Skins are shifters who take the fur of their prey and wear it as a disguise to lure in larger animals. I hear they are the most voracious predators in all the kingdoms but are also a favorite meal themselves. The Blood People especially enjoy their taste.
“Boohoo,” I say dryly. “Tiago doesn’t want to chew on me. Whatever shall I do?” I raise my limp arm. “Help me up, Mr. Charming.”
He reaches beneath me and grips me under my armpits, holding me like a child would hold a doll. “Like this?” He lifts me in the air and gives me a wiggle.
He’s doing it to mess with me. “Get your fingers off my boobs and put me down. Nicely.”
He sets me on my wobbly feet. I notice my backpack is gone. So is my rifle. “Where’s my stuff?”
Tiago stares down his nose at me. “I threw them away.”
“Why would you do that?”
He leans down, getting in my face. “Because you are our queen now,” he whispers bitterly. “You cannot look weak in front of everyone. It will bring shame to my family.”
“How are clean water and food weak?”
“Human food. Human water in strange little bottles.” He tsks and shakes his head. “Here we hunt. We live off the land. We do not tote around our necessities like the slow, defenseless Shell People.”
I don’t know what a Shell Person is, and I don’t care.
“I needed that rifle,” I growl and dust off my jeans. At least I still have my pepper spray and lighter in my red hoodie pocket.
“If you want your things, go get them.” He points toward an opening in the stone wall to my side. I bet it’s a ten-thousand-foot drop on the other side.
I’m about to tell him to go get them for me, but Master is finally up, whining and nudging my hand with his cold nose.
“What? Did you get hurt?” I ask.
Tiago jerks his head at something behind me. “He is trying to tell you to turn around.”
I slowly twist my head. Behind me is a cavernous room about the size of a baseball stadium, and I’m standing on home plate. Instead of tiered seating, we’re surrounded by vertical stone walls with narrow steps carved into them, zigzagging all over the place. Every few yards are little terraces, some close to the ground, others higher up, that jut out with benches. On those benches are pairs of giants. Hundreds of them. Some old. Some young. Male and female.
Great. They heard me telling Tiago to lick my ass. Maybe that’s why they’re staring down like I’m an unwilling contestant in the Spanish inquisition.
I slowly turn back to Tiago, looking up. “What am I supposed to do?”
“Oh. Did my brother not inform you?” he asks condescendingly. He’s really enjoying this, making me feel stupid.
“Gabrio said I had one hour to prepare, and I spent it packing supplies and eating because I threw up all my cake.”
He cocks a dark brow.
“Never mind. Just tell me what I’m supposed to do.”
“Take a seat on the throne to start. Then address the room.” He gestures toward a stone chair about ten feet away. It’s so big I didn’t realize what it was.
“You’re hilarious.” Dickhead.
He cracks an evil smile. “Need some help getting to your chair, my queen?”
I get that he thinks humans are weak and small, but what good is he doing with this taunting? I’m not here for myself. “Stop acting like a child and tell me what to say.”
“We are at war. You are our leader. So lead.”
“You’re useless,” I growl and walk to the throne that’s about the size of a two-story house. I stand in front of it. “We’ll skip the throne today. So, um, well—my name is Lake Norfolk and—”
“They know who you are, my queen,” Tiago scowls. “They want your plan. How are we to get Alwar back?”
“Ah. That. Well,” I haven’t had much time to give it any thought, “I understand Benicio has offered a trade, but—”
“You must speak up,” Tiago chides. “Your pathetic voice is too small, and they cannot hear you.”
“Will you stop?” I bark at Tiago.
“I will speak my mind, like a War Man. If you do not like it, you may go back the way you came.”
His words sizzle my ego and incinerate my last straw. I’m tired. I don’t want to be here. I’m in no mood for this bullshit. “Let’s get something straight here, big man. I never asked to come back. Your brother, Gabrio, insisted I had to. Just like your other brother, Alwar, the king, insisted I marry him so the War People could fight on a level playing field.” I shake my finger toward his face. “So the next time you speak to me with disrespect, try remembering that you have given up nothing because I have given up everything.” My hope of love, of having a family, a career.