Elena had spent close to an hour in the tub yet she felt nowhere close to clean. The wound itched everytime water touched it making it even harder. But she could feel it, the vampire's filthy hands on her skin! The scene was still fresh in her mind. She saw his eyes looking back at her full of hatred. The man hated her for nothing!
She rubbed the cloth roughly on her skin it almost hurt her. Every place he had touched her felt unclean no matter how hard she tried. If only Jophiel was here.
Disgusted by her fruitless efforts, she stepped out of the tub and wrapped a towel around herself. Her eyes met with her reflection in the full length mirror placed close to the wall.
God! How she had lost weight, she noticed. There was a visible bruise on her forehead, close to pink. From behind her shoulder, she spotted the wound. Slightly bending lowering the towel, the wound was now more visible and clearer. It ran from her left shoulder to half of her back.
After applying some ointments, Elena slipped into a white sleeveless dress that was loose. She wanted to avoid much contact with the fabric, otherwise the wound would not heal.
When she walked out of the bathroom, Gabriel was nowhere to be seen. Her bloodied shawl was lying on the floor. But on closer inspection, she noticed fresh drops of blood on it. She bent lower and picked it, worry etched on her face. Was he alright?
For minutes, she sat on the bed hoping Gabriel would walk in soon, but he never came. She clutched the edges of the bed before storming out.
The vampire palace was larger than the one in Mysthaven. There were numerous rooms and chambers at the end of each hallway, and strangely, they looked the same. Gothic gargoyles were installed in every corner of the palace, ones that set Elena's heart racing.
She had scouted the palace for a while, ending frustrated each time. She'd find herself back at the very spot she had started.
"My Lady?" She spotted a herald coming towards her. He was escorted by two knights from Brandon's guard. "Her Majesty, the queen wishes to see you."
The queen!? Elena frowned. As much as she could remember, that woman hated Gabriel. The treatment she gave him during the royal breakfast was still fresh in her mind.
"If you would follow me."
Left with no choice, Elena followed the herald through the same hallways but this time they appeared in the royal gardens.
Maids were busy plucking flowers and others were watering them. The birds chattered lively, complementing the Queen's mood as she drank 'tea' on the set up table. There was an empty chair opposite to her.
The herald bowed and left as fast as he had appeared.
"Your Majesty," Elena curtsied.
The queen stood up, her face lighting in delight. "Don't you look lovely in that dress my dear. White was never my color, unfortunately!" She hugged Elena and placed a kiss on her cheeks.
"Have a seat!" And turning to the maids, "Don't just stare. Pour some tea for Your Lady!"
Elena sat and she was glad when she was served the actual tea humans used to drink.
"I heard what happened to you in the capital. Such a sad ordeal," said the queen. She sipped from her cup and watched Elena calculatingly.
"Do you know why I called you here?"
"No!" Elena thanked the maid and sipped the tea.
"Do you like it?"
"No big difference from the one I was used to in Mysthaven."
Elena lifted her eyes to meet with the Queen's. She didn't like the way this woman was particularly looking at her. Was she called here to be stared at like a next meal?
"You were telling me why you called me here," she said to break the awkward silence.
"Yes! My mind tends to shift when imagining how beautiful your face is." Elena looked down embarrassed.
"You and I might have our differences, but we have one thing in common." The queen paused to look at El. "We have a mother's heart."
Elena nearly choked on her tea. A mother's heart when she was treating Gabriel like an outcast.
"Women are naturally jealous," she added. "You think I hate Gabriel, don't you?"
Elena locked eyes with her but said nothing.
"Of course everyone does, stupid question. Tell me. What would you do when your husband walks in with a child you never birthed in your first year of marriage? Would you be all smiles?"
"I'd be human enough to treat him as one of my own," Elena said placing the cup on the table. She was not that heartless.
"Which is why I'm not human," the queen replied and took a sip of her blood to drive the point home.
"If you'd be in my position, you'd understand. I can't place a crown on another's head when my own child has everything it takes to get it."
"Why do you hate him so much?" Elena asked, now curious.
"Gabriel Sinclair. I do not hate him. I despise him. He's everything my son isn't. Sometimes I wonder if he's even a bastard." She forced a smile.
"He has survived things purebred vampires would not. I think it's the punishment from the gods for hating him."
"In Mysthaven, there's only one God."
"Humans and their shit religion. Where is that God when your kind was about to go extinct?"
She looked at Elena from across the table. "In whatever you do, never place your trust on the gods."
Elena stared at the queen long enough to notice the red color of her eyes. Judging from the single seating she had with this woman, she realized the queen would rather have Gabriel killed than have him sit on the throne.
"What if Gabriel becomes king?" She asked.
"The chances for it are very rare I might say. The vampires follow strength, and for a bastard, he lacks it. And if by any chance or miracle he gets to sit on that ugly seat, I won't be breathing!"