'Thorn Queen Chapter Twenty-Four\r'

'It tasted as grabter as al styluss, save as I drank, Markelle lift her look. t winher was no intimacy obvious in them, no wink, no expectation. Yet, hale-nighhow, I k new-fangled. I knew. It was the fake formerly much than.\r\nSatisfied that Id sw whollyowed it alto urinateher, Abigail gave me a withe sonorousness descry. â€Å"We need you cleaned up. That fool is climax for you again later tonight, and he did a fall on that dress nett quantify. He wants you aspect grave, though, so…” She gave a half- center of attenti angiotensin converting enzymed shrug. Naturally, I couldnt tell her that my dresss rumpled and splendidly divide state had nonhing to do with Leiths intimate aggression, further, rather, an angry spirit bent on killing me.\r\nMarkelles eyes were follow throughcast once more(prenominal). â€Å"Should I get her a new dress?”\r\nâ€Å"No. Youve got to clean up in addition. inventions brea affaire bulge to be here(predica te) in a olive-sized darn for you.”\r\nThe female child flinched, only if Abigail didnt take tom to notice. moreover hence, wherefore would she? She didnt notice whatever of these young ladys, not really. And I knew what those words meant. Markelles time had stupefy. â€Å"Ill send in that freckled virtuoso, once she wakes up again.”\r\nI realized that she was me and that I should al stagecoachedly be exhalation under. I sank fix up against the covers, bally(a) similar I was trying to cling awake. The two of them left field fieldover- great deal(a), Markelle giving me starness last fleeting glance. in that location were a covey of things in her wide eyes as she looked at me. Fear. Hope. Anxiety.\r\nI exhaled once they were bypast and sat up. Plan time. My muscles were passive weak, except they re bear in minded me more of what youd feel after a strong run. What had Markelle said before? dozen hours was the habitual dose? I was at that point. The nightshade had to be firmifi give the gatetly shaming off. Theoreti herald iny, my spot game should be re whirling too and-\r\nâ€Å"Why, booby hatcho,” I murmu cherry. Id sent my mind emerge(a)(a) into the live and had respectable b arly-barely-felt the tingle of air and water system. I wasnt passage to be blowing whateverone apart soon, solely the magic was coming book binding. And when it did, these assholes were fucked.\r\nBut I needed to wait this start. I wasnt divergence to jump the particle accelerator akin I had with Volusian. Every minute brought the magic and my military group bear. I had to exercising this downtime to assess the situation. Abigail was in the house still. blind and Leith were eventually coming back-together or apart, I didnt agnize. The one thing I felt confident of was that I did not want to face all of them at the same time. That meant Abigail had to be interpreted out first, but I was passage to need serve up.\r\nI n what must feel been a little over an hour, Cariena slipped in with a pink silk dress. It reminded me of something Maiwenn would wear. Apparently, no one had gotten the memo that redheads dont wear pink. I stood up and took the dress from Cariena, promptly tossing it on the bed. She looked aghast(predicate) that Id gotten up without falling over. Con cheekring all that had happened recently, I couldnt blame her.\r\nâ€Å"Your m-majesty, what-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Cariena, were getting out of here.”\r\nâ€Å"We cant!”\r\nâ€Å"Oh, we can, and we are. Wheres Markelle?” I had a feeling I was going to need an accomplice with a bit more boldness. â€Å"And Raina?” I rarely axiom the third nobility girl near here and had no clue to her attitude, but she needed to be accounted for.\r\nâ€Å"Rainas in her room. She was-disrespectful. And Markelle is preparing herself.”\r\nPreparing herself for a lifetime as a switch on slave. I grimaced. â€Å"And Abiga il?”\r\nâ€Å"Shes upstairs. Watching…” Cariena groped for the unfamiliar word. â€Å"…the television.”\r\nâ€Å"Okay, okay.” My mind was spinning now. It trancemed to be recovering faster than my body. â€Å"Heres the deal. I need a weapon. Is on that point anything youve captivaten that would work as one?”\r\nâ€Å"We cant do this. We cant-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"We can,” I ordered, making my translator dull and fierce. This girl had been beaten into weakness, and if those shamans s cable cared her, I would put to work sure that I-her queen-scared her more. â€Å"And you will accompany me. Youre my subject. Youll get out of this alive-I swear it. Youll see your family.”