Page 15 of Kill the Queens

Above her, the sky was so covered in clouds that it blotted out the stars as well as the moon. It made the streets that much darker and Farah even less certain as to what hour of night she’d decided to venture out. Every time she’d gone to the tavern it was always after everyone had their fair share of drinks and was too far off their rockers to even notice her slip in and examine the crowd.

From a short distance, the queen spotted the small building with its rickety sign hanging from a wire that looked as if it was almost rusted completely away. The front door swung open letting out a ray of light that cast itself on the sidewalks. A long shadow stretched out too.

Farah slowed her walk. The shadow became a figure that stumbled out the door. The figure quickly became a man who righted himself and chuckled before turning down the street. He was already long gone by the time Farah had gotten to the door and slipped inside.

A woman sat in the corner with an out of tune violin that she played with a somber expression. The music grated againstFarah’s ears but she ignored it as she walked to an empty table and sat to face the general crowd. The tavern was made up of only two rooms. The main room where the bar was crowded with men who were tossing coins at the bartender and cheering loudly.

The queen grimaced when she realized that it mustn’t be that late in the night. None of them were all that sloppy. Yet.

She continued her gaze through the large open doorway that led into the next room. There was a single window with the curtain drawn and about six scratched up wooden tables. Farah didn’t even trust most of the chairs here—when you sat in them they groaned and swayed as if it might be their very last day.

The sad music from the violin carried into the other room. A few of the patrons who drank in there—a couple busy at a card game, another reading a book, and the last who downed his drink—bobbed their heads to the music. It was the last man that Farah focused on. The bob of his head quickly turned into a slow sway as he rocked back and forth in his seat.

He was very drunk. Just the way Farah liked them.

A server came around the side of the bar heading in Farah’s direction. If she sat long enough someone always came to see if she wanted a drink. If they knew who she was they never said a word.

Farah stood from the table quickly, nearly toppling the chair before she grabbed the back and righted it. She waved off the waitress as she slipped between tables, then scowled down at the musician in passing.

“I’ve heard better music from a pack of fighting cats,” Farah said under her breath.

The men in the corner playing cards banged their hands against the table as one of them won a round. The sudden noise set Farah on edge, more so than she already was. She gave her hood one last tug over her face as she lowered into the seatacross from the man who was still dancing to the music.

Up close she supposed he was handsome. A good jawline covered with a well-managed beard. His eyes were a light, near crystal, blue that took up nearly half his face. A few wrinkles formed at the corner of his eyes and branched out toward his hairline where shaggy brown hair was flattened as if he wore a hat all day.

The man stopped dancing as he realized that someone had materialized in front of him. Farah smiled a little bit at the shock on his face. That shock quickly melted into a sweet smile when he got a good look at her.

Farah knew she was pretty, prettiest out of her sisters her mother always said, though Farah never wanted to be pretty. Not like Sienna did or even like Idalia. Farah always wanted to be the best. She wanted to be the fastest, the strongest, and the most well versed on any given topic. It only helped to fuel the feud between her and her oldest sister.

“Hello,” the man said.

Farah supposed he’d meant to be charming given the tone of his greeting, but she caught the way he dragged the word out a little too long, and no matter how he tried to still himself he continued to sway ever so gently. Yes, he would do nicely.

“Hi,” she whispered back, offering him one of her dazzling smiles. The smile always got them. Always. “I was wondering if you could walk me home. It’s a little dark out there so I thought some company would be nice.”

“A walk with a pretty woman such as yourself?” He stood from the table and his beer stein tipped over, the drizzle of yellow ale flowing out its top.

Farah set the cup upright. His arm was already outstretched to help her out of her seat showcasing the ring on his finger. A married man, she noted. Either he was incredibly gentlemanly or stupidly disloyal. Either way, his night was stillgoing to end poorly.

She placed her hand in his sweaty palm to stand but quickly adjusted him so she could hold his elbow. The closer she stood to him now the more she could smell the liquor on his breath. Not to mention the lingering scent of coal or something of that nature that left dark black smudges on his clothes.

A long sigh of relief escaped her, releasing an ounce of her tension. It wouldn’t be long till she reached her high. The pair weaved back through the small building and out the door, unnoticed. The cool evening air was refreshing as it washed over Farah and helped to ease the stench coming from the man whose arm she held. He was looking down at her with that same stupid smile on his face.

“Which way?” He gestured to the street.

“This way.” She turned them the opposite direction from which she’d come.

She gave the road ahead a little look over. The sidewalk was empty and she couldn’t so much as hear the clomping of horse’s hooves which told her no carriages were heading their direction.

“It isn’t far.” She gave his arm a little pat and he hummed a bar of the gods-awful violin song.

“What’s a girl as pretty as you doing out? Don’t tell me you’re selling your body?” The last question was whispered roughly, his stale breath grazing down the length of her neck as he leaned into her.

“I have something I want to take care of. A need if you will.”

His shoulders bounced with a laugh at that. “A need…what are you insinuating?”

“Nothing.” She smiled prettily again.