Page 84 of Queen of Vengeance

Seeing her next to him only made him feel more empty inside.

He had done his best to move on from Lea, but there was no replacement for her. Disgusted with himself, he climbed out of bed and walked out to the balcony of his bedroom.

There was no Lunaire out tonight.

All that he could see were stars. He wondered if Lea could see the stars, too.

“I doubt the cells in Ryklira even have windows for sunlight. Stargazing is surely off the table.”

Zane leaned over the balcony, pressing his elbows into the stone and holding at the top of his head with his hands.

His head throbbed.

He couldn’t remember the last time he had a decent night’s sleep. He looked far off in the distance, only to see a billboard of Jax’s face, advertising his new potion business.

An involuntary growl rumbled from Zane’s chest. “Bastard.”

31

LEA

Everything hurts. My whole body… Everything from my head right down to my toes. What’s happening?

My eyes open slowly to find bright lights on my face.

I winced as they seared my eyes.

Once my sights were able to adjust, I looked around at the plain white room. I didn’t recognize it.

It wasn’t the Infirmary in Ryklira Prison.

Oh, Lunaira! Am I dead?

I was surprised to find that my first reaction was delight.

I wonder who will be here to greet me. My parents? Perhaps Mema? My son?

“Miss Nadir?” a gentle, angelic voice called out to me.

I lifted my head up slowly to see a middle-aged brunette woman in soft pink, leaning over me.

She looked up and began speaking to someone else. “She’s awake. Go get Agent Lexie.”

Agent?

I slowly brought myself up from my bed, despite how sorry I felt. That was when I came to the depressing realization that I was very much alive. “Where am I?”

“Please relax, Miss Nadir. Your body is still going to be very weak from the poison you ingested, not to mention the wounds your body had to endure. It’s a miracle you’re still alive.” She pushed down on my shoulders, forcing me to relax once more.

Poison?

It all started to come back to me now.

I remember going to the cafeteria for breakfast with—“Dineta! Where is she? I want to see her.”

I started trying to set up again, but she held me down. “Please do not overexert yourself. We’re trying to do our best to heal you.”

“Take me to her this instant! I need to see her!” I thrashed against her, but my strength was quartered. Then I felt a small prick in my arm and I couldn’t help but relax. I look down to see her pull a needle out from my skin.

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