The Plan To Assassinate the High Queen

Prick Me. Bring About Blood. If You Don't, I'll Do It Myself.

I wake with a jolt.

    I try to get up, but before I can even move, a hand cups over my mouth.

    My body tenses, and I wriggle against the leather gloved hand.

    "Be still, My Queen, it will all be over soon enough..." The masculine voice trails off as he presses the sharp point of a dagger to my throat.

    I wait silently, for him to cut off my head, but all he does is prick me, sharp enough to draw blood.

    "What?" I mumble, but the fae doesn't seem to notice.

    He doesn't do anything else only hold the knife to my throat. I gag at the strong perfume scent of flowers that waft from the knife  I wonder briefly why he hasn't killed me, but before he has the opportunity too, I find the dagger hidden under my pillow and launch it in the supposed direction of his body.

    The man releases his grip as I sit up and watch the faint outline of the body and dagger, resting just so that it won't kill him, stagger back.

    Before I can react, the fae lets out a bloodcurdling scream of agony.

    Cardan jolts up, wide awake, as our personal guard flood the room.

    "Your majesties we hear the screams, are you okay?" My finger points to the body lying on the floor, and Cardan sucks in a breath.

    "Darling, care to tell me why a man is on the floor with your dagger in his heart?" He tries to portray the question in a joking tone but the worry is evident.

    The guards stare at me as I swing my legs off the bed and stumble slowly to the fae.

    "He pressed a dagger to my throat. He didn't try to kill me, only pricked me," my hand goes to my throat, "I reacted before I knew what was happening." I kneel besides the man.

    A guard clears his throat behind me, right as I'm about to lift the mask of the man, "my queen, I don't think it is a particularly good idea to get nearer to your attempted murderer. I advise you to step away from the body."

    Cardan nods in agreement, "I agree, step away from the body, Jude."

    "But," Cardan raises his eyebrows and I sigh as I push myself off the ground and walk back over to him.

    "Alert the Roach, Bomb, and Ghost. Have them come immediately." Cardan commands as he steps out of bed and wraps his arms around me. "Let's head into the main room." I nod and he leads me out, our guard following.

    We sit on one of the sofa's as Cardan questions me. "What happened?"

    "Cardan, I told you, he pressed a dagger to my throat and I stabbed him back."

    "Yes, but why didn't he stab you, and be done with you while you were asleep?" His tone is neutral but I can see in his eyes that the thought both horrifies him, and disgusts him.

    "I don't know. All I know is I had a dream of someone telling me to wake up," I don't mention what happened before, "then I woke up, and well you know the rest."

    He frowns, "I still don't understand—" He's cut off as the Court of Shadows barges into our chambers.

    "Jude—I mean You Majesty, is everything alright?" The Bomb asks as she approaches me, worry, clear as day, in her eyes.

    "I'm fine, just a prick, although," I grimace, "I'm not so sure about the fae in our room."

    The Bomb nods and signals to the Roach and Ghost to check it out. "Are you sure he didn't stab you?"

    I roll my eyes, "I'm pretty sure I would know if I was stabbed."

    "Would you though, because it seems like a lot of blood for just a prick?" I frown and raise my hand and gently brush against my throat. I feel a wet sticky substance and when I pull my hand away, blood coats my fingers.

    My eyes widen and I rush to the bathroom, Cardan and the Bomb following me.

    I glance in the mirror, and sure enough, I'm bleeding out. All of a sudden, I feel dizzy and lightheaded.

    I make my way back to Cardan and before I can say anything I collapse into his arms.

    "Jude! What happened!" His voice is laced with concern, but as I try to speak, my throat closes up, and I can't get a word out.

    "Get help!" The Bomb yells off into what I assume is the direction of the guards, but I can't tell.

    I'm seeing double, and black is creeping into the edges of my eyes.

    "No, Jude, stay with us, Cardan keep her awake!"

    Cardan shakes me but I don't feel anything.

    It'll all be over soon, my queen.

    The last thing I see is Cardan and the Bomb standing over me before all fades to dark.

A/N

Hope you enjoy this premise. There's a lot more where this came from...