The Arsenic Widow #Wattys2015 (mxm)

Chapter Thirty Six

This nice long chapter is an apology for my super short one last week!! Some people mentioned it was short and I know ;-; University gets in the way sometimes, and on some days I just don't have the drive to write anything! But today, here's a chapter I hope you'll love! I enjoyed writing it for you!

I watched Acorn's face turn to an expression of pure confusion. "Got rid of him? I don't understand. He died from disease. I... I killed him."

The Queen chuckled softly, pinching Scarlet's waist to be annoying. "You think a plague breaks out in this kingdom without my say so first? You think that anything happens around here without my decree? Your father's death was an accident, I'll admit. I was sick of him overruling whatever I said so I took him out. Then I realised how easy it would be." She stroked Scarlet's waist where she had pinched the girl, but Scarlet's face hadn't changed from her blank expression, not even to show pain. "Imagine how I felt when I learnt I couldn't keep the throne once Kaeden came of age? The anger tore through me, and through this kingdom. The people didn't want him in charge. So I destroyed him."

Lothaire rolled his eyes. "You're always so dramatic. I brought about a plague that secured your throne with his death. But the King, that was all you. Arsenic, I believe it was. Humans, always so obvious."

"But what about Acorn?" Everyone's eyes travelled to me. I kept a strong hold on Acorn to make sure he didn't escape. "He was next in line to the throne."

"What a smart boy," Lothaire reached out and stroked my face and I turned my head into the caress. "He was, until she made some deals with neighbouring areas. If she lost the crown, the deals would be over, and the people didn't want that because it secured money and food for them. So she stayed in power."

The Queen flipped her hair over her shoulder, "I'm really intelligent when it comes to what I want. But what I didn't expect was for Acorn to kill his brother. He was so guilty he didn't even bother fighting me for the crown."

Acorn stiffened beneath me and I tightened my grip, causing him to cry out softly. I immediately loosened at the sound, pain exploding in my heart at the sound of the man in physical pain because of me.

Lothaire's eyes narrowed at me, but he didn't look suspicious of anything. In fact, he continued crowing over his victory. "So the Queen kept a lock of Kaeden's hair and came to me. I told her that we could bring him back, but because we were missing most of the body, I would do what I could. As you see... his body was not the desired form." He curled a lip as if the man's body had disgusted him.

"He didn't have a body," the Queen sniffed in disgust. "It was just substance. Regardless, I was thinking about putting him in power while I controlled him. I wouldn't have had to have done as much work in that case. But his body... it was wrong. But now we have yours, Acorn."

Lothaire sighed, his scaly body trembling with excitement. "You're going to be our toy instead, Acorn. I was worried we weren't going to find you after you disappeared from the castle, but once I knew you were with Incent I knew I could track you easily. It was a lucky thing too."

"Did you get him hurt on purpose?" Acorn growled in annoyance. My left arm twinged in pain when I remembered the scars that were now there.

"Oh, my demons are always after him. I wasn't expecting such great timing, but what can I say?" He ran a claw along my jaw. "He's now mine to hurt. That demon that got to you before me will pay for what he's done. The plague was meant for you, Acorn."

The Queen stood up and went to her dresser, Scarlet following her closely. I saw bloody marks on the girl's ass where claws had obviously sunk in to her. I realised they were Lothaire's. Was she forced to sleep with the demon for the Queen's amusement? It wouldn't surprise me, but once again I felt that tight, jealous feeling grow in my gut.