Page 77 of Queen of Vengeance

Before she could get out, the wooden door gave way, and wooden splinters flew all over the room. She turned, covering Jason so that he didn’t get injured. When she turned back to face Diesel, she felt a sharp pain in her side. When she looked, she saw a large piece of wood sticking out of her.

The feeling of her failure outweighed the pain. “No…”

Diesel grabbed the back of Kolla’s head and threw her to the ground.

Blood dribbled out of her mouth as her head hit the floor, and she appeared to be knocked unconscious.

Diesel shifted back into his human form and knelt beside Kolla, who clutched Jason. “If you and your family had just been compliant to me, none of this would have happened.”

Jason started screaming his head off, and Diesel sneered at the sound. “It would be shameful to carry on their bloodline, but you are my nephew’s son. That makes it very difficult for me to kill you.”

Kolla, who was fighting to remain conscious, watched helplessly as Diesel took the baby and walked out of the room.

Then Diesel produced a red potion bottle from his coat and threw it to the floor, shattering the glass.

Red flames rose from the floorboards and spread uncontrollably from the liquid.

“So long, Kolla.” His voice sounded faint now.

Kolla couldn’t move. She could hardly breathe as smoke rose from the flames that licked at her feet. “Help…”

She tried to call out, but her voice was weak.

“Somebody, help!”

No one could hear her. No one was coming.

This was her fate, the same as her son and daughter-in-law.

“I’m so sorry.” Her body went limp, and her mind went dark as the flames consumed her.

27

LEA

In the weeks since Jason left to live with Mema, I had focused all of my energy on potion writing.

Sally had been kind enough to provide me with paper and pencils, provided I kept them hidden from the guards.

My only qualm was that I couldn’t see how these potions work in real time.

“I can’t believe how many potions you’ve written already! If you would give any other potionist a run for his money if you weren’t… Well, in here.” Dineta brushed her hair behind her ear nervously.

“I suspect my potion writing abilities are why I’m in here,” I mumbled, returning to my writing. Still, I should have known better.

She leaned in closer, asking with only her eyes what I meant.

“I just recently discovered that the boy who put me here is now living in the Federation of Setas, writing and making potions with the best potionists in the land. I thought that alone was strange since his talent was never that impressive. Then I discovered from my grandmother that my potions book was missing. It stood to reason that he stole my potions and used them to get where he wanted to be in life.” I made sure to keep my voice low as I spoke to her.

I didn’t know who in this prison was a mole, but I was sure Diesel had plenty of them. I had to be careful who overheard me. I’d be dead by morning if they did.

“And this is the same person who’s your baby’s father?” Her face twisted with disgust. “How could someone do that?”

“I don’t—” I started to say before hearing heavy footsteps coming from the hall. I gathered the potion recipes and hid them behind my back just as the stout guard, Dewitt, appeared.

“Nadir,” he called, unlocking the cell.

Crap, did he hear what I said? No way. He was so far away. Perhaps the cell is bugged! No, they would have busted me a long time ago if it was.

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