All the women looked sick to their stomachs as they were sat down in chairs like a jury lined up to be entertained. Each one with her appointed man next to her watching over her.
“Why don’t we start with Tyton? No, wait…” Holding up a hand, Jeremiah gestured to a server by the door. “Bring in the food and wine before the entertainment starts.”
Four waiters came in with wine followed by trays of meat, roasted potatoes, vegetables, and baskets with bread.
Jeremiah filled both his plate and Wilma’s, encouraging her to eat.
Her spine remained glued to the back of her chair and her lips closed.
“Oh well, maybe you’ll get some more appetite once you hear what the traitors have to say.” Without looking at me, Jeremiah stuffed his mouth and gestured for me to speak.
I cleared my throat. “Wilma, I need you to tell what happened toanyonewho might be interested.” I hoped she knew I meant Devina.
Wilma met my eyes.
“The best day of my life was your tournament.” It would make no sense to anyone but Frederick, my parents, and Wilma, who were the only ones who knew I’d spent that day with Devina. My eyes went to my mother, who sat next to Carl. She looked petite in the massive chair as large tears were falling down her cheeks.
“I’m sorry we failed you.” My words came out like thorn bushes ripping my throat up with regret and despair.
“Yeah, yeah, enough of that.” Jeremiah pointed to Emmerson. “Do you want to congratulate Wilma before she is crowned my queen tonight?”
Emmerson and Wilma stared at each other and the strong man spread his legs and squared his shoulders as much as he could with his hands cuffed behind his back. “Babe, don’t ever forget me.”
Wilma breathed in and moved her lips but there was no sound. Still I could tell she mimed, “Never!”
“Next.” Jeremiah pointed to Henry. “Make it short, will you?”
Henry swallowed hard and looked at Marni. “I’ve done so many stupid things that I regret in our marriage. Please forgive me and protect our boys. I love you all.”
Marni’s nostrils were flaring as if she was holding back tears but she nodded her head to him.
Next came Frederick, who declared his eternal love to Starr, followed by Lucas, who recited a sentence from a poem that made Claire burst into tears.
My father apologized for not being able to protect my mother from the evil in this room and swore to come back as a ghost and haunt Carl for forcing her to marry him and to find a way to kill Jeremiah.
“Ha! You should have thought about your duty to protect your wife before you decided to try and kill me.” Jeremiah shrugged. “Everyone agrees with me that you don’t deserve the privilege of being a protector.”
“I did it, not them!” I repeated for the umpteenth time.
“Yes, and for that, you’ll go first!” Jeremiah pointed to a window behind me. “As soon as we’re done eating, we’ll continue this lovely day in the courtyard, where we’re having a public execution. You’ll have to excuse me but I’ve always had a taste for the macabre, so when we get down there, you’ll see six spears. One for each of your heads.”
My mom’s eyes rolled back and then she went limp in her chair.
“Mom!” Claire was closest and reached over Eli. “Mom, are you okay?”
Jeremiah laughed. “Oooh, I see not everyone enjoys my love for gory details.”
“Mom…” I called out, feeling like a bear in chains.
We were all looking at Joan and even Wilma leaned forward in her chair.
“I wonder how your mom is going to do when we get to the executions?” Jeremiah turned in his chair to address Wilma and from where I stood, I could see his hand slide up her thigh. I couldn’t believe my eyes when I saw her spread her legs a little, granting him access to move his hand higher. Jeremiah smirked and eagerly moved his hand all the way up to her crotch and then she closed her legs, squeezing his hand between her thighs.
He made a surprised sound and whisper-shouted, “Eager to be queen, are you?”
Wilma, who sat on his right side, lifted her left hand to his thin hair with a small smile.
He made another purring sound but then she yanked back his head and in the blink of an eye, she drew out a steak knife from her right-hand sleeve and jabbed it straight into the front of Jeremiah’s throat. With his right hand locked between her thighs, his defense was delayed.
