Page 63 of Treasured

I thought he loved me. I thought he was different from the rest. I thought we would have forever.

Wrong.

I was so, so, so wrong.

Was it all a game? Had he been planning this the entire time? Was I nothing but a joke to him?

The Freedom Revolution.

How dare he? With me, he would have had anything. I would have made him a king, at least in name. I would have loved him forever. My heart slammed against my chest. I crumpled the paper into a ball.

I would have been Nicolas’s lover, his best friend, and his confidant until the end of time.

Now?

I would be his worst nightmare.

“This so-called revolution is unacceptable,” I snarled.

General Oak nodded. “Of course, it is, Your Majesty. The humans are being ridiculous. We all know you are the most powerful one of us all. That is why you are the queen. They have lost their way.”

He spoke as if they had whispered a few words in anger instead of forming an entire revolution against me.

This was more than a lost way.

This was treason.

The sight of Nicolas’s signature at the bottom of the page was seared into my mind. I would make him and every other human in this ridiculous alliance rue the day they had ever dared cross me.

And when I was done with them, there wouldn’t be a single being in all the Four Kingdoms who doubted my strength.

A gust of wind carrying shards of ice blew by, pulling me back into the present. Ophelia and Hector were statues, save their black eyes that followed my every movement.

I tilted my head, eyeing them both with disdain. “If your Maker were alive to see you now, he would personally drive this stake through your heart. Neither of you deserves to live. Not after you failed me so spectacularly.”

Hector’s eyes widened, and he trembled. “Queen Marguerite—”

“No! You had one job. One purpose in life: to keep that Southern dragon who calls herself queen out of my country. You failed! How can I let you live knowing you are a waste of blood?” I tightened my grip on the stake. “It would not send the right message.”

A tear ran down Hector’s face as the reality of his fate set in. “My Queen, I have served you well for centuries. Please, at least let me say goodbye to Charles.” He brought his hands in front of his chest and begged.

Begged.

Like a gods-damned coward.

My lip curled. “Absolutely not.”

His eyes widened as my words settled upon him. He cried out as I lurched forward and drove the stake into his heart. The useless vampire collapsed, convulsing as the weapon made quick work of his life.

Ophelia trembled, but she did not say a word.

“You.” I pointed at her. “Come here.”

The general obeyed me instantly, even as her colleague and brother-in-blood died at her feet. “Queen Marguerite?”

I glared at her. “I need you to deliver a message for me.”

The general blinked, but she remained silent.