Page 72 of The Broken Queen

They fed me, or tried to...but I didn’t want to eat when I couldn’t be in the comfort of my own home. I wasn’t a criminal; I didn’t murder anyone, but they were treating me as such. I didn’t deserve that.

He guided me towards the bedroom, not a soul in sight. I was grateful for that too. I hadn’t seen anyone but the guards and Father the last few days or weeks, so I wasn’t in the mood to see anyone but Mother.

My legs gave out and strong as he was, Slade lifted me and carried me in his arms. We finally got to my bedroom, and he gently placed me on the bed.

As soon as my head hit the pillow, it was lights out....

“Oh my God, what happened to her?” Mother’s voice filled my ears, and tears welled up inside my eyes. I hadn’t openedmy eyelids yet because I just knew once I saw her, the floodgates would open freely.

They slowly blinked open, and there she was, face puffy and swollen like she had been crying for days. My heart hurt. I hated that I couldn’t tell her what was going on, where I was or if I was okay. Losing a child was something no parent ever wanted to go through, I couldn’t imagine what she was feeling. I just knew how I felt, scared, lonely, wondering if I would ever make it out or if I was going to die in the dungeon.

She sat on the bed and wrapped her arms around me. I winced from the state of pain my body was in, but I just let her. The tears just started to flow, I couldn’t keep them back anymore.

I ignored all the sounds around me and just let her hold me.

SLADE

“You said you found her down there?” The Queen asked, as we watched over Raven while she rested.

The Queen hadn’t yet let on to the King that Raven was back in her room and resting. The King was out of the country currently, so while he was gone she said she was going to have locks installed. She wasn’t too pleased when I told her that it seemed like the King was the one who orchestrated the whole thing.

“Actually, she found me. I was in my room and she managed to find her way there.”

A frown came on her face. “Why the hell does he have you down there?”

I shrugged and looked at Raven. I hadn’t even known her long, but I was already attached. I wanted to become her friend and get to know her. Also to get closer to her family and figure out what mysteries there were surrounding the royal family. Ifthe King was brave enough to lock his daughter in the dungeon and torture her, who knows what else he was capable of.

Lewis came into the room a bit later after the Queen’s request. “Yes, my Queen. What did you need?”

She stood from the bed and gave him a warm smile, then her smile turned into something else. There was grief written all over her face, as if she had lost something. I found it odd, Raven was still alive.

“You are one of the most trustworthy people we have here, and I would like it for you to be completely committed to both Raven and Slade. I am placing them under your protection. When the King comes back, he will be made aware of the situation. And while he is gone, since we have plenty of room, I would like Slade and his family to be moved to this wing, as well as any other staff that are currently residing downstairs. I refuse to have them living in those conditions when they don’t deserve to be. Please make this happen for me. I will handle the King.”

My brows raised. I didn’t expect that from her. I’d only heard rumors about the royal family being cold, cruel and full of themselves, but it seemed like that only referred to the King. The Queen was kind and from what I had seen so far of Raven, I knew that kindness would come from her as well.

She didn’t deserve to be put through that. Watching over her while she slept, made me want to take her under my wing and place my protection around her. I was still just a kid, but I could handle my own. Raven shouldn’t have to worry about whether or not she was going to be attacked while sleeping in her own bed. Even though I didn’t know the extent of what happened, I planned to find out at some point down the road. And when I did, there would be hell to pay.

Chapter Thirty-Eight

Slade

I drove back to the compound with a weird feeling in my gut. I couldn’t put my finger on it, but something was wrong. My hand gripped the steering wheel.She moved the wedding up to Saturday. Why would she do that? Was she that pissed off at me?

That just meant that we had to move quickly, to get everything in place. I wanted Lars to be exposed, and I wanted to wrap my bare hands around his neck. I was going to make him suffer the way he made everyone else suffer. His reign was coming to a close. The kingdom needed someone who has been on the outside.Raven needed me. Julianna needed me.I couldn’t let them down.

Lewis’s number lit up my dash, and that could only mean something was wrong. He rarely called me. “Yeah?” I answered, my hands tightening around the steering wheel.

“Raven is missing.”

I didn’t hear that right.Missing.There was no fucking way. “What?” My tires screeched when I swerved to miss a Honda that had pulled out in front of me.

Motherfucker.

“We can’t find her anywhere.”

A thought occurred to me. I wonder if Lars was trying to make sure everything went as planned. “Did you check the dungeon?”

He sighed, “Yes. She’s not there.”

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