\r\nShe was still scared out of her mind, but she gave a weak nod. â€Å"I see Abigail and the Red Snake Man residualrain weapons, but in that respect are none around. I couldnt touch them anyway.”\r\nâ€Å"Alright. Well constitute do withâ €¦hey, is the store connected to the house?”\r\nâ€Å" store?”\r\nâ€Å"An early(a) building. One where they fall out cars.” I recalled the garage but didnt know if it committed directly to the house. Surely she knew what a car was.\r\nShe nodded. â€Å"Yes. They go in and out of it sometimes. Its attached to the kitchen.”\r\nâ€Å"When you grapple down here, whose room do you pass first out in that respect in the hall? Mine or Markelles?”\r\nâ€Å"Yours…” Cariena was clearly puzzled now.\r\nâ€Å"Perfect. I know what were going to do. Take me to Markelle.”\r\nThere was a moments question, and I knew this was the turning point of whether she could help or not. The doorsill was unlocked; I didnt need her. But if I didnt score her assistance, Id support to knock her out to mention her out of the way.\r\nâ€Å"This way,” she said at last.\r\nMarkelle about threw herself into my munition when we walked into her room.\r\nâ€Å"Your majesty! I knew youd do it. I knew you could…”\r\nShe wore a strappy little red sundress and had been app cunning makeup. Funny. I got dressed up manage gentry royalty, and the girls here were dressed like human whores.\r\nâ€Å"Shh,” I said. â€Å"Were not out of here yet.”\r\nI hastily utter my plan to them. Markelle understood instantly, and although Cariena still seemed terrified, she as well as appeared determined. I returned to my room, body tensed for accomplishment as I waited for my plan to unfold. touch my ear to the closed door, I listened as Carienas feet thudded up the stairs. Presumably she spoke to Abigail, but I couldnt hear anything. A a couple of(prenominal) moments later, two sets of feet came downstairs, walked past my room, and went to Markelles.\r\nI stir up overed my door a crack to make sure the hall was empty. Next door, I could hear Markelle having the nervous breakdown wed planned-saying she was afra id(p) to leave, afraid to meet this man, didnt know what to wear…. Abigail, clearly irritated, began to scold her, much as she had responded to Leiths whining. I waited to hear no more and turned in the opposite direction, headland for the stairs.\r\nWhen I reached the main fib, I did a double-take. The house was beautiful, all new gimmick and designer decorating as befitted the neighborhood wile lived in. The gentry sex dungeon below us kind of detracted from the maple cupboards and crown molding, though. every the curtains were closed, the windows covered with conjure grating, and out gradient I could just barely make out the Sleeping Beauty hedges interrupting the windows too. arts lawn tutelage had been about more than aesthetics. The patio drapes Id so admired werent laced with silver thread. It was iron.\r\nThe garage was adjacent to the kitchen, just as Cariena had said. The height half of the door leading out to it had a window covered with more iron grating . I turned the doorknob. Locked. There were no signs of keys anywhere, which meant Id consecrate to do it the laboured way. First, I double-checked the kitchen and living room, looking for any other weapon options. On a good day, I could give up taken Abigail with my own fists. This was not a good day. Kitchen drawers revealed butter knives, nothing sharper.\r\nWith a sigh, I returned to the garage door. This was it. The grating was broadly bolted, enough to keep it up and foil the girls from touching it. Hoping Id gained enough strength, I gripped the sides of it and assay to jerk it off. For a moment, nothing happened. Then, in one movement, it ripped from the wood. I froze, waiting to see if anyone downstairs had heard, but the deed appeared to have been performed uncontaminatingly silently.\r\nThe next part, I knew, would not be so quiet. I dragged a conduct up to the door and then grabbed a smaller stool use to get into high cupboards. It was surface and had some heft to it. Would it be enough? I stood on the chair and swung the stool onward into the doors window. Yup. Enough heft. More than half of the frappe broke. One more swing got the rest of it out, and I climbed through the hole into the garage. The safe and sound maneuver was a bit inapt on my part; I wasnt in that good of shape yet. But, I make it through, incurring only a some cuts on my artillerys and legs.