Death's Queen (The Complete Series) Read online

  Death’s Queen

  The Complete Series

  Janeal Falor

  Death’s Queen

  by

  Janeal Falor

  * * *

  Copyright © 2018 Janeal Falor

  * * *

  To learn more about this author, please visit: www.janealfalor.com

  * * *

  Cover Images:

  Set of calligraphic vignettes and flourishes @ magenta10

  Dagger @ sibrikov

  Famous Neuschwanstein castle in Bavaria, German @ samot

  A creative photo of pretty brunette woman in black crown by Alena Stalmashonak

  Contents

  Other Books by Janeal Falor:

  Chapter 1

  Chapter 2

  Chapter 3

  Chapter 4

  Chapter 5

  Chapter 6

  Chapter 7

  Chapter 8

  Chapter 9

  Chapter 10

  Chapter 11

  Chapter 12

  Chapter 13

  Chapter 14

  Chapter 15

  Chapter 16

  Chapter 17

  Chapter 18

  Chapter 19

  Chapter 20

  Chapter 21

  Chapter 22

  Chapter 23

  Chapter 24

  Chapter 25

  Chapter 26

  Chapter 27

  Chapter 28

  Chapter 29

  Chapter 30

  Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  Chapter 35

  Chapter 36

  Chapter 37

  Chapter 38

  Chapter 39

  Chapter 40

  Chapter 41

  Chapter 42

  Chapter 43

  Chapter 44

  Chapter 45

  Acknowledgments

  Death’s Betrayal

  46. Chapter 1

  47. Chapter 2

  48. Chapter 3

  49. Chapter 4

  50. Chapter 5

  51. Chapter 6

  52. Chapter 7

  53. Chapter 8

  54. Chapter 9

  55. Chapter 10

  56. Chapter 11

  57. Chapter 12

  58. Chapter 13

  59. Chapter 14

  60. Chapter 15

  61. Chapter 16

  62. Chapter 17

  63. Chapter 18

  64. Chapter 19

  65. Chapter 20

  66. Chapter 21

  67. Chapter 22

  68. Chapter 23

  69. Chapter 24

  70. Chapter 25

  71. Chapter 26

  72. Chapter 27

  73. Chapter 28

  74. Chapter 29

  75. Chapter 30

  76. Chapter 31

  77. Chapter 32

  78. Chapter 33

  79. Chapter 34

  80. Chapter 35

  81. Chapter 36

  82. Chapter 37

  83. Chapter 38

  84. Chapter 39

  85. Chapter 40

  86. Chapter 41

  87. Chapter 42

  88. Chapter 43

  89. Chapter 44

  Acknowledgments

  Death’s Embrace

  90. Chapter 1

  91. Chapter 2

  92. Chapter 3

  93. Chapter 4

  94. Chapter 5

  95. Chapter 6

  96. Chapter 7

  97. Chapter 8

  98. Chapter 9

  99. Chapter 10

  100. Chapter 11

  101. Chapter 12

  102. Chapter 13

  103. Chapter 14

  104. Chapter 15

  105. Chapter 16

  106. Chapter 17

  107. Chapter 18

  108. Chapter 19

  109. Chapter 20

  110. Chapter 21

  111. Chapter 22

  112. Chapter 23

  113. Chapter 24

  114. Chapter 25

  115. Chapter 26

  116. Chapter 27

  117. Chapter 28

  118. Chapter 29

  119. Chapter 30

  120. Chapter 31

  Chapter 32

  Chapter 33

  Chapter 34

  121. Chapter 35

  122. Chapter 36

  123. Chapter 37

  124. Chapter 38

  125. Chapter 39

  126. Chapter 40

  Death’s Assassin

  127. Chapter 1

  128. Chapter 2

  129. Chapter 3

  130. Chapter 4

  131. Chapter 5

  132. Chapter 6

  133. Chapter 7

  134. Chapter 8

  135. Chapter 9

  136. Chapter 10

  137. Chapter 11

  138. Chapter 12

  139. Chapter 13

  140. Chapter 14

  141. Chapter 15

  142. Chapter 16

  143. Chapter 17

  144. Chapter 18

  145. Chapter 19

  146. Chapter 20

  147. Chapter 21

  148. Chapter 22

  149. Chapter 23

  150. Chapter 24

  151. Chapter 25

  152. Chapter 26

  153. Chapter 27

  154. Chapter 28

  155. Chapter 29

  156. Chapter 30

  157. Chapter 31

  158. Chapter 32

  159. Chapter 33

  160. Chapter 34

  161. Chapter 35

  162. Chapter 36

  163. Chapter 37

  164. Chapter 38

  165. Chapter 39

  166. Chapter 40

  167. Chapter 41

  168. Chapter 42

  169. Chapter 43

  170. Chapter 44

  Afterword

  Books by Janeal Falor

  Acknowledgments

  About the Author

  Other Books by Janeal Falor:

