Page 71 of Royal Lies

It was then I knew somewhere in my tiny brain, that this was no ordinary punishment if Mother was here too. But still, I was young and ignorant. I thought my father was going to punishher, my mother, despitemebeing the one chained to the table. A seven-sun cycle boy, not even thirty-two seasons in.

I didn't see it until it was too late. Not that I could do anything the guards had already chained me to the table despite my struggles. I was weak, too daft to figure a way out.

I felt the burning prick of the fountain pen, no doubt ruined to make it impervious to melting, dipped in lava scorching through my skin. It had pierced through layers upon layers of my skin as I screamed. At the time I didn't know why they did it. I was fucking seven but I wasn't that stupid, I read the words burned into my skin later that day, when I was shoved back into my room. I looked it up... and realized that I would never be a true Phoenix ever again.

Somehow I managed to overcome it. But, my father never gave up until he stripped me of who I was, of my spirit, of me, of my very soul. Again and again, he repeatedly seared those words onto every inch of my body, my face, arms, legs, stomach, everywhere. Not a single inch of my skin wasn't marked by the time I turned fifteen. He claimed what was supposed to bemineashis.

That wasn't even the hardest part of it all. The cruelest torture was when I called out forher. I screamed my mother's name until my throat was sore until no words came out but tears as I struggled against the pain, the fire, the chains. I felt it, my Phoenix being ripped from me. The sensation was like being torn from the inside out all while her galaxy-purple gaze refused to meet mine.

I knew she could hear me.

How could she not, the walls had echoed every last one of my cries for help. Forherhelp.

I never asked for my mother to tuck me in after that. I never ask for her so-called stories.

She knew, they all did. My so-called friends whispered behind my back, my father beat me to an inch of my life, and I took it. I took it all because the one good thing that came out of their union washer,mylittlest sister.

Luna, my moon, my light in the darkness. I will protect her, for she was the only one to help me when 'it'was finally gone. Our Phoenix was our everything. To my court, to mytypeof fae, it waslifeitself.

Opening my eyes to the beaming sun I frowned down at the carved ruins on my arm, not from any magic or spell, no this was pure ruins. Funny how the word also means to damage something.

Shaking slightly, I snapped my fingers together glamouring my body to be the perfect, stunning, beauty that I was.

Gods I hated that dream.

Snapping my figures once more I popped up some fairy wine. Chugging the whole bottle down I tried to erase ‘that’unpleasant wake-up call. Glancing at myself in the mirror for a brief moment I saw him, my father. We did look alike but I wasn't him. Smiling my charming smile with my pearly white teeth I lifted my chin checking for any imperfections to my glamour. Moving it side to side with a hand against my chin. "I truly am such a magnificent beauty." I breathed out as I turned towards the sudden breeze in my room.

"Ahh, if it isn't the little princess. How might I be of assistance today?" I drawled as I popped another bottle of wine into my hands. I'm going to need two gallons for today.

As always the thing never had any emotion, “Did you even think about what I said the other day?" The little princess questioned her obvious sneer at my choice of drinks for the morning clear.

I smiled walking past her, “Oh please doll, I have better things to think about thanthat.I’ll find a way to break our little mating bond and then, I'll kill you." I tossed out turning my head back to her, giving her a little wink before opening the doors to my chambers. I spotted the two guards stationed there. Clearly, they were only there for decoration or to keep an eye on me. How little do these fae trust me? I was a very trustful person, Everetta always knew that. I was as truthful as she was and she didn't have guards stationed by her door.

Now where is my dear little sister? I must tell her what I've discovered. I'm sure she'd be interested inherlife.

"Won't you even consider it?" I hear the little snow princess mutter behind me causing me to scoff.Why would I?How arrogant of her to assume so. I've heard the stories of the pampered little princess of the Winter Court. Always given what she wanted, was loved by all, and never had to struggle a dime in her life. Spoiled much?

She was loved by her father. Sure her mother had died when she was young but her father's love sure as hell made up for it. I've seen them together. She was nothing but an ungrateful child if you ask me. Her father loved her; anyone could see that, yet she was plainly irritated by him. If her scowl couldn't tell you whenever they had their father-daughter stroll in the gardens then you were a daft fool. Never mind her though, where was my sister, I wondered walking down the halls of this freezing ice castle. Ah, there she is. I caught the small speck of purple in this sickening display of blue on blue on ice. In the garden, how peculiar. She was never one to just walk through the gardens she loved holing up in her room. She was a hermit for all those who saw. It's good that she was getting some fresh air.

"Ahh sister. How are you?" I began snapping away my half-finished bottle of fairy wine as I made my way towards her. With a sneer of her nose at me, she sighed crossing her arms, “What."She clipped as I beamed back at her throwing an arm around her shoulder only to have her shrug it off.

"Come on, don't be like that, Lunie." I pleaded, pouting my lower lip at her. The trick always worked for Everetta. Plus, I was damn adorable if you ask the reflection of me by the pond, so I have no clue why it doesn't work on her.

"Don't call me that." She snapped back, turning to make her way out of the gardens. Her dress swirled around her as she stormed off. Well fuck.

"Lunie." Sticking out my power lip in a mock pout I trailed after her. Ok so my steps might have been a little sloppy but no one else was here, at least I didn't sense them. Then again fairy wine does tend to lower my magic a bit, and my inhibitions too. Oh well, it's not like any fae could take anything else from me.

"You don't get to call me that. You lost that privilege a long time ago." She bit back as she tapped her heels away. She was wearing a flowy evening gown right now, blue ugh, so not her color. Snapping my fingers I twisted the color into a deep ash purple, to match her gorgeous long hair.

Honestly, I get he hates her but at least give her some mercy in terms of style.I mean the color was completely wrong and I know Eli does Ev's hair so why the hell does Lunie always have to wear her’s straight down? Gods, it's nearly touching the ground. Snapping my fingers once more I was about to fix her hair into a more refined taste but my dear little sister stopped me gripping my wrist firmly, "Don't, you lostthatprivilege too. Don't fucking touch me or use your damned magic on me either. Not when you used the same magic to kill him. I don't want you anywhere near me."

My dear Lunie was huffing and puffing by the time she was finished with her little rant. Oh my, her cheeks were turning a bright red, is it becoming purple? Was she even breathing?

"Haven't you thought about it, why I've been avoiding you? Ihateyou! I always will. What we had, forget it, because Iwillkill you. I'll always hate you for what you've done." She twisted off towards the exit, trying to storm off again.

Sighing, I lifted my gaze to the sky, closing my eyes. She sure was testing my patience.

I could tell her over and over that it was for her, always for her. But she wouldn't care. "Can't you just fuckingtrustme? I'vealwayshad your best interest at hand.Always! Luna-” I growled only to be cut off as she whirled back around the path marching straight for me. Her hair was like a whip as it flicked the air around her in a frenzy.

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