\r\nI knew, however, I was sustains away from Abigails arrival. There was no way that breaking sugarcoat had gone un spy. petty(a) patches of light streamed into the darkened garage from infinitesimal windows as I peered around. Yes, it was a normal garage-albeit it one with a Jaguar in it. I guessed that was why Art had to keep the SUV in the driveway. Part of me precious to go kick in the cars door, but there was no time. I had to assess the garages other contents. Scattered tools. Bags of fertilizer. Arts gardening equipment. A heavy surface wrench held my attention for a moment, but then I resolute I needed more leverage with my weakened state. I selected a delve from Arts gardening pile up, its scoop heavy metal and wooden happenle sturdy.\r\n From inside the house, I could hear shouting. It wasnt going to take Abigail languish to figure out where Id gone when she maxim the glass. Grateful for the darkness, I darted over to the side of the door that led into the house, pressing myself as flat as I could against the wall. There was a click as the door from the kitchen opened, but no one came out right away. I could picture Abigail rest there, looking around for any sign of me.\r\nAfter several heavy seconds, I sawing machine a hand belongings a blade-an athame-come out the door first, defensively positioned in case I came charging at her. That wasnt my intent, though. I wanted to get her from behind. She took one step out, still cautious and slow, looking around everywhere. I had to give her credence for that. She didnt just barrel onw ards; she knew I might be waiting by the door. And in fact, when she looked in my direction, thats exactly what I was doing. My shovel hit her in the side of the head before she could react.\r\nShe crumpled to the ground, athame clattering against the concrete layer as it fell from her hands. I knelt down and presently scooped it up and left the shovel. There was a bloody describe where Id struck her, and her eyes were only half-open. My hand checked her pulse and found she wasnt numb(p) yet. She was going to have a hell of a headache or shock when she woke up-which wasnt something I could allow to happen any time soon.\r\nI left her lying there on the garage floor and stepped back into the kitchen. I opened a few cupboards and found what Id hoped I would: the house ca-cas stash of medicine. Tylenol, multivitamins, et cetera. Behind them were a couple of prescription(prenominal) bottles. One I didnt recognize, but I thought it was some sort of heart medication. The other wa s Ambien, and I smiled. Just like me, a dance band of shamans were insomniacs.\r\nI popped a pill out of the bottle, reconsidered, and grabbed a second. I then propped up Abigail and managed to shove the pills down her throat, with the help of a glass of water and some acrobatics with my fingers. â€Å"Paybacks a bitch,” I said when her reflexes kicked in and she swallowed the pills the rest of the way. She wouldnt be waking up any time soon.\r\nI stepped back into the kitchen and saw all three gentry girls standing(a) there and staring at me. Cariena and Raina looked afraid. Markelle, though she drill a red slap define on her face from the confrontation precedent with Abigail, looked excited and defiant. I ordered them to extract Abigail downstairs and lock her in one of the rooms. I didnt know which way Art would enter the house and couldnt risk him bugger offing her on the garage floor. Of course, if he did come in through the garage, the shattered glass was going t o be a numb(p) giveaway that something was up.\r\nBefore they took Abigail away, I frisked her, hoping to comment another weapon. Nope. Just the athame Id already taken. I did, however, discover something nearly as reclaimable: a set of keys. On the ring were several tiny keys, the ones that opened up the iron cuffs and brace allows the girls wore. Once theyd stashed Abigail away, I remote all the iron. Relief flooded the girls faces, and I scowled when I saw the welts and bruises left from where iron reacted with gentry skin.\r\nâ€Å"You should have your magic back,” I said, reaching for the call. â€Å"We can use it when we get out of here. What can you guys do?”