Page 8 of Of Brides Of Queens

“Donotsnatch from me,” I boomed.

The gate man popped his head out, and as he assessed the pebbles leaping on the ground from my rage, I assessed the gray wrinkles of his skin.

“You shouldn’t be able to do that,” he remarked, his slither gone. “This isn’t your kingdom. And I’ll snatch from you if I please.”

Hmm.I had expected the minion to be affected by my booming order, but I supposed he was not my creature at all.

Unlike the princes of kings.

The minion tossed my letter into the stinking moat where a telltale pink tinted the stagnant and shallow creek. “No invitation now.”

A tickle of glee found me. “How monstrous of you.”

“Thank you. I aspire to be what e’er I see.”

My brows rose for a different reason. “My, and what a gift for rhyme. Were you like this in conventional life, sir?”

He puffed out his chest and recited,“Emptiness of

Life

Granted vacant

Space,

for thirsted

Beauty.”

My smile was genuine indeed. “Life, space, and beauty. What a wonderful outcome for you.”

The gateman edged further from the entrance shadow, nothing more to the eye than a gray raisin might look next to a grape.

“You know,” he said, “I thought it when you attended my master’s ball that I had never heard such a delightful voice as yours. Articulate. Such an artful turn of phrase. Exquisite even. These are the words that come to mind.” He blinked, and the sandpaper sound as he did so convinced me of the utter dryness of his eyeballs. “I am inspired. I am filled with verse,” he exclaimed. “I must write a poem!”

The minion ducked into the shadows again, but poked his head out into the moonlight. “Will you stay to hear the verse?”

“I would be happy to,” I replied. “Do you mind if I wait inside? The wind blows so.”

“But of course. Kindly enter, and enjoy all for the taking. I will be a time at this. Such is art, you understand.”

“I could never rush brilliance,” I murmured, ignoring the rest. Oftaking, there would be naught by me.

The minion paused his muttering to yank aside the stanchion, then disappeared into his shadows to remain.

I glided into the mostly white castle, with only the rhythmic click of my heels on stone to betray that I didn’t float. The gliding had formed since my last slumber as a result of my constant need to balance my power, speed, and blinking ability. The monstrous outcome was this gliding gait, and I wasn’t sure I had the finesse to walk in a conventional way any longer.

My only other options were to run, jump, or blink, but kings were yet to discover I could blink like the princes of King Bring. Strength and speed were more usual monstrous powers and raised no fear and concern. The ability to blink, however, might raise questions abouthowI could blink. Unanswered questionswere a beast of their own, I had learned, and so I would avoid unleashing more of them.

As it was, kings likely had assumed that ancients were tampering with the fate of the world by introducing a queen.

Best to keep it that way.

Whoosh, click, whoosh, click. I enjoyed the haunting melody of my queenly gait as I swept toward the ballroom of my memories.

A bloodied and dripping curtain blocked my way soon enough, and I glanced to the small nook beside it.

No one greeted me.