Read Online The Queen by Suzanna Lynn - Free Book Online Page B

didn’t!”
    The guards gathered up the girl from the
ground. She continued to kick and scream when they dragged her out
of the room.
    Valasca looked at Luana. “How did you
know?”
    How do I explain my gifts? Luana was
certain she thought the Queen would think she was raving mad. “I
just—”
    The Queen turned to the nursemaid, gently
sliding the baby into the woman’s arms. “Please take the baby back
upstairs.” She turned back to Luana. “You are going to explain to
me what is going on right now.”
    The Queen led Luana out of the Great Hall
into a quiet hallway. “Now will you please explain how you knew
about that girl’s treachery?”
    “I… it’s… I have…” Luana was flustered. How do I explain something like this? Her mind flashed to
the vision again and remembered the blue vial. “Dragon’s Fire!”
    “You have Dragon’s Fire?” Valasca repeated.
“I don’t understand.”
    “I must go see Master Keon!” Luana cried.
“She was using Dragon’s Fire to slowly poison the King. I must get
to Master Keon so we can reverse what damage we can!”

Chapter Twelve

    Luana was still not familiar with the layout
of the castle. Even though Baylin did his best to show her the main
corridors and stairways, she found it was easy to get herself
turned around.
    She knew every moment was precious and her
stomach turned into knots as she searched the winding halls. She
finally came across a young steward coming down a hall.
    “You, boy!” she called. “I must get to
Master Keon immediately.”
    The young man pointed up the hall, toward
where Luana had just come from. “If you go up there and take—”
    “I’ve just been from there,” Luana moaned.
“I keep getting lost and there is not time to explain. Just know
that it is a matter of saving the King! Please, you must get me to
him.”
    “The King?” the steward gasped. “By the
gods, yes, of course I will take you.”
    As the young man guided her quickly through
the winding passages and up stairways, she realized how turned
around she had become. Building into the mountain had turned the
castle into a labyrinth.
    They finally arrived in an area that felt
familiar to Luana. The long hall that led to a single door held
paintings that she was sure she had seen when walking to visit the
King and Queen when she first discovered she was with child.
    The steward stopped at the door. “You will
find Master Keon inside His Grace’s bedchamber. Be cautious, the
King is very ill.” He turned and hurried down the hall.
    I suppose I should knock. She lifted
her fist to the door but stopped herself. This is ridiculous.
This is the King’s life we’re talking about. She grabbed the
handle and pushed the door open. “Master Keon?”
    She stepped into the room and noticed there
were two guards placed on each of the two windows in the room, as
well as four on the door.
    “What is it?” the old physician asked,
looking up from his table. “You!” He hastily hobbled across the
room. “Get out before he sees you! You are not permitted here.”
    A guard grabbed her arm, stopping her from
entering any farther into the room.
    “But I have come to help,” Luana
pleaded.
    He took her by the hand and began leading
her from the room. “You know I greatly appreciate your herbs, but
this is not the time nor the pl—”
    “No!” She pushed his hand away, but the
guard still held her tight by the arm. “The King is being
poisoned!”
    Master Keon barked in laughter. “That’s
nonsense.”
    King Ashmur stirred in his bed, moaning as
he rolled on his side.
    The physician waved the guard off of Luana
and guided her by the elbow toward the door and whispered, “No one
could poison the King. What do you think the royal tasters are
there for?”
    “What’s this?” mumbled King Ashmur from the
bed. “Who goes there?”
    Luana felt as though her stomach was full of
snakes, writhing around on each other. She turned slowly to face
him. “It’s Luana, Your