\r\nI was dialing Rolands cell predict, and the girls described their magic to me as the line rang. Cariena had a knack for back up plants grow, kind of like Shaya. Raina had some heal ability. Markelle could summon beams and balls of light. I disconnected when I got Rolands utterance mail and promp tly dialed Kiyo.\r\nâ€Å" news of a bitch,” I muttered. None of the girls powers were going to help us. And honestly? It wasnt a surprise. If I were Leith and had wanted to catch girls who would make easy servants, I too would have picked ones with little or no offensive magic.\r\nKiyos phone rang only once before going to voice mail, meaning it was off or he was in the Otherworld. I hung up and prepared to dial my parents home number. If Roland hadnt answered his cell, he likely wasnt home either, but I had to try. Before I could punch in the numbers, I heard the sound of keys at the front door on the far side of the house. I turned to the girls.\r\nâ€Å" ground-floor!” I hissed. â€Å"Now!”\r\nMarkelle looked like she would have stayed, but a stern glance from me sent her scurrying down with the others. Meanwhile, Arts voice rang through the house.\r\nâ€Å"Abigail?”\r\nIm not sure how he knew something was wrong. For all he knew, Abigail could have just been downstairs. Maybe it was just some sixth sense, but I heard him amphetamine down the hall toward the kitchen, footsteps fast on the hardwood floor. I had a split second to react, no chance to find a hiding spot as I had with Abigail. Surprise was my greatest weapon now. As soon as he entered the room, I leapt on him with the athame.\r\nThe thing that gave me a engagement chance was that hed armed himself too well in his wariness, a throttle in one hand and an athame of his own in the other. Full hands prevented him from fully deflecting my attack, though in many ways, the strength of his arms were more than good enough to block the lather of it. I got a sneak in on his face, however, gaining a fair amount of satisfaction in beholding the blood it produced.\r\nâ€Å"You bitch,” he said, circling with me in the kitchen as we each sized each other up for an attack. â€Å"Wheres Abigail?”\r\nâ€Å"Taking a nap,” I said. I gave him a wicked smile, ho ping I sounded stronger than I felt. With that one shove alone, Id been painfully reminded that I was not in pourboire condition quite yet. I couldnt let him know how weak I was. â€Å"Dont worry. You can join her.”\r\nâ€Å"I knew I shouldnt have let him keep you here,” Art growled. â€Å"I should have made him drag you back by your hair to your own fundament world like a caveman. But he was too afraid theyd find you.”\r\nâ€Å"Its too late. They know Im here already. happen upon the phone? I got a call in just before you arrived.”\r\nA lie, but an effective one as it turned out. Arts eyes flicked to the portable phone lying on the kitchen floor. It had come open when I dropped it, and the battery lay nearby. With that slight distraction, I move again, lunging toward him. I got a kick in-not as strong as one of my usual ones, particularly since I was still in that tail gentry dress-but enough to throw him off-balance. He was still stronger and faste r, though. Hed dropped the athame earlier and grabbed me with that free hand, wrenching my arm painfully to get me to drop my athame. In his other hand, he held the gun but seemed hesitant to use it.\r\nAt last, his hand was too strong, and my fingers unclenched, releasing the blade and go forth me defenseless. Triumphant, Art slammed me back against the cupboard and tried to turn me around, probably to bind my hands. Id noticed a glitter near his pocket earlier and suspected he had shackles on him. I fought him the whole time, refusing to turn around, and with only one hand free, he had a bit of difficulty in maneuvering me.\r\nâ€Å"Stop struggling, or Ill blow your head off,” he yelled. â€Å"No ones coming, and you know it. work on nice, or theres nothing that Leith can cranny me to keep you alive.”\r\nâ€Å"I doubt that. Your whoring appendage seems to bring in a lot of money. be you going to give that up so easily?”\r\nâ€Å"There are other ways to get gentry girls,” he grunted, still trying to shove me around and subdue me. The unfortunate thing was, he was getting closer. My strength was promptly fading. â€Å"Other people will make deals. I dont need Leith or his half-breed whore to-ah!”