Page 90 of Treasured

Beaufort nodded at me through the swirling magic. “This next part will not be easy, Prince.”

No, I was starting to see that. Maybe I should have sat when I had the chance. It was too late for that, though.

Within moments, the moonstone went the way of the feather and the wolf’s blood. An iridescent light filled the room.

Flames raced through me. I was no longer hurting, I was pain itself. From the top of my head to the tips of my toes, the bond tried to claw its way out of me. Fire was in my blood, my stomach, my limbs. Air burned as I struggled to breathe. My nerves were no more than sparks. Even my shadows betrayed me, heating until I was moments away from combusting into flame.

Beaufort brought his hands together in a resounding clap, and that fire became an inferno. Blackness edged my vision. My fangs ached, my head swam, and my knees trembled.

I was burning alive.

The last thing I heard was Luna’s scream.

Pain, Tears, and Blood

MARGUERITE

“Tell me, Blair, do you like me?” I ran my fingers through the Favorite’s hair, guiding his movements as he ran his tongue over me, tasting me as I’d commanded him to.

He paused his movements, looking up at me with glazed-over eyes. “Of course, Queen Marguerite.” His voice was as dead as his eyes. “I would do anything for you. You are the rightful queen of Eleyta and the only one who can properly look after me.”

Usually, hearing my pets proclaim their undying love and devotion for me made me smile and infused me with a dose of something akin to happiness.

Now, it just served as a reminder of everything I had lost.

Blair went to return to his task, but suddenly, this was the last thing I wanted.

“Get off me,” I growled, pushing him away.

The Favorite stumbled back without a word, standing at the foot of the bed. He made no move to cover his nudity, instead staring blankly at me. “My Queen?”

What was my life coming to that I could no longer find solace with my pets?

“Get out!” I yelled.

I grabbed the crystal goblet from my bedside table and chucked it at his head. It missed, slamming into the wall and shattering into pieces. At this rate, I would run out of glassware.

Blair’s eyes widened, and he did as he was told. The door slammed shut behind him.

I groaned. Alone, again.

Drawing on a robe, I stood and pulled my hair out from underneath the material. My foot landed on a shard of crystal, and a stabbing pain like a dagger lanced through me. I sucked in a breath but made no effort to take the offending piece out.

Pain was good. It was necessary. It reminded me that I was still here, even after all these years. Still alive.

Besides, pain meant tears. Tears meant blood. Blood meant power.

I reached for my ruby without thinking about it, letting the past take hold of me again.

* * *

“This will not be easy, Queen Marguerite.” Koleta circled me, her eyes wide and erratic.

Three days had passed since I’d removed her from Ravenwood Dungeon. It seemed that one could remove the witch from incarceration, but one couldn’t remove the insanity from the witch. Even now, I caught her humming that eerie lullaby under her breath.

She unsettled me and very little did that these days.

“I don’t care about easy,” I snapped. “I want this gods-damned revolution over with.”