CARDIGAN, acotar ¹

chapter forty four

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CHAPTER FORTY FOUR

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THAT NIGHT, AS carson slept, she dreamed of a dark presence. its taunting eyes sifted through the memories of her mind, as though lifting a handful of sand and peering at what seashells they had found.

it flashed before her eyes, her own life. cruel to beautiful, loving to heartbreaking; vivid color of dusk and fire light, of shadows singing.

from her girlhood, to the children of the blessed. to her axe swinging down on andras, to exchanging the letters she'd written nesta to the faerie who'd only asked for either spare money or a story. her mind — or the hands prying at it — seemed to linger on the memory of eris's amber eyes, the beauty within.

carson shifted in her sleep, brows drawing in tightly.

again, those memories shifted, and light sweat began to bed at her temple. she pictured the dark presence smiling now; a cruel tease.

and yet, she didn't wake, as if taken by an enchanted sleep. and so carson archeron dreamed, unknowingly allowing greedy, prying hands to tear at her mind, while reading her thoughts as anyone would books.

and outside the prison door, peering in through a small opening, the high queen of prythian began to smile.

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two days later, as promised, her fifth task arrived.

this time, there was no big arena echoing with faeries' laughter. no tank of dark, lapping water where kelpies hid, nor any witch with iron nails.

it was quiet — perhaps too quiet as she entered the throne room, once again dressed in the same scarlet gown she had attended amarantha's final ball in. a wicked queen of crimson, ready for battle.

she tried and failed not to look at the high lords, each positioned ahead of their own courts. their freedom played in the cards of amarantha's game — as did their lives. the world rested on her shoulders.

a gentle flame kissed her fear, and she dared a glance at eris, standing amongst his brothers. his amber eyes locked with hers.

the queen cleared her throat, and carson quickly tore her eyes off him. amarantha smiled tauntingly.. "i suppose a congratulations are in order,' she said. "four tasks lie behind you. another three await." she leaned forward on her throne, dark hair spilling. "i must say, i admire your loyalty."

carson just stared at her.

"any last words, my darling?" amarantha asked sweetly.

"get on with it," was all she snapped, and the lady of the mountain grinned.

"very well, then."

amarantha took tamlin's knee long enough to give a short gesture to her guards. with that, the double doors swung open, and whispers began to thread across the crowd as three figures were dragged in.