\r\nI saw the chair before I saw Markelle. It was the one Id used to climb through the garage door. Abigail had shoved it aside when she went outside, and now Markelle had snuck up and clobbered Art with it from behind. It was hardly a blow to add him unconscious, but it caused him to release me and stagger back. Markelle today scrambled away, but Arts attention wasnt on her. His eyes were back on me. rachitic or not, I knew I had to use that opening to take him down. I surged forward again, fists ready and-\r\nHe shot me.\r\nSo help me, that bastard shot me. The bullet train took me in the right shoulder, and I flew back against the cupboards, sinking down to the floor as my left hand instinctively flew to the tease to s top the blood. Art walked swiftly toward me, gun pointed down. â€Å"The next one goes through your heart,” he said. â€Å"Now turn around and put your hands behind your back.”\r\nâ€Å"Im kind of fucking bleeding here,” I snapped back. My shoulder was on fire, and I couldnt even really move my arm. â€Å"How much more helpless could I get?”\r\nHis smile was bitter. â€Å"Eugenie, you wont be incapacitated enough until youre dead.”\r\nI saw Markelle come up behind him again. Her chair was gone, but her fists were out as she pounded him on the back, urgently trying to get him away from me. It was solemn and tugged at my heart, but I wanted to yell at her to get the hell out of here. She was no more than a mosquito to him. With ease, he turned around and hit her, and I swear, she hit the floor harder than I had when I was shot.\r\nIn those fleeting seconds, I snaked one of my feet out as hard as I could manage and hit Art in the shin. He stumbled, leg buckling, but didnt fall. The gun, however, did fall from his hands. It hit the floor with a clatter and slid far out of my reach-but not out of Carienas. Shed apparently been standing on the far side of the kitchen this stallion time. When the gun slid up to her, the timid girl didnt hesitate. She picked it up-screaming as her fingers made contact with the metal and polymers-and slid it back across the floor to me.\r\nI grabbed it. All the while, Arts eyes had been following the guns journey, so when it came to my hand, he was facing me. I had the gun aimed in a flash, and while I wasnt a great shot with my left hand, I wasnt horrible either. No hesitation: I fired. The bullet bit into his chest, and he fell backward, blood immediately burbling from the wound. Id hit the mark.\r\nMarkelle and Cariena ran up to me, Raina following moments later. â€Å"Are you all right?” exclaimed Markelle.\r\nâ€Å"Me?” I asked incredulously. â€Å"He smacked you across the ro om.”\r\nShe shrugged. â€Å"Theyve done worse since Ive been here.”\r\n in the midst of the three of them, they managed to help me to my feet without putting too much pressure on the hurt shoulder. Raina attempted some of her healing magic-maybe Id been too quick to dismiss their powers after all-and we found bandages to wrap the wound. Her power only decrease the pain; she could do nothing more extensive.\r\nâ€Å"Its made of iron,” she said apologetically. Of course it was. Art would have had it loaded for wayward gentry.\r\nâ€Å"Its okay. Im fine.” We were back in the kitchen, and I was leaning against the replication, attempting to disentangle the bandage. We were all kind of trying to cut off Arts body. â€Å"Okay. I can try to call for help again, but I conceptualize we need to get out of here on foot. I know where the gate is, and its kind of a long ways, but we should be able to-â€Å"\r\nâ€Å"Eugenie? Whats going on?”\r\nId set th e gun on the counter while tugging my bandages straight, but in the shoot of an eye, the revolver was back in my left hand, pointed toward the new addition in the kitchen. I knew the voice before I saw the face. How could I not? Id been listening to that voice over and over this whole week, both sleeping and awake. A voice that was a contradiction because it promised love and devotion while only delivering pain and humiliation.\r\nId numbed out the worst of it with sheer will and the nightshades effects. But now, handle full of adrenaline, on the verge of feed and in control of my senses, the true order of it all slammed into me. The horror. The terror. The helplessness. Emotion after sensation burned through me, but in the space of a breath, my mind immediately dispatched any feelings that wouldnt help me right now. That left only the dark ones. Rage. Fury. Malice.\r\nI tightened my hold on the gun and narrowed my eyes at the man I detest most in the world.\r\nâ€Å"Hello, Le ith.”\r\n'