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Roaring, Xander tore one head off as the wooden spikes cut through him. But he couldn’t get them all out at once and several spikes punctured his skin.
They’re trying to get you to. . .power up. . .
I struggled to see what else was happening as my head swayed to the side.
Queen Regina shook me. “Not yet, little one.”
I blinked my eyes open.
“I still need you.”
Queen!?
I’m. . .still. . .here.
Queen Regina leaned against my ear. “The plan was to get you in your room tonight, but then my guards told me that you were sneaking off in the direction of the Quiet King’s bedroom.”
Pain blazed through me.
“You’re too smart for your own good, so I took the secret passageway in here and waited.”
Why is she. . .doing this?
“You see the first queen on her beautiful throne?” Queen Regina stuck the knife deeper into my back.
I screamed.
Queen?
Get out of here. Save. . .yourself. . .
Never!
Trembling, I looked down.
The knife’s tip had sliced deeper through my chest and poked further out.
My teeth chattered against themselves. The overwhelming stench of my blood drowned the space.
“Did you know that once you become the Quiet King’s queen, you’re expected to dust and clean his first wife, Phinova, as if it wasn’t bad enough that no one could ever replace her,” Queen Regina hissed. “As you can see, this is my week to clean her corpse.”
“Y-you didn’t. . .do a. . .good job,” I murmured with quivering lips, trying to stay awake, but I could feel darkness calling me, luring me over, telling me how there was no pain on the other side.
“Phinova can drown in dust for all I care.” Queen Regina laughed. “I have a new king to serve. Open your eyes! Look at my son!”
Slowly, I raised my head.
The guards stumbled away from Xander. Many dead guards scattered the space.
Meanwhile, Xander knelt on the floor full of hundreds of wooden spikes.
No!!!
I’m okay, queen.
No.
I’m okay. Save your strength.
Blood and black mucus spurted out everywhere on his body, spilling out around the spikes and streaming onto the floor around him like this grotesque river.
Queen Regina whispered in my ear. “My son will be stronger than his father.”
Xander roared in pain. His golden eyes had already shifted to red, but now they were a bright, furious crimson.
Get the spikes out and run.
No. I’ll get stronger and get us both out of here.
No, Xander. Don’t change! That’s what she wants.
I don’t care.
D-don’t. . .
His horns grew larger, twisting out like thick pointy serpents. They began to enlarge and become as big as Ian’s horns.
Dear Ambi!
Howls echoed from his throat. His power drummed through the room. I could feel it slipping along my skin.
Then, he roared, and the air around us trembled into a current of cold power, threatening to consume me.
Xander’s skin rippled and bubbled.
More power drenched the room, making everything shake—the bed, the chair, us, and even Phinova on her throne. We all moved from Xander’s power.
Queen Regina shivered. “Yes, son.”
This couldn’t continue. I wouldn’t let him turn into a new version of the Quiet King, burning away his senses from increasing his power—blind, deaf, and mute. This wasn’t the life that Xander deserved.
Stop increasing your power.
I didn’t think he was in my head. He must have been putting all his focus to powering up.
“S-stop!” The word burned my throat as I yelled it.
I screamed in my head.
Xander, please stop!
My queen.
Stop.
Xander glanced my way and stopped. His skin ceased with rippling and bubbling. His blood-soaked chest gently rose and fell.
“Why are you stopping?” Queen Regina yelled. “I’ll let her go when you’ve increased all your power.”
“No. . .she won’t,” I murmured. “And. . .she won’t. . .share a throne with. . .another. . .queen.”
The knife twisted in my chest.
Screaming, I slumped back on Queen Regina, my mind slipping away as agony tore through me.
Tears streamed down my face and mingled with my blood.
Xander roared and surged up on more power. Spikes pushed out of his rippling muscles. Many of the spikes fell on the floor, coated in his blood and bits of his flesh.
The remaining guards pointed sharp, wooden swords to his face.
“Finish increasing your power, King.” Ty lowered down to his knees. “We’re ready to serve you.”
No! I shouted in my head. Don’t try and save me. I’m going to die.
How could I leave?
It would break my heart if you became just another mute and angry king.
Xander ceased. He panted and collapsed down to the ground.
Then I will die with you today, my queen.
“What is he doing?” Queen Regina shrieked to anybody who could hear her. “We don’t have much time, Xander. Your queen is slipping away.”
I’m already close to gone.
My body shook.
I’m just holding on for you, to make sure you won’t follow their sick plan.
More blood spilled from my mouth.
Don’t use all of your power.
