Page 42 of Madness

“Do you want me to leave?” Ryker started to stand, still holding the novel.

“No, no.” I waved. “Please, stay.” My fingers still trembled from the excitement of her agreement to come to the Twinity Court. It felt like all those visions would finally start to come true. Cracking the wax, I pulled the envelope open as I sat on the edge of the bed.

Dace,

Because you are my son, I hope that this letter finds you well enough. I’m reaching out to advise you that your promise to me must be kept, and that I expect your end of the bargain to be upheld immediately. Wear your best suit, and arrive no later than seven for your reinstatement and bridal proposition. Don’t disappoint me again.

Love, your still reigning queen,

Mother

Though she didn’t have to specify, it didn’t surprise me that she had felt the need to remind me of her title. She had lorded her power over me since the day I was born. I swear as an infant she was singing me songs about how she brought me into this world and, should I be anything less than she expected, she was going to take me out. Is that not what typical mothers do? No? Just my psychotic one. And yet, she was somehow fit to wear the crown.

Dread built in my stomach, like the bubbling of a meal that was about to set my asshole on fire. I’d successfully avoided a bridal proposition since I was eighteen. Always a pressing matter, but never one that was urgent enough to evoke real action, other than snide comments from my mother. Now the day was approaching, tomorrow in fact, that I would be presented with options that I was expected to choose from.

Mother was tricky like that. The image of Ryker appeared on the inside of my eyelids, a memory of a vision of what was to come. An oxymoron, if I ever heard one.

“What does it say?” She tried not to lean too close, to look over my shoulder, but she couldn’t hide the spark of curiosity in her eyes. I hadn’t noticed how close she had grown as I focused on the letter.

“It says that I’ll have to make arrangements for your travel. Hope you don’t mind if I talk to Daddy dearest so you can try some travel manipulation yourself. Oh, and you’ll need to pack one of those dresses you have hiding in your room.” I smiled back, as her cheeks bloomed red. I hoped she’d never quit getting flushed like that around me; I loved it so much and it was just so easy to get her to do. “I have a feeling there may be one in there, a lovely blush color, made of silk, that would just look absolutely stunning.”

“When should I be ready?” she said, quietly.

“Tomorrow morning, I expect that you’ll receive the full princess treatment once you arrive as my guest, and you’ll need time for all the pampering they’ll do to you. Hopefully you’ll enjoy it, and not hate me for all they’ll put you through.”

Her laugh echoed my own. “I better go back to my room then.” She jumped from the bed and sprinted to the door. Before she disappeared she grimaced and added, “One more thing; maybe do try and steer clear of Daethian. He didn’t exactly take the news well.”

“I mean, I would say ‘I told you so’ but it seems you’ve already gotten that point.” I set the letter down on the bed and took in her sun-kissed face.

“Just avoid him. Okay?” Her fingers drummed against the door frame.

“Got it.”

I didn’t come all the way to the Heathern Court to spend time with Daethian anyway. Avoiding him would be the easiest task I’d ever been assigned. Though I’d do almost anything Ryker asked. She wanted someone to dance around like a monkey to entertain the Nymphs? Damn, call me her baboon. I was smitten.

Blood ran down her back where her skin had split open. A zigzag pattern of welts and cuts weaved over the top of old scars. Scarlet had long since seeped into the carpet and soaked into the thin cloth of her pants and torn shirt.

Sweat drenched my top as I panted and curled the whip up in my hand. King Windre hardly even watched. Instead, he disappeared behind me and picked up the book he had been reading. It made sense if this was an everyday occurrence and he was bored with it.

“Fifty,” Red sobbed, falling forward and curling into herself with a pain-filled moan.

King Windre’s book clapped shut. The chains of the prisoner, because that was a better word for him than servant, in the corner chimed as King Windre pulled the boy up to stand. “Show the girl where we keep the cleaning supplies. She can clean up her mess.”

I doubted any cleaning concoction he had could help pull the color of her blood from his ancient looking rug. But who knew? Maybe he had a cleanser with a little bit of witch magic in it. Something like that had to be at play here.

The Nymph nudged Red but she didn’t move. He glanced back at us waiting for another order, while Red’s breaths became even shallower.

“What a shame,” King Winder growled. “Well carry her off and she can clean it back up when she comes to.”

“You know,” I leaned against one of the bookshelves, rubbing my shoulder with the opposite arm, and trying not to watch as Red was hoisted into the Nymph's arms and carried out. “I was wondering about the Day of Ruin. I never understood how itreallyhappened.”

“How what happened?” King Windre arched a brow, his mouth pulled into a deep frown.

“How exactly were we able to nullify their powers?”

King Windre scoffed. “That, I’m afraid, is above your pay grade. What are you, even? A simple mutt? A keeper?”

I watched as the pair disappeared on the other side of the threshold, blood trailing behind them. This visit was going to be twenty times harder for her because she was so strong willed.

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