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“Mother…”
“Now, Felix!” she demands, with no room for denial.
Nyx’s spine stiffens under my hand before she steps away from me and moves toward my mother. She doesn’t flinch as the Queen’s sharp nail catches her under the chin.
“What a weak-looking little thing. Beautiful. Familiar. But still weak. Are you sure she can sustain you?” Mother’s piercing green eyes meet mine over Nyx’s stiff shoulder. “You look pale. Feed. And then come to the party. We can’t have you passing out on my birthday. Maybe find you a pet that’s not…lacking.” She roughly slides her nails from under Nyx’s chin and heads for the giant double doors, finally leaving us alone.
“Nyx?” I reach for her, but she swiftly pulls away.
“I’m fine. Let’s get this over with,” she says through clenched teeth.
Iwalk behind Felix, despite my desire to push him out of the way so I can look every single one of these assholes in the eye. A way to promise them the death they rightfully deserve with the rage the Queen ignited.
Lacking?
After looking at me for two seconds, she believes I am lacking. All I need is a healthy length of rope, a dagger, and maybe five minutes to make my point. Honestly, all I need is the five minutes alone with her. Then, she would never have to worry about hunger or birthdays again.
“Nyx—” Felix starts, but I cut him off before he makes it harder to keep my mask in place.
“Yes, Master?” My voice comes out even and serene despite the nausea rolling through me.
It is pretend. You are not a pet. No one owns you.
I am so close behind him that my face is directly in his chest when he turns to face me.
“Master?” he whispers low enough that only I can hear him.
“Tia and Kaelin have told me what is expected of a pet,” I whisper just as low into his shirt.
“Ah. Good. I apologize. I should have done that before we came downstairs. That is a failing on my part. I—”
“If we are to make it through tonight, shut the fuck up. Someone is going to overhear, and then the King and Queen will get involved,” I grit out.
“Right. We will discuss it later.” That is what he thinks. “Stay close, no matter what,” he warns before turning again, leading me deeper into the cursed party.
The good thing about what I do is the practice I have gotten using my peripherals. Even when focused on the back of Felix’s stiff coat, I can see everything happening around me.
Females in dresses of every color flit around the dance floor, with males in extravagant suits. Their opulence is disgusting when I know there are so many Elani suffering and starving just for being born of the wrong species. This whole evening screams wasteful.
Food lavishly lies in heaping mounds on the tables… Food they don’t need. Elani stand against the wall, beaten and broken. There’s finery everywhere you turn, and drinks that continually flow from spouts in the walls.
I want to close my eyes…to shut it all out. But my self-preservation won’t allow it. I need information. I need targets. Because before I slink off to the next realm of existence, this castle will be painted red.
“Felix, it is good to see you this evening,” a man says loudly while shaking the Prince’s hand.
“Always a pleasure, Dominic.” His words say one thing, but the slight tightness in his voice inclines to something completely different.
“I see the day has finally come. Your father was very pleased with the notion of you having a pet.”
“Father, yes. Mother, on the other hand, fears she is lacking. She is brand new. Her usefulness has yet to be determined.”
“We can test her…” Chills race down my spine at the suggestion.
“No, I will handle this one on my own. Have a good evening.”
Dominic tries to move around us, but Felix keeps himself between me and the new threat until the male finally catches the hint and walks in another direction. I don’t like the way that small action makes my chest feel. I don’t have time for warm feelings. But this male keeps surprising me the longer I am around him. Maybe when I stab him—because I will at least once—I will make sure it is non-fatal.
His fingers slide through mine as he leads me toward the dance floor. I try to pull away, but he holds firm. I can’t dance. Maybe I was taught once, but those lessons are long forgotten. I will fumble around and look like an idiot. Maybe that is what he wants.
