Page 79 of Queen of Vengeance

Mema… Jason… The last of my family is gone. I have—no one.

The strength that kept me upright dissipated, and I collapsed to my knees.

Both of my hands fell to the floor beside me.

I don’t want to continue. This is a fate worse than death… To have outlived everyone.

“We suspect one of your illegal potions caused the fire.” The BPR agent’s words managed to penetrate my internal crisis.

“You think I killed my own family?” My eyes shot up, narrowing at him. “You can’t possibly be that stupid. Is this all not lining up for you?” I looked back at the police officers. “How much progress have you made on my parents’ murder case? Are you even still investigating it?”

“Does it not appear to any of you that they are snuffing us out?” Their stupidity would have made me laugh if I wasn’t so devastated.

“If you’re insinuating that we’re not doing our job well enough—” The other police officer stepped forward, growling angrily.

“I’m not insinuating. I’m saying outright that you’ve done nothing to help me and my family, and now there’s no one left to help.” My skin felt like it would burn up with the rage that smoldered in my bones.

They didn’t care about my family when they were alive, and they certainly don’t care about them now that they're dead… Now that they’re all gone.

“If this is your way of trying to prove your innocence and get out of here?—”

I had struck a nerve with the officer. “I already confessed because you people don’t care about the truth. What happened doesn’t matter.”

I brought myself to my feet and gave them my back. “Return me to my cell. I’ve heard all I need to.”

A powerful feminine voice came from behind me. “Guards, seize her.”

I didn’t have to look to know that it was the head of the prison guard… The mistress in purple leather. I wondered in what way she was going to punish me.

With the amount of power she had, she could simply snap her fingers and turn me into dust.

Two guards grabbed my arms on either side and held me in place.

“You will not be disrespectful in my office. Apologize at once.” Her heels alerted me that she was drawing closer.

“Nothing you can do to me would be more painful than the information I just received. Do whatever you feel you must.” Some broken side of me welcomed the pain. I hoped it would distract me from what I felt on the inside.

This is soul-crushing weight… Will it ever end?

She dug her nail into my back and a feeling like electricity zapped through my spine.

It was painful, but not nearly as bad as half the pain I had gone through since being here.

I merely winced which only angered her.

“You will obey me.” Her teeth gritted against each other as she spat the words in harsh whispers.

She walked away from me and I heard rustling.

It was a sound I was all too familiar with… The whip—their second favorite weapon of choice after the baton.

A hand grabbed the top of my garment and ripped it open, revealing my back.

Although I was facing away from her, I could hear the leather whip hit the ground. It slid across the wood slowly as she moved.

The next thing I heard was the wind followed by searing pain.

My fist tightened, and I clenched my jaw.

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