  Death’s Queen

  Death’s Queen (Death’s Queen #1)

  Death’s Betrayal (Death’s Queen #2)

  Death’s Embrace (Death’s Queen #3)

  Death’s Assassin (Death’s Queen #4)

  * * *

  Mine Series

  Mine to Tarnish (Mine Prequel)

  You Are Mine (Mine #1)

  Mine to Spell (Mine #2)

  Mine to Fear (Mine #3)

  Sacrifice of Mine (Mine #4)

  Darkening Light

  Ever Darkening (Darkening Light #1)

  Savage Light (Darkening Light #2)

  Elven Princess

  Bound by Birthright (Elven Princess #1)

  Bound to Endure (Elven Princess #2)

  Bound by Love (Elven Princess #3)

  Standalone

  Goddess Ascending

  A Genie’s Heart

  To Erik

  For loving me in the darkest of times

  Chapter 1

  “You will kill who I tell you to kill.” Daros's voice is low. Threatening.

  My insides quiver. I'm not the type to stand up to my master. He's not just larger than me; he also holds such power over me that I shake to think about it. Yet after everything I’ve seen, stand up to him I must. “No. No more.”

  He comes around his massive desk, forming a fist. “What did you say?”

  “I will not kill for you.”

  He steps up, his favorite jeweled dagger in hand, pressing it against my throat. A man enters the room, and Daros gives a quick glance at him be
fore turning back to me.

  “I don't have time to deal with this.” He snaps his fingers. “Go up to your room. Consequences will come later, but know you will do what I say. That's the only reason I ever took you in to begin with.”

  I slink away, unrepentant, passing by the unfamiliar man. No matter what he says, I'll never kill again.

  It might be harder if he takes me into the room.

  Still, after last time, I'm determined to stand free. To not do it again.

  The house is as grand as ever, even if I am not in Daros's good graces. I wish I could get my hands on one of the many hundreds of books I pass, but there’s no touching Daros’s things, especially books. I hurry my way through the house toward my room. The swirling wooden staircase is silent beneath my steps. I don't touch the carved banister. If I can't get up the stairs without touching it, I've got bigger problems than falling down.

  At the top, I move toward another, less lofty, staircase. As I climb, the thought of leaving comes to me. The house is empty of all others except guards. I'm the only assassin Daros owns. The only person foolish enough to stay.

  Not that he's given me other options.

  He hires a handful of assassins from time to time, but I’m his tool. Or I was. I no longer wish to remain so. I’ve thought of this before, but not with such vigor.

  I open the door to my room. It's sparse—only a few blankets on the floor. I plunker down on them and let my idea stew. Should I really leave? This is the only roof I've known over my head. Until now, Daros’s threats and punishments were enough to keep me here.

  If I go, there will be no more shelter. No more food. But then, there will be no more killing. No more following his orders.

  Ever since I can remember, I've either been training to kill or killing for him.

  The world outside isn't a kind one. It will be hard to get food. Hard to find shelter. Hard to find a useful life, according to Daros. But is a life really what I want?

  After all I've done, I'm not sure I deserve it. I'm sickened, except for the parts of me that are hollow.

  I open my window and look outside. It's a beautiful street, full of neatly arranged Kurah class houses. The rich can find no better neighborhood than this, unless they go to the palace.

  The stones used to make the Kurah houses glimmer in the light. A cobblestone road with grass in front of the buildings and precise lines lies in front of the homes. There's a faint scent of flowers in the air. Nothing to match the turmoil inside my soul.

  The ledge outside the window is meant for decoration, but I can climb on it easily. It wouldn’t be the first time, but it may be the last. I've been here all seventeen years of my life that I can remember. Is now the time to leave? Yes. I believe it is.

