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Too indelicate—is that why she didn’t finish her sentence?

I give her an assist. “… and theotherwho can’t leave her tub for fear of getting stabbed by invisible weapons?” I shrug. “I guess that’s fair. I’m not feelingwater-goddesspowerful in my shiny life-saving tub. But my dad… he’s craftier than you think and devoted to me and my happiness in a way you can’t imagine.”

She sniffs at me, like devotion is a dirty word.

Pennie’s lips brush against my hair. “Do you want water, food, sleep? Your father? Please, tell me what you need.”

“I’d love some water and, ifHer Royal Majestic Presenceapproves, a few minutes alone with the queen.”

She’s surprised, I think, but inclines her head.

Bastien approaches, carrying a carafe of water and an elegant glass. “Alone withher?”

“Yes, just the queen and me.” To Remy, lurking just behind her, I hold up my hand, pinky finger raised. “Ipinky swearnot to mud wrestle with your supreme ruler.”

The queen snorts as though she’s familiar with mud wrestling and pinky swears, and then tilts her head at Remy. He’s dismissed. Before he complies, he pauses to lob a warning squint at me which I return with verve. Archie and Bastien blow kisses my way and follow the knights out of the cavernous room that looks more like a storage area for unclaimed junk than a sacred healing space.

Pennie kisses my head and lifts me as he stands. Then he turns and sets me back in the liquid, brushing his wet fingers over my cheek. “Please, my love, don’t leave the pool.”

I grab his hand and kiss his palm. Sighing deeply, I lean my face into his touch, taking one more ounce of comfort from his steadying presence. “I won’t. Promise.”

Nostrils flaring, Pennie side-eyes the queen while murmuring, “If you do mud wrestle the queen, make sure you win.” He doesn’t move but his contempt wafts toward the proud queen. “Before I leave her unprotected, I think it behooves us all to ensure you understand the consequences shouldanyharm come to Lady Bianca.”

The queen nods stiffly for him to continue.

“The Pendragons you’ve been seeking will return in force and melt this realm. We’ve done it before when evil took root so deeply the only solution was to begin again. We can wait a million years to start over. Can you?”

The queen’s eyebrows raise and her intelligent eyes flash with a dare. “Why do you think I was searching for the Pendragons?” She leans closer to him and confides, “It wasn’t for a healing pool, I assure you.”

Pennie flinches, his shock apparent. “If you wish to burn it all down, then it isn’t safe for you to be unsupervised with our Lady.”

The queen waves her hand at him,pfftingdismissively. “My willful pursuit of destruction is an entirely different matter. I would never risk a human woman in the process of any of my plans. If I wanted her harmed, she’d already be dead, thrown over the edge of the balcony upon which she trespassed so rudely.”

Steam billows out of him and he glances at me, questioning the merits of private time with thewannaberealm-destroying queen.

“It’s okay. I could totally take her anyway.”

The queen scoffs while Pennie remains wary, but he ultimately leaves the pool, completely and gloriously naked, donning a robe before exiting the room.

I glance around the entirely drab space, mostly just to give myself a moment to select a suitable beginning. “This place needs work, but if you really didn’t want a pool, why do you even have this?”

She stares at me, but her gaze is so distant I feel like I’m alone, which isn’t the worst thing since I’m never really alone. Bastien’s busy sending his love to me through our song, and I’m feeling a veryoutlawvibe. I know jail changes people, but I feel like less than a day in the clink might have already gotten to Bastien. Picturing him inBilly the Kidholsters is a pleasant distraction.

When I can barely remember my question, the queen decides to answer it. “This room was already here when I came. My husband, the king, sought the Pendragons for many years, more so after I arrived.”

“Because of your pain, right?” I blurt.

The queen assesses me, as though surprised by my deduction. She nods and I see that twinge again, her neck hurting right now. She eyes the liquid, not longingly or anything, but curious. “I never knew it would be so shiny.”

“What’s your name?” I ask before taking a sip of the water. “I’ve only heard you referred to as thequeen. Are you likeQueen of All the Realm?”

Her back straightens, her chin raises, and she bestows on me a perfectly regal disdain, though I catch the mirthful glint in her eyes. In the snootiest tone possible, she declares, “Queen Deirdre the Sorrowful, the Vengeful, the Punisher, the Invader.” She blows out a breath and resumes her informal posture. “Really, take your pick. I’ve been them all.”

“Heavy is the head that wears the horns, huh?” I say without thinking and her eyes lock onto mine, a question in them that I feel like answering. “You look human to me and your neck is too small for the size of your horns. I think your husband sought these gems and a pool like this because your neck hurts. But when it came down to it, you used those gems to secure your realm and not to alleviate your chronic pain.”

A strangely blank expression is her only response and the stillness between us stretches. I rest my head against the back of the pool and close my eyes, playing with Bastien through our bond to let him know I’m okay.

When she speaks, her voice is uncharacteristically timid. “Will the liquid decrease in power if I dip my feet in?”