“I need to speak with you.”
Her eyes have dark circles beneath them, and I’ve obviously pulled her right out of her bed, a fact which has not softened her toward me at all. “Get away from my door! It’s the middle of the damn night, and even if it wasn’t, you’re the last person I’d ever want to see.”
Grump clears his throat at the awkward exchange, but I can’t let her deter me.
“Look, I know you don’t like me, but I have to talk to you, it’s important.”
She looks over my shoulder to the men. “Get her away from me. These are my personal chambers that the king gave me, and I don’t want her here.”
Her guard steps forward, not close enough to touch me, but he gives me a beseeching look. “My lady...”
Nope. I didn’t get this far just to get scolded away. Gritting my teeth, I grip Mist’s arm and push myself inside, dragging her with me before anyone can react. I slam the door shut on the guards, throw the lock in place, and then lean against the wood with my arms crossed.
“Who do you think you are?” Mist shouts in my face with outrage.
She tries to get past me to unlock the door, but I shift over to block it. “Just listen for two minutes and I’ll leave.”
“Fuck you, cunt!” she yells furiously, her hands balled into fists at her sides.
Panic spikes in my gut, and I look around, as if Queen Kaila is lurking somewhere, ready to steal more words. “Keep your voice down!”
Mist must hear the frenzy jumping in my tone, because she actually shuts up with her screaming. “Why should I?”
“Because these walls have ears, and trust me when I say, you don’t want the queen to hear you.”
A frown hooks her lips downward, the shadows of the dark room broken up only by the low-burning fire. Taking advantage of the way I’ve caught her off guard, I decide to just blurt out what I have to say, though I keep my voice quiet. I don’t want the guards to hear, and I have no idea how far the queen’s powers can reach. “Your life is in danger, Mist. Queen Kaila is going to have you killed.”
She blinks and backs up a step, confusion warring with the anger that mottles her face. “What?”
“It’s true,” I say, taking a step away from the door. “Malina is dead, and Midas is planning on remarrying the queen of Third Kingdom so that he can have control over yet another kingdom. Queen Kaila doesn’t like competition, and she definitely doesn’t like the idea of you bearing his child.”
Mist places her hand on her slightly rounded belly, though her dark eyes narrow in suspicion, their almond shape tightening. “You woke me up to spew lies?”
“I’m not lying,” I insist, begging her to see the truth of my words right there on my open expression. “The queen spoke to me tonight, threatened me, and told me in not so many words that she’s going to make sure you aren’t an issue.”
Mist scoffs before her hand comes up to fiddle with the tie of her robe. “Sure she did.”
“It’s the truth. You need to leave.”
A look of pure contempt crosses her face. “So that’s your play? Trying to scare me into leaving?” She shakes her head, the fury returning in twin patches of red on her cheeks. “Well, it’s not going to work. You’re so caught up in your jealousy, hating that I have special treatment, that I have the king’s heir, that you’re willing to try and trick a pregnant woman?” She sneers, looking me up and down with hatred. “You’re pathetic.”
“I’m trying to save your life,” I hiss.
She laughs, but the sound isn’t humorous or even pleasant. It grates against the cold air of her sitting room, dark claws of catty dislike to leave me in stung shreds.
“Get out.”
“Mist—”
“I said, get out!” she screams, the violent lash making me jolt backward, and the guards start to knock heavily on the door behind me. Great Divine, I really hope Queen Kaila and her power is nowhere nearby.
“Fine, I’ll go,” I say placatingly, hands raised.
Mist is shaking all over, the color on her cheeks now moved down to her neck and chest. I don’t want to cause her distress, and I’m obviously not getting through to her.
But I don’t care how much she loathes me, I don’t want her or her baby to be killed. If it were anyone else telling her this, she might listen, but she’s too blinded by her hatred of me.
With a defeated sigh, I turn around and grip the lock, but before I turn it, I speak quietly, hoping for one more chance at getting through to her. “I know you hate me, and that’s okay. But I swear to you, Mist, I’m telling the truth. I don’t want you or your baby to be hurt. Talk to Rissa. She’ll tell you that you can trust me. I can get you out where you’ll be safe, but I’ll need your answer at the ball.”