Page 49 of Kill the Queens

"I was wondering if I could steal you away for a little while." Reed pointed toward the door. "Guards can come and everything. I just thought it would be nice to actually get to talk to you."

Farah squinted at him. "You want to talk to me?"

"Yes?" He laughed a little. "If I want to marry you, I thought it would be a good idea for us to get to know each other. I know you don't have much time to think on it, but I figured it would help with your decision anyway. What do you say?"

The queen set her glass down gently on the cart. She didn't want to necessarily get to know him but…if she could get her plan started. If she could somehow get him here and into her bed then she would be well on her way to an heir. Hopefully. If not, maybe she could fake a pregnancy. Honestly, she hadn't thought of that yet but that would be a brilliant backup plan. Maybe that should be her first plan.

"A walk sounds lovely." The queen set a hand on his arm, giving him her famous dazzling smile.

Gently he moved her hand from his upper arm to the crook of his elbow and escorted her from the room. The halls were quiet tonight with less staff needed for such a small event. Two guards followed Farah and Reed at a polite distance, silent except for the sound of their armor softly brushing against itself.

"Go ahead." Farah let her staff click against the floor as she moved; she hoped it served as a reminder of what she could do if she had to. "Tell me all about yourself."

"Sure. Any particular questions you want answered?" While Reed was guiding them down the halls, Farah would nod yes or no before they hit a junction keeping him away from places he didn't need to be.

"Family?" Would he have anyone to mourn him?

"I had a brother who died a few years back due to an illness. My mother left when I was a child and my father died when I was sixteen."

"Good." There wouldn't be anyone asking about him then. At least no one who would be persistent.

"Good?" Reed practically choked on the word.

Heat rushed to the queen's cheeks. "Sorry. My mind is elsewhere. I'll try to be more present. What I should have said—what would have been more appropriate—is, I'm sorry for your loss."

"I get the feeling that your mind is a dark place to be," Reed said under his breath.

"As dark and twisted as that alley you found me in." She admitted, nodding before they turned down a different hallway.

"I'm concerned and intrigued at the same time."

"I'd expect nothing else from you. Can you tell me how you got so strong? The truthful answer."

"I'm not hiding anything, my Queen. I just have good genes and I work as a lumberjack so I'm used to lifting heavy things."

"A lumberjack who wanted to be a part of the queens’ guard?"

"I hear it pays much better, but I was rejected from the position."

"So, you think being king is the next best option."

"It is my more hopeful option." The small space between them seemed to shrink.

"You're hopeful?" Farah laughed.

"Am I not more handsome than the other suitors? Am I not stronger? Am I not the better option?"

"I thought you were supposed to be telling me more about yourself not carrying on about how you think you'd fill the role of king best."

"Are you not choosing based on who would make a good king first? I suppose my role as king would be more important than my role as husband. But I'll go ahead and give you a run through of everything you need to know about me." He took a deep breath then launched himself into his answer. "I think whiskey is better than wine. Red is my favorite color. I think having friends is overrated but that being loyal to a few breeds loyalty from many who will never put you in the position of needing that loyalty. I would rather stay in than go out unless it's been a hard week and I need a drink. I want three kids. All boys. And I think our children would be beautiful." He took another little breath. "I think you're beautiful."

Farah gave him a sad smile. "Everyone does."

"No." He shook his head and Farah pointed them down a different hall. "You're not just physically beautiful. There's something more to you I just don't know yet. I can see how cunning you are. I want to learn more about that. I believe your mind is beautiful."

Her mind was beautiful? Gods, he was laying it on thick. Was he trying to win her over with some sort of poetry? Still, her heart skipped a beat in her chest.

"There is one thing else I would like to know." The queen let her voice drop into that sultry rasp that tended to make people weak.