Page 1 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

ONE

CAMILLA

I beat at Vincent’s shoulder, fighting against his grip as he dragged me through that damned portal. It sealed behind us, the sound slicing through the air. Vincent released me with a shove, and I stumbled before finding my footing. I brushed my hair out of my face and shot him a glare before looking around. We hadn’t arrived in another darkened dungeon or cave but a city of light. I squinted, my eyes struggling to adjust to the sunlight piercing through the clouds.

People continued on their way, talking and laughing, utterly unfazed by the soldiers that had suddenly appeared. A city of tall buildings constructed of various pale stones was spread out before us. Overhangs, balconies, banisters, and roofs were littered with hanging florals, adding cheerful pops of color. Clean, bright cobblestone streets wove through the city, all seeming to lead to a large, open center. Small flying creatures with double sets of wings flew across the hazy pink sky, calling to each other. It looked peaceful and happy, an entire city living in harmony. For a moment, I could believe this was paradise. But then the thickly armored general appeared at my side, and I remembered this was not paradise, not in the least.

“Take her to the palace. Nismera will need us all there for the convergence.”

My head snapped toward Vincent and the tall, winged, feathercovered general near him. The general sneered at me before taking flight, and the rest of us walked forward, following Vincent.

The walk, or more so drag, felt as if it took forever. I tried to remember every alleyway, dip in the road, and building because I planned to find a way to get out. I would find a place to hide and leave this damned city as soon as I could. My throat bobbed as I wondered where I would go. I knew nothing of this realm or this world, and I had no friends or allies.

My feet skittered on the ground as the glistening cobblestones changed to a smooth, sleek surface. My head reeled as a large, breathtaking stronghold appeared before us. The palace gleamed nearly white in the sun, a pearl amongst bright gems. I had to tip my head all the way back to see the top. Spires, partly obscured by clouds, pierced the sky. Every winding line, curve, and window whispered wealth, but the whispers turned to screams of horror when you knew what those prestigious doors harbored.

Vincent’s grip tightened on me, interrupting my gawking. My head swiveled toward him, but he wasn’t glaring at me for once. He was looking at the palace as I was, and his jaw hardened with apprehension. Even covered in armor, I saw his muscles flinch. He glanced at me and realized he had revealed more of his thoughts than he intended. His eyes went blank again, and he shook his head before pushing me forward.

“Move.” Vincent’s voice was gruff and filled with anger, as if I were the one that made us stop. The generals towering over us may buy his act, but I saw the crack in the armor he hid behind so well.

Vincent was afraid.

TWO

VINCENT. ONE WEEK LATER

I scooted across the long rumpled bed, picking up my pants and stepping into them as the water from the bathroom shut off.

Steam cooled and spread in tendrils, attempting to escape the beast it had just cleaned. My eyes roamed, looking for a distraction and catching on the intricate shell sitting on the carved dresser.

My head tilted. “You kept this?”

“Yes, it’s yours or what’s left of the first piece of armor I gave you. I told you I have missed you, pet,” Nismera purred from behind me, the floral scent of bommsberries coating her skin. It was another attempt to hide the lethal creature beneath. She may not have had horns, scales, or fangs, but a beast made of light was still a beast.

I watched from the corner of my eye as she ran her hand through the ends of her silver hair, separating the pieces that had curled around one another.

Pet. Always a pet. I wondered if that was truly how she saw me, but I knew the answer. Missed me was a loose term. Nismera never loved like others, never cared like others. She used what she had, and when she could no longer use it, she eradicated it.

I turned as she walked across her room, my eyes following her naked, lean-muscled form as she grabbed her garbs off the large, clawfoot chair. I watched without a hint of lust or longing, not craving her as I once had eons ago. What I’d done in this room with her had been out of survival, duty, and perhaps a belief that I deserved it. Maybe I did deserve her after the way I had betrayed my family. I swallowed the bile rising in my throat, refusing to reveal the disgust I felt for myself.

“What of me now?”

She spun, zipping up the side of her shirt. “You will assume your position as if you never left. The High Guard of the legion, Hectur, will be demoted. He was merely keeping your spot occupied while you dismantled Samkiel and The Hand, anyway.”

The Hand. The way she said it made it sound like a curse. Guilt ate at my gut, causing it to roll, and I swallowed my apprehension. “It will cause an uproar, I am sure.”

Nismera smiled as she jumped and wiggled, sliding into the sleek dark pants before buttoning them and sitting on the bed. She slipped on steel-heeled boots and met my eyes. “There will be none. Anyone who disagrees will be strung up like a new flag outside the stone walls that border this city. They will fly high as a warning to anyone who dares challenge me.”

I nodded, knowing she meant every word. The scent of decaying flesh lingered in the air. I had smelled it the second the portal closed.

She was on her feet and beside me in a flash. A single finger ran under my chin, turning my gaze back toward hers. She wore that famed three-skulled cape around her shoulders, the hollow eyes mocking me even here.

“Worry not, pet. You were Samkiel’s second for so long. Maybe you forgot your place is and will always be by me.”

I shook my head. “I never forgot.”

“Good.” Her finger curled beneath my chin, and even though it was but a small, simple digit, I could feel the power beneath her touch. I knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that with one flick, she had the strength to fling my head off my shoulders and toss it across the room as if it were nothing, as if I were nothing. I knew I was nothing to her.

“I also have your room prepared. You are in the east wing, top floor.”

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