Total pages in book: 109
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 103548 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 518(@200wpm)___ 414(@250wpm)___ 345(@300wpm)
“What is this!” I shrieked. “What have you done? Let them go!”
Cygnus scowled, baring his teeth at me.
“I said let them go!” Wrenching my head up, I discovered someone had changed me out of my forest dress and put me in a sheer black gown—revealing every part of my body for all to see. It wasn’t horrible just for my nakedness, but because I’d worn this same dress once before.
The night of the ceremony.
“What the—” Terrible realization crashed into my head. “No!” I shot up, easily phasing through the chains. “I won’t do this, you disgusting bastards! How dare—?”
“Hold that thought, High Priestess,” said Liliya, the water councilwoman, “and look behind you.”
I turned around, and bile rose in my throat. Edric, Paxton, and Nyx weren’t the only ones bound in chains.
All the tables and chairs had been cleared out of the mess hall, leaving more than enough room for the secret police to dominate the space, and keep hard, steady glares on their captives.
Ava, Melisent, and all of my epsilon sisters held still against the swords pressed against their necks. Battered, bruised, bandaged, and chained, every one of them maintained their defiance—staring down all who looked down on them—including death.
Most wolves preferred to bite a head off to deliver a last and brutal point to their enemy. But cutting it off worked just as well, and it was clear, the secret police intended to do just that to the epsilons, Nia, Tracy, two women I didn’t recognize, and a young man who looked faintly familiar, but I was sure I’d never met.
One thing I did recognize all too clearly were the cameras beaming down on me from every corner in the room. I had no doubt they were on... and recording live.
“What are you doing?” I rasped, shock lowering my voice. “Who are they? Are you just dragging innocent, random people off the street now!” Suddenly I was screaming. “What the fuck is wrong with you! You don’t have to do this. You never have to do these horrible things, but every time you get a choice between right and wrong, you choose wrong!”
Liliya sniffed. “That is quite enough, High Priestess. We will not be lectured to by the likes of you when it’s your actions that brought us to these extremes. I’ll have you know that these individuals are neither innocent nor random. They are all charged with either inciting rebellion and treason against Wolf Nation, or aiding and abetting the traitors who did.”
She pointed at the young woman who was barely older than me. “Idalia Blaze.”
I stilled. Edric’s sister.
“Miriam Clarke.”
Paxton’s mother.
“Sol Drach.”
Nyx’s younger brother.
I knew why they were here—all of them—and it damn sure wasn’t for aiding and abetting treason. It was to force them to aid and abet the crimes to come.
“So,” Liliya continued. “While I can appreciate that those chains are a mere formality to you, High Priestess, you will remain in them for the duration of the ceremony or... examples will need to be made.” She gestured to a silent Nyx, Edric, and Paxton. “They’ve accepted that. It’s best you do too.”
“But you won’t do it,” I rasped even as I lay back down and put my wrists back in the chains. “You won’t hurt them. You definitely won’t hurt a clan leader’s son and heir.”
“Won’t we?” Jabari asked. “You’re not suggesting we grant him special treatment, are you? I thought your little crusade was all about equality.”
My stomach heaved as the councilmembers laughed—all except for the silent Cygnus.
“Jokes aside, you’re right,” Jabari continued. “It would be unfortunate to cut down so many promising members of our community because they were led astray by sentiment. As such, the council is willing to grant them pardons as long as the six of you cease your nonsense and carry out your sacred duty here for all to witness.”
I turned away from him, looking straight into a camera. “For those of you that need a translation from pompous ass, he just said they won’t kill the people we love and care about if I shut up and let my fates rape me for all to see.”
Bang!
Half the room jerked, including three of the secret police. Their eyes all flew where mine did to a fuming Cygnus Tahan.
Launching off my throne, Cygnus grabbed a sword and came straight for me.
“Hey,” I cried. “Hey! Stop! Stay the hell away from me!”
The sword flashed and pain ripped through my arm.
Clang!
Disbelief colored me when he tossed the sword away as quickly as he picked it up. Reaching for something over my head, Cygnus pulled back holding a cup that he pressed to my slowly healing cut. Confusion and then revulsion smothered me as the sick, perverted man tipped my blood directly into his mouth—drinking every last drop.
“What the hell is wrong with you?” The loathing in my voice chilled even me. “You’re insane.”