Page 23 of Unmasked

On the night the king fell, I gave blood in his place.

Not for mercy or forgiveness.

But for remembrance.

I swore his name would not die. That his bloodline would not end. I swore the Crown would be restored…

I failed.

The words blurred again through the building tears.

I pray you do not.

Until we reign again…we all bleed.

My hand lowered, and silence followed.

I looked up to take in the black veil over The Magister’s face. Had he seen my hand shaking? Did he hear the thick emotion in my words?

Weight blanketed from my head to my shoulders not allowing me to forget the cost of the queen. Her crown. Her robe. The reminders were just as real as the betrayal to the Masterson line. It had the tears continually burning my eyes while I tried my best to keep them in.

The Magister reached back within his robe, removing another paper and handing it to me.

“As you speak the final words, you will give them form. Wrist to arm. Ankle to thigh.” He paused. “And the throat… to finish what they started. Then, you will mark the crown with your own blood.” The Magister withdrew a dagger, handing it over to me. “Begin.”

The weight was real…

I placed down the paper at my feet. As I lowered and reached towards the junction at the woman’s shoulder, I felt the heaviness of the thick dagger. I felt the weight of the robe and crown. And I didn’t fight it. I became one with it. I kept myself poised, adding my own weight behind the push of my hand as I drug the blade towards the young woman’s wrist.

Skin split, and red oozed from the long wound. It raced a river to the platform below, almost appearing black in the dim room.

I glanced down at the words.

“By blood… we remember.”

Silence.

I leaned over, moving with the direction as I slowly dragged the blade towards her other wrist.

“By blood… we carry.”

Grabbing the paper, I stood, meeting Vaughn’s intense stare as I moved around the circle to stand by The Magister. I lowered again, holding to the vows as I leaned forward, pushing the knife into her inner thigh and cutting all the way to her ankle.

The woman didn’t move. She didn’t stir or jerk. I knew she was alive. I could see her breathing, but she was unresponsive. Was this how the queen preferred it as well? Or had this been done for me?

I let the questions come and go. It was irrelevant. It just was.

“By blood… we endure.”

Endure, yes. Vaughn had lived his entire life trying to survive. Now, that would be my life too. Once I passed the trials and word got out, we’d be hunted just as his parents were. But we would endure. And we would survive.

Leaning forward, I made the last incision to her legs, letting the pooling blood drown me in thoughts. It was all so much. I’d spent the last week hiding my emotions. Trying my best to be cold and hard. The ritual left no room for lies.

“By blood… we reclaim.”

I stood, heading back to the top. But I didn’t stand back on the crown. I lowered to my knees, cupping the woman’s sweet face with one of my hands. I kept my stare on it as I leveled the weapon across her neck.

“What was taken…” I pushed deep, dragging the knife across the length of her throat. “… will be restored.”