Page 133 of Crown of Slumber

“If you are, then you’re a fool. Don’t you know what’s been going on in your own kingdom?”

Dread twisted in my gut. “I haven’t been here in weeks, Marek. Speak plainly. Please.”

“The Dream Mage has allied with Queen Sonara. They have declared war on us and plan to seize the Court of Twilight by force.”

Betrayed.

Broken.

Deceived.

I was such a fool. I deserved this, for trusting someone as deceitful as the Midnight Prince.

And now, my entire court would perish for it. I was the only one who could savethem, and I was trapped in this godsforsaken dungeon. The air reeked of excrement, and the bench I sat on was stained with all manner of unpleasant fluids.

But I couldn’t bring myself to care. It was over. All of it. Mal was captured. And so was I.

I was a slave to Fenn and his despicable mother.

Fenn.Gods, I ached for him. Not the true Fenn, but the man I’d fallen in love with. The man I thought I knew.

How much of it had been real, and how much had been a lie? Was he even a full blooded fae? Perhaps he had some unseelie blood, which allowed him to lie. It was the only explanation. He did not truly love me. Not if he had captured the Blue Amethyst behind my back. And it was awfully convenient that the terms of his bargain had been precisely the right language to keep me trapped here.

I could feel the power within me stirring to life, eager to be released. But I knew guards were stationed near Mal. The instant I transformed or unleashed my magic, they wouldhurt him. Possibly even kill him.

My instincts had been right. From the beginning, I had suspected him of duplicity. From the moment he’d shown up in my court.

He and his mother had planned this entire bargain. The shrewd cunning in Queen Sonara’s eyes told me she could have easily concocted a scheme like this.

But Fenn? Never in a thousand years would I have expected him to betray me.

He fought for you,said a small voice in my head.He tried to help you escape.

I shut off that voice, ignoring the words. It didn’t matter anyway. Even if I could forgive him, it was over. I was enslaved. And he would never overthrow his mother. As long as that woman lived and breathed, I would be trapped here.

A loud, metallic creak rang through the dungeon. I stiffened, gazing upward as footsteps scuffed on the stone steps. A torchlight bobbed into view, revealing the sour face of a guard. He fumbled with a ring of keys before unlocking my cell door. I briefly thought about attacking him, but he wore a complete set of armor, including a helmet, and I had no weapons.

Besides, they would kill Mal. I couldn’t risk it.

“What’s going on?” My voice was hoarse and ragged from my sobs.

“Come with me,” the guard said, his voice deep and gruff.

I crossed my arms, my eyes narrowing. “You’ll have to drag me from this cell if you don’t tell me what’s going on.”

The guard stepped closer to me, but I held my ground, glaring at him. It would be undignified to be tossed over his shoulder. And I knew it would be easy for him. He was more than a head taller than me, and twice as thick.

But to haul me up those stairs would be no easy feat, especially if I put up a fight.

The guard looked me over, clearly considering this. After a long moment, he said, “The queen wishes to speak with you.”

I scoffed. “I will not see her. She can come down here in this disgusting pit and talk to me here.”

“It’s in regards toyour family.”

My blood chilled, and I dropped my arms, my jaw going slack. No.No.

Sonara had found out. She must have discovered the sleeping curse.

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