I took a step back.
“Mother—”
“No! Did you think the world stopped moving because you were Tethered? That the country no longer needed to be run? The darkness is still coming, and I am queen here, not you.” She ran her fingers over the red ruby hanging around her neck. The jewel seemed to glow brighter beneath her touch. “I changed my mind and, as always, my decision is final.”
“You let murderers back in our midst,” Sebastian growled.
“Now you’re being quite dramatic, son.”
It didn’t sound as though he was being dramatic.
Sebastian must have agreed, because he exclaimed, “They tried to kill my wife, for the gods’ sake!”
“Are you sure?” The queen sighed. “What happened to the Light Elf was unfortunate, but honestly, she was born Without. Is it really—”
“She was in the room meant for my wife!” the prince roared. Fury poured off him in waves, and I pressed myself against the wall as shadows swarmed out of him. They darkened the room, and I pinched my lips together, trying to make myself as small as possible as he continued. “This is not a coincidence! Who do you think the People of the Night hold responsible for their punishment? You made me bur—”
“Enough!” the queen shrieked.
One moment, she was sitting in her chair, and the next, the entire room fell into darkness. My heart pounded and my skin grew clammy. Before I could even blink, sharp talons pressed against my neck. My lungs tightened as suddenly, drawing air was impossible.
A horrible choking sound filled the air, and it took a moment to realize the sound came fromme. Raising my hands, I clawed at the arm that held me against the wall.
“Mother, stop!” Sebastian shouted.
The unnatural darkness got worse. My heart pounded as I tried to free myself, scratching desperately at the queen’s iron grip.
She snarled, “Don’t tell me what to do.”
The talons around my neck tightened. I whimpered, my head growing lighter.
“Your quarrel is not with my wife,” Sebastian said urgently. “Release her, and we can talk.”
A bitter laugh came from the queen. “No, it isn’t. But you seemed to have forgotten your place, son of my blood. You do not question me, Sebastian. I am the ruler of this entire land. The most powerful vampire.Thatis why I am queen. Did you forget why I Made you in the first place?”
She paused, loosening her grip for a single moment. I took in a gulping breath, the air burning as it made its way into my lungs.
Sebastian’s voice was quiet as he said, “No, I didn’t forget.”
The queen tutted. “Perhaps you need a little reminder of who is in charge here. I gave you a wife, and I can just as easily take her away. What happened to Athena was an accident, my son.”
She tightened her grip around my neck once more, and tears came to my eyes as my throat closed off.
“Pay attention, Sebastian, because I need you to know thatthisis no accident. Do not mistake my desire to build an alliance with Ipotha for weakness. I will just as soon take their soldiers and drain them, then allow you to speak to me in such a fashion. If I need to kill this mortal to keep you in line, I will.”
My head spun, and thinking was far too difficult.
This was it.
I was going to die tonight.
I’d originally assumed my death would come at the hands of the Prince of Darkness, but I was wrong.
It was my mother-in-law who was going to be the death of me.
That would be enough to garner a sentence or two in the history books, right? Luna Montquartier, Princess of Eleyta, was murdered by her mother-in-law without any witnesses in the council chambers deep within Castle Sanguis.
Admittedly, I lasted longer than I originally thought I would. Still, I had so much life left to live. So much to do.