Mona Carlisse's eyes glittered with an emotion I dared not try to read. I held my breath.
"I ask that he go unpunished," she finally whispered. "I forfeit his life into Mona Lisa's service. And I pray that he serve her well."
The room grew abuzz, flying with whispered comments.
"Thank you, Sister," I said quietly.
Lord Thorane called for silence once more and looked to the august Queen Mother, who gave the barest nod.
"It shall be as you asked, milady," Lord Thorane pronounced.
"But the other eight men," Mona Carlisse said with cold hatred. "I wish to see them hunted down and executed in the most painful manner. Sandoor, in particular."
"It shall be as you request, Queen Mona Carlisse," Lord Thorane declared.
She hesitated. "My men from before…"
"Your people will be called back from wherever they dispersed and your territory shall be restored unto you, Queen Mona Carlisse. The court with provide you with guards until that time when your own men return."
She bowed her thanks and stepped back.
My time had come. I shot a feral smile at the treacherous Mona Louisa and stepped forward. "I have yet to explain to the court how I came to be captured by Sandoor's men."
The Councilmembers followed my gaze to Mona Louisa. Her blond iciness calmly endured their scrutiny.
"Indeed, Queen Mona Lisa," Lord Thorane said. "Please do so now."
"Mona Louisa promised one of my men, Gryphon, the man at her side, the antidote for silver poisoning if he went to her."
"She lies," Mona Louisa countered smoothly.
I turned to my former lover. "Gryphon?"
"I deliberately misled you so that you would allow me to leave," Gryphon said, his rich, resonant voice unweakened. "There is no cure for silver poisoning."
In a sudden flash, it all became clear to me. "You traded yourself for four of her men to guard and protect me," I said flatly.
"Yes. I was dying anyway."
And Gryphon had traded with the only coin he'd had to barter to ensure my protection—his beautiful body and the rare gift of walking in sunlight that he had gained from me.
"It was a poor bargain, my love," I said, my heart crying bitter tears. "They betrayed me to Sandoor's men at the very first opportunity."
The room buzzed once more with agitated speculation.
"She lies," Mona Louisa repeated, her calmness unruffled.
Aquila spoke up for the first time. "A blond warrior, Miles, brought the new Queen to our attention and agreed to turn her into our hands within the forest. He and his men did as promised, standing by while we took her. Only Amber tried to aid her."
"Queen Mona Louisa," Lord Thorane interjected after the sudden bubble of silence that met Aquila's statement. "Were four of your men given the task of guarding Queen Mona Lisa?"
Mona Louisa nodded, her blue eyes unrippled calm. "Yes. But they informed me they were surrounded and outnumbered and she was snatched away."
"They informed you," I mocked and turned to the blond, slippery shadow trying to hide in the back. "Did you hear that, Miles? Your Queen is going to throw you to the wolves. Come out, come out, wherever you are," I crooned in a sing-song voice.
"Step forward, Warrior Miles, and approach the Council," Lord Thorane ordered.
The other guards stepped away from him, leaving Miles no choice but to make his way reluctantly forward.
Lord Thorane eyed Miles sternly. "Let me remind you that false testimony before the Council is punishable by death."
Miles visibly swallowed and looked to Mona Louisa. She gazed back at him impassively.
"Warrior Miles," Lord Thorane said. "Did you contact the rogues regarding Queen Mona Lisa?"
"No," Miles said, his voice trembling.
"Did you report to Queen Mona Louisa that you were outnumbered and surrounded, and that Mona Lisa was abducted?"
Miles did not look at his Queen. "Yes."
"Is that true?"
"Yes," Miles said, his voice a low harsh sound.
"Lord Thorane," I interrupted. "Perhaps you should ask him if he tried to rape me." I heard Gryphon draw in a sharp breath. "After he ordered Rupert—I believe that's his name, the redheaded one—to smear a liquid aphrodisiac on me."
Amber's voice was a low, ominous, rumbling rage. "He spilled almost the entire vial of witch's brew upon her, leaving her not in her right mind for six days. It is only by the Goddess' mercy that she did not pass from this life."
"Hell's fire!" Halcyon snarled.
Miles glanced nervously at the Demon Prince, sweat dampening his once pretty and now very worried face.
"Warrior Miles, did you order Warrior Rupert to apply witch's brew on Queen Mona Lisa's person?" Lord Thorane asked forebodingly.
"No!"
"Did you try to rape Queen Mona Lisa?"
"No, Lord Thorane!"
I sauntered closer to Miles and asked silkily, "What, did you think I was willing? Is that why you tried to strangle me when I fought you?"
Gryphon let out an anguished cry.
"And did you not say that it was your Queen's most ardent desire that you and the other three guards taste me before handing me over to Sandoor's men?" I bared my teeth at him in a vicious smile. "If you didn't try to rape me, how then do you explain my burn marks upon your chest?"
I was taking a chance that they hadn't healed completely yet. Burn wounds were notoriously slow to heal. It took months in a human.
"Take off your shirt, Miles," the High Prince of Hell said in a dark portending voice. You could almost smell the sulfur brimming.
Miles grew chalk-white. He turned to Mona Louisa, his eyes desperate. "Milady."
"Do as he says," Mona Louisa said, her voice as cold and flat as her beautiful eyes.
His hands visibly shaking, Miles unbuttoned his shirt and slipped it off.
Gasps. Murmurs. All it lacked was applause.
There on Miles's chest were the imprints of my hands, as deep, as brightly red as the day I had branded him. They hadn't healed at all.
I walked to Miles, my hands outstretched. Miles back away, fear flooding his eyes.
"Hold!" Lord Thorane commanded.
Miles held still, quivering as I fit my two hands over the burns. A perfect match, down to the pearly indentations in the center.
I slid my hands down until it rested over his groin and whispered into Miles's ear. "Next time I'll place my mark lower."
He wet his pants.
I stepped contemptuously away from him.
"I believe Miles and his men require further questioning… in private," Halcyon said. "Along with their Queen."
Lord Thorane nodded. "The Council would welcome your worthy assistance in this matter, Prince Halcyon."
"I will be most happy to offer it." Demon nails clicked sharply together.
Mona Louisa blanched.
I turned to the Ice Bitch. "You struck a false bargain with my man, Mona Louisa. Therefore it is null and void." I held out my hand to the man I loved. "Gryphon, come to me."
Gryphon rose and in one easy motion ripped off the bejeweled collar, his eyes filled with sorrow, anger, love, and regret. He took a step toward me.
Mona Louisa rose behind him, a vengeful pale wraith, her eyes narrowed in deadly malice. A silver dagger clutched in her upraised hand, her fingers wrapped tight around the leather-wrapped hilt. "He will never be yours again!" she screeched at me.
Time seemed to stretch out as my vision first narrowed and focused on that descending blade, then expanded until that was all I saw in close, intimate detail. Light glinted off that brilliant blade the color of moonlight. I thought of the taste of silver, remembered that metallic tang in Gryphon's blood. I thought of the feel of my own knives these last few weeks, how they came eagerly to my hands even as I reached for them. I fixed on that reflective silver-bright blade, on the simple, leather-wrapped hilt, and desired it in my own hand.