Page 47 of The Dawn of the Cursed Queen

“Since this place is practically empty, I do have a question,” Vincent said after a few moments of silence.

“Okay,” I said. “What?”

“You’re one of the strongest witches in your entire generation. Everyone knows it. So why haven’t you tried to escape yet?”

My face burned. “Is this a test? Something to take back to her?”

He shook his head. “No, just curiosity.”

I took a deep breath. To be honest, I had no reason but one. “Well, where would I go? My whole life was on Onuna. That’s gone now and has been for a while.”

Vincent only looked at me before nodding. “Fair.”

“My turn,” I quipped. “Why her?”

His posture went rigid. “Pick another question.”

“Fine. Why are you being so nice to me? I know you’re my guard and all, and I can’t even breathe without you near me, but why?”

He didn’t say anything for a moment, and I thought he would ignore me as he stabbed at his food. Then he sighed, not daring a glance at me as he said, “Because I think you feel just as alone here as I do.”

The tension in my shoulders eased because it was true. I had no one, no friends or family, nothing anymore. Our entire worlds were turned upside down, and now here we were in a strange new world with each other. He was right. I’d never felt so alone.

We sat in silence for the rest of the meal, but I couldn’t hide the fact that both of us, betrayers at our cores, seemed to bond over the silence. Maybe it meant nothing. Maybe it meant everything.

SEVENTEEN

SAMKIEL

She swept the wet cloth under my lip as she hummed to herself.

My hand grabbed her hand, lowering it. “I can do it myself. You don’t have to coddle me.”

Her lips tipped up, and she pulled her hand from mine. “Very limited coddling,” Dianna said and turned back to the sink, rinsing the cloth once more. She reached for the small cup of paste and handed it to me. “I will hold your hand when you’re sick and clean up your mess, but I will not brush your teeth for you. So very limited coddling.”

I chuckled, the burn in the back of my throat subsiding from losing my dinner. I took it from her and ran my hands under the water before using the small bristle brush. She said nothing as I cleaned, just watching me and rubbing a soft hand up and down my back.

I turned the water off. “I just don’t want you to see me like this.”

Her hand stopped as she looked at me. “Why? There is nothing wrong with you. I’m blaming that weird shellfish food they served you. Gabby had this lobster once and puked on the brand-new rug I had bought her. I spent an hour cleaning it while she slept.”

“But that’s your sister.” I paused. “I guess I just don’t want you to see me weak.”

She faked a gasp, placing her hand on her chest before raising it to lay the top of her wrist lazily across her head. “The mighty Samkiel, taken out by a stomachache. You’re right. You’re too weak. I must leave you now for all my other, more powerful suitors.”

“I’m being serious.” I frowned at her and poked her in the side.

She snickered. “As am I. I have several. It was only a matter of time.”

I put both hands on my hips and glared at her. “Are you finished?”

“Yes.” She smiled wickedly before she placed her head against my arm and wrapped her small hand around my biceps. “But, Sami baby, there is nothing weak about you. I think we are both used to doing everything alone, even taking care of ourselves. So help feels strange. You know I’ll be here when you’re healthy and strong and also when you’re sick and need me to pick up the slack, all right?”

Warmth filled my chest and spread. It was the same sensation I’d felt the first time she and I ever opened up to one another in a strange motel on a planet I wasn’t used to, but I felt it then and have felt it every day since. I didn’t know what it was then. I was so unaware of how absolutely fucked I was until it was too late, and she was gone.

She held up that small finger, wiggling it at me as she grinned. “Your burdens are my burdens, and we take care of each other, okay?”

I clasped her pinkie with mine and nodded. “Promise.”

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