Page 153 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

“We almost made it back in time. I heard a shout, then a thud, and they lay at my feet when I turned around. He had caught up to us. He had aimed for me, and they jumped in the way. I remember kneeling in the mud, dropping the jewel as I reached for them, and then I remember . . . power. I flattened the entire continent in an instant. There was nothing left. Not even me, I guess. Everything was different after that. I wandered the ruined forest for days before I heard a helicopter overhead. It was Santiago’s father who found me. They took me in, and the rest is weird history.”

“If that . . . Why let everyone think Santiago was stronger than you?”

I shrugged. “It was a good cover story. I got to live a semi-normal life after. Only a handful of covens remained after that, and we all just pretended it was a freak accident. A trial that was too brutal. They never had them again.”

“Camilla.” He glanced at me as if seeing me for the first time. “I’m so sorry.”

“Don’t be. It was barbaric to begin with. I blamed my family for the longest time for what we lost, but I guess I got my revenge. This is also why I hated what Kaden made me a part of. It’s also why I kept Gabby’s body. I never got to bury my siblings, and I knew if Dianna was coming to kill me, at least she could have her sister back. How could I ever blame her for wanting vengeance? I did the same.”

Vincent was quiet for a moment. I knew that talking about what happened on the remains of Rashearim made him withdraw into himself.

“You know I don’t think you’re the villain either.”

He huffed. “How so?”

“You don’t gloat or brag about what you’ve done. You avoid the ones you hurt and pretend your pain doesn’t exist. I’ve worked with villains my whole life. You don’t make me feel that way.”

“Well, you worked with Dianna, who nearly destroyed the world, so I’d say your judgment of character is off by a lot.”

“What is it with her?” I said a bit too firmly. “Why do you hate her so much? I used to think it was a weird crush. I mean, I know she’s gorgeous—”

Vincent let out a bitter laugh. “That is the furthest from the truth.”

“Okay, so what is the truth? You share a bed with Nismera, who is far worse than Dianna, yet you hear her name and . . .”

“Just drop it, Camilla. It’s late. I think we’re both exhausted.” He rubbed a hand across his face.

“No, tell me. I just told you my family’s secrets. I deserve this. After everything.”

Vincent shifted on the bed so he could look at me without twisting his back. His eyes held none of their remote coldness. Instead, all I saw was a weird sense of . . . longing.

“It was when Kaden first held . . . I guess the word would be auditions, for his sept. He wanted only the strongest for what Nismera had planned. He asked me to be a witness but to stay back. I was a secret, and there were those in his sept that he didn’t fully trust. It was fall in Onuna, and the leaves had just turned golden brown. I flew in under the cover of night, arriving late. Vampires, werewolves, witches, and every Otherworld creature in the realm attended the briefing, mingling and chatting, some even dancing. I hadn’t realized it was to be a party, but it worked perfectly. Everyone was so distracted that they did not notice me watching from the shadows. Kaden stood with me, wanting to talk about the potentials he had gathered, but I wasn’t listening. I’d spotted you through the crowd. You wore a dress of ivory and satin that spilled to the floor, and your hair was pulled back, part of it draping over your shoulders. Then you laughed, and I thought you were the most beautiful woman in the entire world.”

I remembered that day. My breath hitched, recalling the event in vivid detail. I’d been so nervous. I had tried on seven dresses before finally landing on that one. My heart thudded in my chest. No one had ever called me the most beautiful woman in the world or remembered me in such detail, especially after hundreds of years.

“Why didn’t you approach me, talk to me?”

Vincent snorted, a portion of his cold demeanor returning as he sat up and pulled away from me. “Because I may have been watching you, but you were watching Dianna.”

My gut rolled. Yes, that’s who I was laughing with that night, who I’d befriended first.

“That was so long ago . . .”

Vincent shrugged. “It doesn’t matter. She got to you first.”

Fool, I thought, cursing him. It did matter. This whole time, I’d assumed he hated her for her power and what she could do. But he hated her because she had me. I couldn’t breathe, my heart racing.

“Vincent.”

“Camilla. It’s fine. Everyone seems drawn to her. I still don’t see why, but I just wanted you to know.” He offered a soft smile. “No matter what happened in your past or who made you feel less than, you are, and have always been, special. No magic required.”

My hands dropped to my lap, tears prickling my eyes. No one had ever said such a thing, yet here he was, memorizing what I had looked like on one of the most nerve-wracking nights of my life.

Vincent groaned and stretched, rotating his shoulder. “I think your magic salve worked. I don’t feel as though my shoulder is being ripped off.”

He started to stand, but I was quicker. I lurched forward, my hand cupping the back of his head as my lips slanted across his. Vincent froze, or maybe time itself did. I wasn’t sure, but I swept my tongue across his lips, pleading for entrance. A sound escaped his lips before he grabbed my arms, pushing me back.

“What are you doing?”

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