that all for nothing." "Maybe you should ask her." The wrong words. I see Cardan's expression darken at them. Taryn would not be so direct and rude. Especially alone in the woods with the high king. But I can't bring myself to take them back. He stares at me for a long moment. Then he slides his hand into my hair gently. I feel my pulse quicken. His hand tightens in my hair as he pulls it back roughly exposing my neck to him. Pain shoots through me and I let out a groan. I can feel his breath on my neck sending shivers down my spine. "Be very careful Taryn, about how you address your high king." To emphasise his threat he bites me. I let out a shriek my hands reaching up for his chest. His teeth on my neck hurt until his tongue slides over my skin. Heat rises in my entire body. I grip his jacket tightly intent on pushing him away. Instead I pull him closer which seems to give him pause for a moment. He pulls back to look at me. I don't think I'm capable of faking any expression than the one I'm wearing now. Whatever it may be. He studies me, his gaze unreadable. Then his other hand is on my side slowly sliding down my body. My breathing speeds up my face burning as I hold his gaze. I should say something, end this now. But words are foreign to me. His gaze clouds over as he lowers his mouth to mine. I am overwhelmed by the amount of alcohol I taste. His kiss is demanding and I am willing to give. My hands reach for his hair tugging at it. His hand slides up my leg lifting up my dress as it climbs higher. When his hand reaches my upper thigh he abruptly pulls his mouth from mine leaving me gasping for air. I stare at him surprised. His gaze lingers on my lips. "I understand now why Locke would want you both." His voice is hoarse but his words bring me back into reality. Without thought I slap my hand across his face. He stumbles back a step, a hand reaching up to hold his cheek. A moment passes where we both stare at each other in surprise. I speak first. "Than perhaps you should have kept her close." My voice is higher than normal and I hate myself for it. Cardan blinks at me. "I thought you two don't get along well." He points out. Though it could also be a question. I cross my arms in front of my chest. "We don't see eye to eye on everything. You, for example." He raises an eyebrow at that now every interested in what I have to say. "Oh?" "She thinks that you have- some sort of redeeming qualities. Something that made her trust you with a crown." I look Cardan up and down disgusted. "I disagree." The knowing smile he gives me is enough to make the hairs on my neck rise. "Really? It looked like you found some good qualities on me just a moment ago..." He takes a step closer to me. All muscles in my body tense but I hold my ground. "What good are the words of a king when he turns on his own queen?" The smile fades from Cardan's face in it's place comes an unreadable mask. We stare at each other for a long moment in silence. "What did Jude tell you?" I cock my head. "The truth, apparently. The one you keep denying by not saying anything at all." His jaw tightened. "I guess that's one thing I was right about too. Which makes it a lost for Jude." Talking about myself like that makes me cringe on the inside. "Don't worry, I won't tell anyone. Just leave me in peace." Cardan gives me a tight nod. "Very well then. Taryn, seems you and I are going be very good friends." The wicked smile he gives me says anything but that. But we say nothing more as we make our way back to Locke's garden.

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Thank you for my readers for all your support! <3

Inspiration songs for this chapter are, for the maze :

And for the Cardan/Jude Scene: