Page 48 of Kill the Queens

Farah pulled out the seat meant for her, setting her staff in the holder that had been fashioned on the arm. "Please do."

She let the slip open up to reveal the flesh of her thigh as she sat down and leaned back. Farah stared at the red curtains, waiting as footsteps approached and the same voice announced the men’s arrival.

"Mr. Copeland. Mr. Logan. and Mr. Tuffin. Please be seated at the table and enjoy the show."

The queen tried to keep her expression neutral as she heard their hurried steps to her side. There was only room for two men to sit next to her, though she thought she knew who would end up next to her. She had to force the edges of her lips to keep from lifting as she was surprised to find both Mr. Logan and Mr. Tuffin plopping down into the seat. Reed took his time pulling the chair out farthest from the queen and lowering into it, though he smiled down the table at her.

His bruises had healed even further leaving him with only the subtle yellowing of skin and the faintest of scabs. Normally Farah marveled at his strength but tonight it was hissmile that left her feeling almost speechless. It was the kind of smile that suggested he had something up his sleeve, that perhaps he knew something the queen did not.

Farah cocked her head at him, studying the way he turned his seat so he had an equal view of the stage and the queen. She prided herself on knowing most everything happening within the walls of her castle but Reed had an exciting bolt of energy pouring into her veins. She was ready. Ready for whatever that smile meant.

"Lovely to see you again," Zacharias said, dipping his chin as he spoke. His black and white attire was quite the contrast to the Burgundy dress clothes Reed wore. Even the man on her other side, who was he again? Mr. Tuffin? He was in neutral tones of brown and cream.

"We have a lovely show tonight," Farah responded, the words she didn't say still hanging in the air.Before someone is crowned king.

"I'm very excited to be here." Mr. Tuffin smiled more shyly. Farah's returned grin was more tense and polite than genuine. She looked him over trying to remember him from the other parties but she'd met so many men within that time, and clearly he hadn't stood out. The poor man was simply here so it looked like she was giving them a fair chance. He wasn't ever going to be king. Not here. Maybe he'd have better luck if he traveled to see Ambrose next.

Thinking of her sister with a husband or even a partner of any sort felt odd to Farah. Ambrose had never really been boy crazy—infant Ambrose didn't really take an interest in much else other than make-believe games she was always playing, the stories she was writing, or the paintings she somehow created just by using ingredients she'd found in their own backyard.

Ambrose never made time for relationships. Not in the way Sienna or Idalia had. Sienna was always eyeing that boy shealways followed around. Hollis, was it? Farah wondered what had become of him as the curtains on stage were pulled back. Performers with brightly colored face paint stepped onto the stage. Their costumes were just as vivid and outlandish.

The four of them gave the performers a small applause as they launched into the little play. Farah tried to laugh when the men laughed to appear as if she was paying attention but she kept getting sucked into her own mind. Her teeth scraped over the raw skin of her nail bed as she tore through the nail. She hadn't realized that she'd even been biting it.

That's how she spent the first half of the performance. Wincing when she'd chewed a nail too far and thinking of the possibilities of her strength after she took what Reed had. The excitement of being stronger than she had ever been before outweighed the small bit of remorse she felt killing him. She supposed he was a good man…the kind of man that broke up a strangers fight when the opponent was getting dominated.

Zacharias leaned over a couple of times to whisper to the queen about how brilliant the play was. She barely responded. At one point his hand had slipped under the table to rub against Farah's knee when she'd tapped her foot against the floor one too many times she supposed.

"Is the play making you anxious?" Zacharaias asked in a whisper, genuine concern shining in his eyes. Even though he spoke quietly, any conversation he made drew the attention of Reed and Mr. Tuffin.

"Oh, no. The play is fine. Perhaps I just need a drink." She picked Zacharias’ hand up off her leg.

"Wine?" Zacharias slid her glass to her.

"Water might do me better." Farah gave a little cough. It was mostly fake.

"Then I shall get you a glass of water." Zacharaias was already trying to stand.

"No!" Farah shouted, causing the actors in the play to pause before they pushed forward. Reed arched a brow as the queen stood and waved Zacharaias back into his seat. "I would like to do it myself. You're my guests, not my servants. Moving will be good for me."

She knew the servants had placed a small cart at the back of the room. It had extra bottles of wine and a pitcher of fresh water. There was the scrape of another chair as she made her way to the cart. Sighing heavily, she hoped it wasn't Zacharaias come to follow her anyway.

She reached for the pitcher but stopped as someone else's hand found its way to the handle first. Her attention snapped up to the large frame taking up the space next to her. Reed smiled again.

"Please allow me." He grabbed a glass, filled it, and offered it to Farah.

Slowly, she took the glass from him. Keeping hold of her staff in her other hand. "Is this safe to drink?"

"Do you think I'm that good at sleight of hand that I could poison you?" His smile fell.

"I think a queen can never be too cautious." She stared down at the water. It certainly didn't look as if it had been poisoned.

Reed stepped closer, washing his warm scent over her. His silver eyes sparkled like two brilliant stars in the night sky as he lowered himself to the queen's glass of water. The drink was still well in her hand as he gently nudged the cup so that a splash of liquid slipped over his lips.

Farah had considered for a brief moment spilling the entering drink down him. It would be so easy, but she'd been enchanted by the way he held her gaze and when he finished the drink, his tongue chased over his bottom lip. She found her fingers itching to play with one of the locks of hair thatrested against her cheeks. Blinking, she shoved those feelings somewhere deep inside of her and locked them away.

"Safe to drink. It's regular water." Reed shrugged.

Zacharias and Mr. Tuffin were stealing glances at them then. Farah could bet that Zacharias was kicking himself for not joining the queen. She took a sip from the glass, unable to look away.