Page 96 of Black Crown
Draeryn and Draelyz were on their knees although the fierce expression of insolence my aunt wore was eerily similar to howmyeyes narrowed and howmylip curled. As I saw my mother in her, I could also see myself, a weary, bitter, hard version of myself.
Draelyz was hunched over, and with the tattered edges of her tunic riding up her thighs, purple and green bruises were now visible on her pale skin.
“You beat her,” I said, pointing at Draelyz’s legs. Her face and arms were untouched, and my dinner congealed in my stomach. He’d only beaten the lower half of her body. Was it so I couldn’t see until now? Or because he didn’t want to see her mottled skin while he ate? “Why did you beat her?”
“Why do you think?” he asked. He pulled her hair back, revealing her beautiful face, her blue eyes glistening with tears. “Betrayal.”
His favorite word.
But he couldn’t kill them. They were Drae.
In a blur, he brought his hand back and swept it forward, his fingers turning to talons as he sliced.
I shouted in warning.
Draelyz managed a half-whimper before Draedyn’s talons sliced through her chest. Her body pitched forward, and her head bowed.
Draedyn glanced at one of the Druman and pointed at Draelyz. The mule pulled a knife from his belt and a bead of silver dripped to the black stone. I sucked in a breath, my body stiffening, but before I could yell out a warning, the Druman drove the blade through her back. Her body jerked and then crumpled. She fell on her side, seizing.
Draedyn sauntered over to the writhing female kicked Draelyz over the edge of the balcony.
I stared at the spot where she’d disappeared, listening to the flap of her clothing as her body fell below. How could he—
Draedyn straightened with a deep inhale and looked at me with bright eyes. “Before you ask, no, that is not my favorite method of execution. There is something inherently satisfying to seeing heads roll, but I have to work around my limitations.”
How could he kill another Drae? How was that even—
“Possible?” he asked, raising his eyebrows. “Technically, heir-daughter, I’m not delivering a killing blow. The Druman, who you’ll recall do not have such limitations, can wield a blade with Phaetyn blood to kill a Drae, and I’m merely pushing the Drae over the edge. The ground and the Phaetyn blood are doing the killing.”
My stomach churned, and I averted my gaze, desperate to not lose my dinner. I locked on my aunt’s panicked face.Drak.
“Now,” Draedyn said. “It’s your turn.”
“My turn for what?” I asked. He was going to kill me too?
“Draeryn has not only betrayed me but you, her kin as well. She deserves to die.” He frowned as if considering his next words and then added, “She deserves much worse, but I’m willing to forgo the torture to watch you take revenge.”
I glanced at the Druman, but none of them even moved. I stared at the unmoving mules and then at my father who merely raised his eyebrows, as if waiting . . . I shook my head, bile rising in my chest. “I won’t.”
A slow, cruel smile spread over his face. “You will.”
I braced myself for the mind-invasion, only it didn’t come. Aunt Ryn frowned, and I glanced at my father.
“You’re not going to make me?” I asked, scooting closer to my aunt, and then thinking better of it, I backed away. “You’re not going to take over and make me?”
He shook his head. “Then I would be doing it, not you.”
Something about the way he said it made me more nervous, not less.
Ryn remained on her knees, tears falling down her cheeks.
“No,” he said. “But I can force you in some ways.”
My nails on both hands elongated, becoming deadly blades, and I quickly flung my arms behind my back even as my fangs extended and my eyes narrowed to Drae slits. I fought his control over my body, but the tips of my talons bit through my skin.
“There now, all ready,” he said.
I shook my head, refusing to do what he wanted as long as I was in control.