Page 61 of Fallen Star

“Not to mention,” Aerix continues, descending the steps, his wings growing behind him as he approaches. “She’s incapable of following simple instructions. She questions everything, argues constantly, and displays no sense of proper deference. Yesterday alone, she attempted to stab me. Twice. You’d waste more time disciplining her than enjoying her.”

Malakai laughs at that, a cruel sound that echoes through the chamber.

Queen Ravenna leans forward, as if entranced by the entire confrontation.

The king’s grip on my wrist loosens as he considers Aerix’s words.

“Beauty alone isn’t enough to justify your effort, Father.” Aerix stops in front of me, his midnight eyes meeting mine, as if he’s a cat sizing me up. “And yet, she’s too pretty to send to the nobles. We don’t want to give them unrealistic expectations for what they might get in the future. So, since I’m the one who brought her here, I’ll take responsibility for her. It’s only fitting that I bear the burden of her shortcomings.”

I suck in a sharp breath at the cruelty of his words.

He might as well be driving my own dagger through my heart.

Queen Ravenna rises, her dress rippling like shadows as she glides down the steps to stand next to the king. “He has a point, my love,” she says, trailing her fingers down his arm—the one he’s not using to hold me in place. “Why waste your energy on such a dense, foolish, half-witted human? Let Aerix deal with herdeficiencies. You have far better, more enjoyable, ways to spend your time.”

The king says nothing, and panic squeezes my lungs so much that I start growing lightheaded.

I don’t want his fangs touching my skin. I don’t wantanypart of him touching me, for that matter.

In a strangely twisted way, I’m almost grateful for Aerix’s insults.

“Perhaps you’re right,” the king finally says, and he releases me and steps back, frowning as he examines me. “However, before I make a final decision, I want to see this so-called deficiency of hers for myself.”

Zoey

“All of us.”The king’s smile grows predatory, and he gestures toward the palace doors. “To the Crimson Tide.”

My stomach plummets with horror.

This is how they fill the moat with blood, isn’t it?

They’re going to take me out there, and they’re going to…

“No,” I say to Aerix, but if he hears me, he makes no sign of it.

The other royals rise, their movements graceful and deliberate as they follow the king’s lead.

I’m frozen in place, unable to move.

The king spins around and sneers, his fangs gleaming in the moonlight. “Is the human so stupid that she’s unable to walk?” he says, and a breeze stirs in the room, making the crystals in the chandelier clank together overhead.

I stare at him in shock.

When did it become “stupid” to fear amoat filled with blood?

“You either come with us, or you’re dead,” the king says, sounding bored. “Which will it be?”

I swallow, taking a second to think.

If I stay here, he’ll surely kill me. If I go with them, I might have a chance.

Play along,I remind myself of what I was telling myself earlier.

It might be my only way out of this living nightmare.

So, not wanting to make this worse than I have to be, I hurry behind them, following them out of the throne room, down the mirrored halls, and out a side door that leads us through the gardens to the moat.

The scent hits me first.

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