Limbo (Part Two)

Chapter Four: Long Live the Queen

Chapter Four: Long Live the Queen

I placed my chin on my knees and heaved a sigh.

Moroi rolled his eyes at me. "Are you going to sit over there and pout for the rest of eternity?"

An embarrassed flush crept up my neck and I shot him a venomous glare.  "I'm not pouting."

"You've retreated to the farthest corner of the room, and you are sitting in the dark with a pitifully sad look on your face. I'd call that pouting."

Turning around and ignoring him, I returned my focus to my thoughts.

I had to be very careful with the next part of my plan. Moroi would recognize the protective sigils if he got his hands on that journal, as Altair had explained when he gave it to me, so there were only two ways my plan could work: if somehow Moroi died before the journal was found or if Dietrich put the sigils up and I could kill Moroi before he saw them.

It occurred to me then, I would have to kill the Goblin King too. No one could know what the sigils were actually for or they would remove them. I couldn't risk anyone knowing.

The problem was at the moment I wasn't strong enough to take down either king. The first time I had killed Moroi he was already tired from fighting the others and I had been filled with rage and adrenaline. Now that we were back in purgatory he had the advantage, especially after drinking all that goblin blood.

Honestly I had hoped the Goblin King would take care of Moroi for me, but it had turned out he was too much of a coward. Now I had two kings to dethrone.

And just like that, gears started turning in my mind.

What were the things kings usually went to war over? Territory, resources, and women were the most common instigators. Both Moroi and Dietrich had territory and resources, but neither had a queen to fight over.

Yet.

"I don't like being ignored, Alethea," he snapped, interrupting my thoughts.

"Neither do I, but you were doing it earlier," I argued.

"That's a very childish argument."

I gritted my teeth and forced myself to pretend like I didn't hate his guts.

 Plastering a fake smile on my face I replied, "Yeah, you're right. So how about we have an honest conversation for once."

I plopped down at the foot of his throne and tried my best to look meek and innocent. He regarded me with a skeptical look, but he didn't say no.

"So," I continued. "How about you answer the questions I asked you earlier and then you can ask me some."

"You want me to tell you things that I've never told anyone here? I don't think that would be wise."

"I said an 'honest conversation,' Moroi. We both know you aren't going to let me live long after we put the sigils up anyway," I replied. "So there's no reason you can't tell me."

He smirked at me, his eyes taking on a decidedly wicked gleam. "It's true, I was thinking of killing you when we first made our deal, but now I'm undecided.  You're far more intelligent and entertaining than I realized."

"Either way it isn't a threat for you to tell me. We both know that here in purgatory I'm no match for you."

He grinned at me in response. "True."

"Fine, I will answer a few questions. But then I expect the same in return from you. Honest answers, Alethea."

I nodded in response. "So how long have you been a vampire?"