We stood at the entrance of the study, the sound of rustling pages filling the air as Queen Marguerite studiously ignored us.
Sebastian tugged on my hand, and he dipped into a low bow, pulling me down along with him. Spreading my skirts, I kept my eyes trained on the dark indigo marble tiles as I curtsied.
The vampire prince’s dark wings spread behind him, curving around me in a way that probably should have intimidated me, but for some reason, I appreciated the gesture. The wing’s weight was a comfort as I remained in the low curtsy, the sound of flipping pages filling my ears. A large clock in the corner ticked away, and the constant click was a steady beat against the thrum of my heart.
The seconds slipped by, and Sebastian never let go of my hand. His skin was still far colder than mine, but I found a strange solace in the way his fingers laced through mine.
Eventually, he cleared his throat. “Good evening, Mother.”
The book banged shut, and I felt the weight of the queen’s eyes on me as I continued to study the floor. At first glance, it appeared to be one solid hue, but now I realized it was filled with an array of the deepest colors, like a dark rainbow in the midst of a tempest.
My knees cramped and a nerve in my neck pinched, but still, the queen did not speak. She stared at us, and we remained unmoving.
Sebastian tightened his grip on my hand, and I leaned into him. The Prince of Darkness was definitely the lesser of two evils in this room. I would gladly hold his hand if it meant he would keep me safe against this queen whose very presence spoke of death.
One minute became five as we remained prostrated before the silent queen. Sebastian’s grip on my hand got incrementally tighter until I was certain in a few more seconds I would lose feeling in my hands altogether. Thank the gods, she finally moved.
“Good evening, son of my blood.” The queen’s heels clicked as she walked around us. “You may rise.”
I exhaled, and Sebastian pulled me to my feet. His grip never faltered around my hand as he held me against his side.
“Look at me, human,” Queen Marguerite demanded in a voice as cold as the winter moon.
My heart raced in my chest as I obeyed.
Instantly, I wished I was anywhere but here. Sebastian’s black eyes had a glimmer of life in them, of shadows and storms and darkness, but his mother’s eyes were filled with nothing but promises of death and violence. A shiver of fear ran down my spine. I gulped, forcing myself to remain steady despite the knocking of my knees.
The queen smiled, displaying her fangs as those dark eyes crawled over me. “I see you’re still alive. Quite frankly, that’s a surprise.”
Clenching my fists in my gown, I tried to keep my words inside. Sebastian’s warning echoed in my mind, and I urged myself to remain silent.
My mouth apparently did not understand the danger we were in, because it said, “Yes, Your Majesty. Alive, but definitely not well.”
As soon as the words left my lips, my eyes widened, and I slapped my hand over my lips. It wasn’t as though it was a lie. If anything, tonight was even worse than the night of my wedding.
I was cold, hungry, and tired of my questions not being answered.
Even so, the part of me that enjoyed being alive was berating me for speaking in such a manner to the vampire queen. Honestly, if there was ever a moment to hold my tongue, this probably would have been it.
Beside me, Sebastian stiffened. The air thickened and everyone, including me, stopped breathing for one long moment. Beyond the study window, the wind howled. Snow battered against the glass, and somewhere in the castle came the faintest scream.
The hairs on the back of my neck prickled, and my hands grew clammy. Maybe soon, I would be screaming alongside them.
The clock ticked, and then a sharp, icy laugh came from Queen Marguerite. The sound reminded me of when Mistress Vintal, one of the werewolves who taught at my secondary school, would run her sharp talons down the chalkboard when a student misbehaved. Skitters crawled down my spine at the sound, and I gulped.
“Isvana have mercy on me. You are delightful.” The vampire queen raised a hand, cupping my cheek as she pulled me closer to her. Her fingers were like ice against my skin, and my entire face hurt from her frozen hand.
Her touch wasnothinglike Sebastian’s. As if he could read my mind, the prince’s grip tightened around my fingers.
My heart thumped in my chest and my hands grew clammy as Queen Marguerite brought me close enough to kiss. Her fangs caught the violet light, and they glimmered as she raised her other hand, running it down my neck. It took everything within me not to squirm beneath her touch. Her nails raked across my skin, and I was certain she was leaving red marks behind.
The queen’s cold, violent, black eyes met mine. “I could kill you right now, mortal.”
Hoping I wasn’t trembling like a leaf, I nodded. Her fingernails pressed deeper into my throat.
“I expect you could,” I said, speaking slowly as I picked my words with all the care in the world. “But if it’s all the same to you, Your Majesty, I would really rather not die before I’ve had the chance to attend the ball.”
Another moment of silence stretched between us before a cruel laugh came from the queen. This time, Sebastian snorted, too.