A Kingdom of Venom and Vows (Stars and Shadows #3)(29)

“Never speak to my friend like that again.” I gripped her jaw in my hand and forced her to look up at me. She was the queen yet she deserved no respect from me.

“The Blood whore?” The queen’s voice was cold, but I felt nothing but my own power. “I guess it is fitting that you two would become friends since you are the same. She was never worthy of my son either.”

I could feel the magic pulsing through my veins, the flames burning inside of me. “She is worthy of far more than your kingdom could ever give her.”

Queen Kaida laughed, the sound making my stomach turn. “My kingdom gave her more than she ever deserved. Your father too. I wonder if he regrets the years of torture he endured just for you to become the bastard’s plaything.”

I didn’t have time to think about my next move before Gavril’s dagger lodged into his mother’s chest. Her deep red blood poured out around my fingers and ruined the perfect dress she had put me in.

“I’m certain he’ll never regret it as much as you will.” I pushed the dagger harder into her chest as her hands scrambled to get hold of mine. Her eyes were wide with panic, and blood trickled from her mouth as she gasped for breath.

I released my hold on her, and I watched as the woman who had caused me so much pain crumbled in front of me. The life in her eyes seeped away with the blood in her chest.

I felt a hand, Evren’s hand, cup the back of my neck as my magic swirled around us. My fury was finally being released. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. “I’m so sorry I took so long to come back to you.”

My magic fell around me like the final crash of a cascading wave, and my hands shook as I dropped the dagger to the ground. My vision was clouded over with every emotion that bombarded me, and I reached up for Evren, even with blood covering my hands.

“Evren.” His name was a plea on my lips. “I’m sorry.”

“Don’t.” I felt his hand cup the side of my face, and I reached out and clenched his shirt in my fist. A jolt of electricity shot through me, and I dug my fingers into the fabric until my heart hammered against my chest.

I took a deep breath. One I had been suffocating without, and even as my adrenaline and magic still raged through me, I felt myself calm with him near.

“Princess,” he whispered my name and his hand tightened in my hair.

I shivered with the sound of his voice, an ache of desperation that had been growing inside me finally surfacing. My need for him overwhelmed me, my body humming from the torturous thought of never seeing him again.

I was Evren’s mate, and his strong hold on me reminded me of all the things I was, of what I should have been. I was his mate, the future queen of the Blood kingdom, and I was the Starblessed that would determine the fate of this world.

“Both Gavril and the king are gone.” Sorin’s voice was even and commanding as he spoke, and I looked away from Evren long enough to see my friend.

“They’re gone?” I pulled back from Evren, his hands digging into me as he tried to bring me back to him. “Where would they have gone?”

“I don’t know, but the girl is gone too. There is no one left in the cells. We need to leave now. The guards are already starting to break through my barrier.” The sound of Thalia’s voice stole my breath as my gaze met hers, my best friend, and a small sob of relief broke from my lips.

A wave of emotion washed over her face. Her eyes usually so vibrant, had softened to a glassy hue, but they narrowed as she looked around her. I couldn’t imagine the pain she must have felt at being back at this place, yet she had come for me regardless.

I moved away from Evren, his hands trying not to let me go, and I pushed forward until I pulled Thalia’s body against mine and wrapped my arms around her.

The surprise of the embrace stole the air from her lungs, and she dug her fingers into my back as we clung to one another. The steady thumping of her heart pressing against mine was the only sound in that moment.

“Are you okay?” My voice was muffled against her shoulder, and she nodded her head against me.

“I am now. Are you?”

I squeezed Thalia tighter, and she winced as if I had hurt her, but the way she looked into my eyes assured me that it was nothing but our desperate attempt to make sure that we were both okay. The pain of our hold only reminded us that we still had one another.

Sorin cleared his throat, but I didn’t let her go. “We need to leave. Now. Before they find their queen.”

I heard the sounds of the guards’ fists and swords pounding, and I looked out the double doors to see Thalia’s blue magic forming a shield around us.

I stepped away from Thalia, and guilt crept into my chest. The moment was broken by Evren’s hand on my arm, insistent, drawing me back to his side. I raised my gaze to his and saw the warmth in his eyes.

I looked down at Queen Kaida’s lifeless body at our feet. Blood still seeped from her wound.

“Princess.” Evren’s voice was the only thing that brought me back into myself, and I looked away from the queen to look back up at him. “We must go.”

I nodded and gathered the long skirts of my dress into my hand as I clung to Evren, and I followed him as he led me from the now empty gardens toward the back of the palace.

“Thank you for coming for me, for saving me.”

Evren shook his head as he pulled me forward. “You saved yourself, princess. All I did was give you your magic back. We were helpless until you destroyed Gavril’s barrier around the palace with a blast of your power.” His hand tightened in mine. “Now come.”