Page 115 of Crowned In Venom

Not to react.

Not to betray the storm ripping me apart from the inside.

But my mother is not finished.

She crouches before Anya, fingers gripping her chin, forcing her to look up.

"You will take nothing from me," she whispers. "You are already nothing."

Anya laughs.

It is soft, but real. The kind of laugh that is meant to cut.

"Tell yourself that if it helps you sleep at night, you withered old bitch."

A sharp intake of breath.

My mother’s fingers tighten visibly trembling.

And then?—

The knife plunges in.

A gasp escapes Anya’s lips.

The blade sinks deep between her ribs, slow, deliberate.

Not a clean wound.

A wound meant to be felt.

My vision narrows.

"You will die for this," my mother murmurs, twisting the knife.

Anya grits her teeth, choking on a breath.

My breath catches.

I am watching it happen.

Watching her die in front of me.

And I do nothing.

I force myself to stay still.

To remain the son she has trained me to be.

For my mission. I can wait out another ten years for the poison to take effect.

But my fingers twitch against the hilt of my blade.

Unfortunately, Not this. I can’t watch.

"You will not be remembered."

She twists the blade again.

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