Page 56 of Her Tortured Beasts

“It seems,” Celeste says slowly, eyes flicking over to my father looming behind me. “That you have a regina.”

My mouth drops open in surprise. “So I have a pack of five,” I breathe in wonder. “I am one of five who serve an anima.”

“Get out,” Father snaps. “Getout.”

Celeste stiffens, but I see she has great sense because she quickly bows and steps off the dais, heading right out of the throne room. Only when the door closes behind her does my father begin pacing, muttering to us. “She was wrong. We should have had Lord Agnis read for you. It cannot be true. How can it be true. A regina? For my son?” He stops to rake his eyes down my body, as if looking for some defect. His eyes snap to my mother and he points to her. “This is from your side. No son ofminewould be slave to aregina.” He spits out the word like it’s filthy, which I think is a bit dramatic.

Having a regina wouldn’t bethatbad, would it? I’ve always wanted a brother anyway. Having four would be challenging, but there’s nothing I can’t handle. Father taught me that.

But then a snide voice enters my mind.How can you be dragon king if your destiny is to serve a queen?

I look to my father, who is now staring at me as if I’m someone else. “It is of no consequence to us what the bonding plane presents. Dragons decide their own destinies, we always have. We will continue as if this never happened. Is that understood?” He looks to my mother and sister in challenge. They rapidly nod, eyes wide in fear.

“Xander?” he snaps, eyes burning into mine.

Lost in my own thoughts, I snap to attention. “Dragons make their own destinies, Father. I will not be hindered byanybeast. Male or female.”

He nods before turning around in a swish of silk and cotton. But even as I say the words, my hand reaches up and brushes the warm skin that contains the mark only I can see. Music rings through my ears but I can still hear Celeste’s deep melody:

It’s five who cry a dark and lonely song…

Chapter 31

Xander

Lithium — Nirvana

Istride to my parents’ rooms, tying back my hair into a knot as I do. I’ve just had a shower, but I’m already covered in a sheen of sweat, my mind racing, my heart still pumping.

My dragon rages within me—pulling at my seams, clawing at my insides, shredding at the sane parts of me. I clutch at my chest, commanding him to stop, but he’s unwavering in his pursuit of destroying me.

My mind flashes back to the hyena witch, cackling at me the other night. Somehow, she’d known this was coming. Her nasty words echo in my mind like a funeral chant.

I send out a shaky spear of a request towards my father. He obliges with resignation. When I get to the deep green double doors, embellished with the golden pattern of our house sigil, I raise a hand to stroke the raised wing of the dragon.

The door swing opens of its own accord, revealing my father sitting in his receiving room, a glass of whiskey in hand.

“I thought you would be deep…in conversation with your new wife by now.”

Grimacing as I step inside, I shut the door behind me with my power. “There are other matters on my mind,” I grit out, running a hand through my hair.

The mad energy within me is like a storm of fire and it makes me pace from one end of the room to the other. “My dragon is driving me mad. He’s angry like I’ve never seen him before.”

“Did you expect to gain sympathy from me?” Father sounds bored. “The consequences of your actions are yours to suffer alone.”

I pause to stare at him. He flatly meets my stare, the glow of the fireplace casting half his visage in harsh orange. I’d done whathe’dasked of me. This has all been for our family. “When I fell, my earphone was pulled out of my ear. It could have been a disaster. I could have?—”

“If you had done, I would have killed you where you stood.” He pauses to take a sip from his glass, the picture of male arrogance. “It’s such a shame you took after your mother’s family. If you had taken after mine, it would be a different matter entirely. You’d be a completely different person. Likely, you would be rex of some pretty, obedient animas and I would have no concerns.”

Suppressing the oncoming groan takes colossal effort. Why did I ever think my father would give me advice? I have no one else to ask, that’s fucking why. There’s no one left to confide in. Scythe always had something wise to say, whatever the issue was. But fuck him. I glare at the gilded walls of his receiving room. “Where is Mother?”

Father levels me a look and I shake my head as I remember. After I was exiled, my parents chose the traditional route of sleeping. They both have their own suites, only seeking each other out when they feel the need. Mother has her maids who look after her, Father gets his…privacy.

My feet increase speed of their own accord, and I want to tear my clothes off. Hell, I want to rip my dragon out of my own head. “I don’t know how to fix this. How do I fix this?”

“Fly it off. We must speak of more important matters. Your plans have changed for tomorrow. The Hellfires will have to wait for their breakfast appointment. You will need to attend the meeting with the other region leaders. The last time was delayed because of the little Boneweaver’s heat. Can you handle it?”

“Is it necessary, Father?”

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