  Decision made, I grab my daggers and stash them on my person. Once they're situated, I check to make sure my pouch of poisons and antidotes is hanging around my neck. Its presence is a bittersweet reminder of things that are in my control—which aren't many.

  I swing out the window and creep along the wall, sticking to it like a spider. I shimmy down the wall and use stones that are jutting out when I reach the corner of the house.

  It's this part that's dangerous. If Daros looks out the window and sees me, I'll be lucky if I get an arrow to the shoulder. I can’t go back. Can’t return to the room of horrors.

  I breathe in and out three short times to find my courage and make a break for it. Once I get to the cobblestone street, I slow to a walk.

  Somehow, I made it away from the house.

  Then I hear a shout. Fear punctures my lungs, making it hard to get air.

  One of Daros's guards is headed after me. The pounding of my heart matches the pace of my feet on the ground. He'll give chase as long as it doesn't draw attention. I've got to get to people.

  Still, escaping this guy won’t matter.

  Daros will know how to find me.

  Fear pushes me harder. Makes me stronger. Faster.

  I weave through the streets, my back burning with his gaze. He is fast, but I am lighter. Swifter. At least, that's what I tell myself.

  I swing to a street on the right, my feet slapping against the stone path beneath me. Houses seem to fly by as I run, each different than the last. The sunlight is bright. I should have left at night. Or maybe I shouldn't have left at all. But if I go back now, Daros will torture me. Scar me with his hatred.

  I push forward, toward the market, swerving through several more streets. A glance over my shoulder shows no one trailing after me, though others are on the street, most headed the same way as me. Still, nerves claw at my chest. He could be coming in at a different angle, to head me off.

  I turn down another street, and the market comes into view. I hasten to it. I've done it so many times before, but always on Daros's errands. Thinking of the jobs he's sent me on makes me shudder.

  Pushing the thoughts aside, I follow the flow and get lost in the crowd. Numbness consumes me. Fills me to the brim with its frigidness.

  I seem to have lost the guard for now. This doesn't mean I'm clear. There are still ways Daros could follow me. Find me. Torture me. Force me to kill for him again.

  I clench my jaw. I've been trained to play a part. It won't be hard to act like I'm living off the streets. If only I’d learned something about Daros, all that time at his house—a secret to give me an advantage over him…

  But there is nothing.

  His secrets were as tightly held as I was. Though, if I can escape, maybe someday his secrets will too. Not that they’re my concern any more. For now I need to focus on staying out of his clutches and away from being tormented.

  Night is coming on. They'll be sure to light the pathways by the palace of the dead queen, but there's no such luxury toward the slums where I'm headed. I've been to both places many times. This city is familiar to me. I had to know it to do my job. Now I will no longer be sent on errands. It doesn't give me as much comfort as it should.

  The cobblestone gives way to packed dirt. It's easier to silence my steps on it. First order of business is finding somewhere to sleep tonight. Not that I'm tired, but I don't feel like wandering the streets all night.

  Watching my back will be much easier from a place I can control. Though it might not be worth the effort. What's the point of my existence?

  I have nothing to offer.

  The smell is foul down here, like no one has ever cleaned the place or put in a sewage system. Why would they? Daros says beggars aren't worth taking care of.

  There are plenty of Poruah out, old and young, many of whom are staring at me. Most are dirty with the muck of the day. Lots of girls in skirts and boys in pants. I go to a girl who looks about my age. She won't stop staring at my clothes. Hers are tattered bits of brown cloth, but she's one of the few wearing pants like me.

  “Trade outfits with me,” I say.

  “Why would you want to do such a thing? Mine are terrible, and yours are so… nice.”

  “My father beats me. If he finds me down here, it will be worse for me. Your rags will help me hide.” It might as well be the truth, though Daros certainly isn't my father and a beating would be the least of my troubles.

  She nods. “I know a place we can switch.”

  I follow her behind a shack that's presumably someone's house—maybe hers. It looks as though a big wind would knock it over. As long as it stands while I change, it's not my concern.

  The girl changes clothes with me. She takes my white shirt and gives me her brown one that’s stiff with grime. Her clothes are coarse against my body. I reach down and smear dirt across my face and mess up my short brown hair. Daros will recognize me, but it won't be as easy.