Page 42 of Monster's Obsession
“Steele, who used to be one of the royals from the royal circle, has finally been caught, and today he will be held responsible for his treason.”
Her words startled me, and that earlier dread I tried to calm squeezed around my throat like a noose. If I wasn’t sitting on the toilet, I might have marched right out of the bathroom to force her to tell me everything. Instead, I called out, “What does that mean? Is he being punished? Is that where the carriage is taking me? I really have to speak to Creed. You need to take me to him.” I spoke frantically, starting to have a panic attack on the toilet.
“No punishment yet,” she explained. “You see, there are three stages for someone who breaks our laws. One, we need a confession. When the guilty refuses to provide one, they enter the Red Battle, an arena that will reveal if they are truly innocent or guilty of their crime. Then they must accept their fate, and lastly, they will be made to pay by something we call,head for a head.”
“I-I think we call that eye for an eye.” I was suddenly moving with speed through the bathroom, terror gripping me.
“Tell me more about the Red Battle, please,” I begged as I emerged into the bedroom. I had to get to Steele, to see if I could help him because I didn’t for a moment believe the man I’d fallen in love with would murder his queen. He wouldn’t.
“First, I must get you into the carriage or Creed will have my head if you’re late. Then I’ll explain everything. Our king is already there.”
“He left without me?” I gasped, then shook my head. “Fine, then let’s go.” I was already marching across the room when both women came to my side, tugging at my shirt.
“You cannot go out looking like that. You will be at the king’s side, and you must appear perfect for your part in the Red Battle.”
I choked on a small cry, my eyes already watering because I didn’t care about these theatrics, not when Steele might die today.
“I can’t wait another second. I have to go now.” My voice trembled, anxiety swirling in my gut.
At that stage, they literally ripped the top off me, and one produced a red dress for me to wear. I’d lost all my patience, and I snatched the gown that felt like water in my hands slipping through my fingers. With the women’s help, I slid it up and over my head.
The silk-like dress cascaded down my body, falling to my ankles. It was cool to the touch and had an almost wet sensation as it clung to my body. It followed the curves of my breasts to the point that it even accentuated my areolas. Dipping at my narrow waist, it traced my hips all the way down my legs. I could just imagine how revealing it was from behind, following my curves.
Splits raced up both sides of my legs to my hips, and the top part of the gown had a high neck and long sleeves. Golden buttons adorned my wrists, and more ran down from one shoulder to the opposite hip, slicing diagonally across my body. They were fake buttons but glinted in the light.
If I wasn’t on the verge of crying, I might be in awe of the dress. But I was too worked up and had already pulled open the door to go to this Red Battle.
The shorter woman placed a pair of high, golden boots in front of me, pausing me. I stepped into them as the other woman leaned down to zip them up to mid-thigh.
I ran my fingers over the fabric across my stomach, unable to shake off how much the fabric felt like water. “What is this material made of, anyway?”
“Of tears, magic, and blood, all spun together with the finest spider web,” the golden-eyed woman told me, both of them studying me with awe in their gazes. “And you are spectacular in it.”
“Tears?” I guess it kind of fit considering I was ready to burst out crying. “It’s very pretty, but maybe too much for such a devastating occasion."
“Quite the opposite,” she said. “The queen would wear this gown at every Red Battle.”
My mouth dried, and I hoped “this gown” wasn’t literal and I wasn’t actually wearing that bitch’s dress.
“We need to go,” I said frantically, my throat squeezing, having wasted enough time. I had to reach Creed.
In a flutter, we rushed downstairs, me starting to hyperventilate as every worst-case scenario rolled over my mind of how they would hurt Steele so they could finally confirm their accusation of him killing the last queen.
Downstairs, the beasts attached to the carriage turned in my direction as if even they could tell I didn’t belong in this realm. A tall, bony monster in a black cloak sat up front, grasping the reins with skeletal hands. He didn’t even glance at me.
The animals attached to the carriage had nine legs each, most decorated with bells on their ankles, which made a loud ringing sound. But it was only when I narrowed my eyes, did I notice one of the legs on each animal wasn't touching the floor, which was strange. Then they moved and the bulbous tip on each of the shorter legs poked out and I gasped. They weren’t legs at all, but full-on erections.
I might have vomited in my mouth a little.
“Oh, gross!” I hoped they weren't having that reaction due to imagining my gruesome end, considering how they stared at me with death in their eyes.
Nostrils flaring, one of them suddenly snorted flames.
I flinched, screaming out of pure fright, which set off the animals who screeched their surprise, shooting out more flames. The skeletal man was suddenly frantically whistling at them, tugging on their reins.
“Hurry, girl, get inside,” the woman urged me, pressing a tentacle to my arm to shove me forward.
“Are you sure? I think they’re going to kill me,” I murmured, never taking my eyes off the strange horses. “And why do they all have hard-ons?”