I am exactly that, and I will lead to the downfall of this nation.

Chapter 54

Serenity

Once we exit the plane, Marco and I are taken in one direction, the body in another.

Dozens of guards escort us from the airfield. No one from the West mentions what’s going on or where they’re taking us. Half of me is sure we’re being led straight to an execution. But then Marco and I are loaded into armored cars and driven up to the Iudicium, the domed building I’d so recently been in.

On either side of the street people crowd the sidewalks, cheering. Ever since my father and I entered Geneva, I’ve been on the losing side of those cheers.

Our car pulls up to the Iudicium, and Marco and I are unloaded from the vehicle and led inside. Rather than entering the circular courtroom, our guards steer us to an elevator.

We arrive on the third floor and then we’re shuffled down a wing of the building. In the short time I’ve been here, no one’s tried to take my weapons. I wonder how long that will last.

Eventually, the group of us halt in front of a solid wood door. I still have no idea what’s going on.

Marco stops alongside me.

“Not you,” one of the soldier’s barks. “That’s the former queen’s room.”

Former queen. The WUN is already taking efforts to strip me of my titles.

“I’m still Queen of the East, soldier.” I say to the guard that spoke. “Do yourself and your leaders a favor and don’t piss me off until after we have a signed peace agreement.”

The guard dips his head and manages to bite out, “Apologies, Your Majesty.”

Marco leans in. “Be careful,” he whispers. I don’t have time to get a good look at his face before he’s led farther down the hall.

Five guards remain at my side, and while one of them is busy unlocking the door, another says, “The representatives would like to give you a chance to sleep before you meet with them. They give you their regards and look forward to speaking with you in person tomorrow.”

The door to my room opens, and a luxurious guest suite waits for me on the other side. I assess it like one would a trap.

“Please,” one of the guards says, gesturing for me to enter.

I eye him, just to let him know I am no fool. I’m aware that as soon as the door closes behind me, I’ll be locked in.

Knowing this doesn’t change the fact that I’m supposed to at least attempt to go along with the West’s schemes. So I step inside.

“We’ll be posted outside your doorway and along the halls for your protection.” So don’t try anything.

“Tomorrow at eight a.m.,” the soldier continues, “we will escort you to the representatives.”

The soldier doesn’t wait for my response. The door closes behind me. Just for the hell of it, I try the doorknob.

It doesn’t budge.

Short of shooting my way out of this room, I’m trapped.

I bathe, washing off the smoke and dust that seems as though it’s embedded itself into my skin.

After I finish, I shake out my old clothes and put them back on. Briefly I eye the platter of cheeses and cold cuts someone’s left out for me, along with a pitcher of water and an uncorked bottle of wine.

If only I trusted the representatives not to poison me. Instead I drink water from the tap. Even if the WUN’s water supply doesn’t filter out radiation, I’d rather take my chances with it than with these men.

I unholster my guns, and once I make sure the safety’s off on both of them, I place the weapons under the pillows of the large bed that dominates the room. Most people that enter this walled city don’t come out alive. If they come for me, I’m not dying without a fight.

Pulling back the covers, I slide into bed, combat boots and all. Just to be ready.

Now that I’m in bed, my body at rest, my mind only wants to return to one thing.

The king.

My throat closes up at the thought of him. I should’ve forced Heinrich to let me see the Sleeper’s readout, I should’ve stayed longer to make sure Montes lived through his wound. I can’t bear the thought of that powerful body of his devoid of life. Life that I snuffed out.

My chest tightens. He survived the gunshot. I have to believe that.

I cover my eyes with my hand. I shouldn’t be worrying about the king when I’m currently sleeping in the lion’s den. The odds of me escaping this place aren’t good.

I fall asleep without realizing it, and when I wake, it’s dark out. I’m disoriented before I remember. The bombs, the king whom I fatally shot, the flight over.

And now this.

The king’s reckoning came yesterday. Mine will come today.

Grabbing my guns, I get up and sit at the window that faces out onto the street below. The city is dark beyond. Every so often I see a light glimmer from somewhere far off in the distance.

Even here in the WUN’s capital, the world is bleak. I’d hoped that a century would be long enough for my homeland to get back on its feet, but obviously it wasn’t.

I lean my head against the window. I should get back to bed; I need the sleep. But I can already tell it won’t happen anytime soon. I’m too wired, and even if I wasn’t, the West has a habit of snatching people up in the night.

So I watch and I wait.

I’m comfortable with this. There’s a lot about war that is simply waiting. Waiting to kill. Waiting to die. Waiting, waiting, waiting.

Hours pass before I hear footsteps moving down the hall, straight towards my room.