I bit back a chuckle of disbelief. Was this really happening? Or was I just in a bad dream?
I pinched myself hard, gritting my teeth when the pain struck sharper. This was real.
I had fallen into a trap, a recurring trap.
How did this happen? And why was El not talking? Why was my magic not functioning?
I could hear Daniel distinctly, bragging about how he was going to deal with for turning him down, for playing him like an animal at every turn, but I was rather concentrated on bringing up my magic.
Tears stung my eyes when I realized nothing was happening. I was helpless. But how?
I staggered to my feet, grunting when the headaches beating against my head tripled, when my eyes started to burn from staying open, when my legs beca too weak to hold my weight. What was happening to ?
Drugged. My mind supplied imdiately. Sothing that had been staring at since I first felt the onslaught of a headache. But I had been too consud with Adam.
Adam, who had always been my nesis. And I had thought he was innocent.
Ga players, all of them. And I had been played again. This was all a ploy to put away, to silence my voice against the monarchy.
My eyes then found, unfortunately, the cup that I had used to drink wine. And then I saw it. The intricate patterns on it, the design of a flower.
Imdiately Malek’s warning flashed in my mind, and tears slipped unbidden from my eyes. Beware of taking a drink from a flowered cup on a full moon night.
And yet I did.
Don’t let go of your sister, Diana.
And yet again, I did. And now I was going to pay dearly for it.
This wouldn’t have happened if I had stayed with Diana. But no, I had beco adventurous with my feelings, and had allowed Adam to lead away from the public—again.
I was stupid. Foolish. An idiot of the highest order.
Desperately, I reached for my magic, but it was all to no avail. Whatever had been put into that wine had managed to silence my magic.
Still, why hadn’t El alerted before I took the wine? Didn’t she perceive sothing odd?
"Are you trying to reawaken your magic?" Noah’s gentle voice dragged from my thoughts.
My head jerked up to look at his face. But for the smirk on his lips, he looked the sa. Gentle. Considerate. Nice. The gentleman I had danced with at the hall just a few minutes ago.
"Well, don’t bother. The wine Adam gave to you was to stop the magic, at least for a while, at least until we killed you off." He smiled, showing off all his teeth. It was creepy, a smile that twisted my stomach.
I tried stepping back when he approached , but I ended up falling on the ground, my hands scraping the floor.
He laughed, followed closely behind by his brothers. "You know, you remind of Maya..."
The brothers laughed at the sa ti. The sound was thick, scary, and frightening. Chills broke out on my skin, and the tears flowed from my eyes easily.
I knew what was coming, and unless soone sowhere would save , I was dood. And maybe this ti, I wouldn’t be lucky to co back alive.
Why had the goddess chosen soone as daft as ? Why didn’t she factor in my stupidity, my lack of self-control?
And now I was going to pay dearly for powers I didn’t even get to use for the purpose I was given a second chance at life.
"Maya thought she had us, that she had Adam, that she could defy us and go unpunished. And she paid dearly for it." Noah continued, stepping hard on my feet still clad in low heels.
I shouted, more to alert people outside than because of the pain.
"Shout all you want..." A laugh followed. "The king has the people’s attention now." Adam winked at , and I felt nauseous.
Was this why he had left? To connive with his father? Was the Queen part of this play? She should be. I was a threat to her kingdom.
"Adam told us the lies he fed you, about his love for the girl, and you swallowed it hook, line, and sinker. You are just as daft as her. Do you think a prince would fall for a commoner?"
I had no words. I was as daft as they had claid.
"You answer when we ask you questions!" Daniel shouted, striking my cheek with such force that my neck almost snapped.
He was wearing a ring on that hand, and it left a wound on my cheek. I could feel the bleed, could scent the blood trickling. Pain seized my body, but not as much as the one holding my heart.
El. I tried again, desperately, before the beating descended, but she didn’t co to my aid. My significant other was gone.
My screams went unheard, my bones cracking, breaking under the onslaught of the triplets. I didn’t bother covering any part of . There was no need.
A goblet landed on my face, tampering with my mask, alerting them to it.
"We should see her face... see what she is hiding..."
There was no will to protest, to prevent the reveal, to hide from the sha that would co from their laughter when they realized my identity. I was bleeding all over.
I couldn’t move any part of my body. I was only a bag of broken bones. My eyes couldn’t see well, because they were now tainted with my blood.
But I knew when they took off the mask that they didn’t recognize , only calling a freak, laughing amongst themselves.
Then they stopped, looking at the door.
"Soone is coming. We have to go."
Before I could let out relief at a second chance being given, Noah brought out a knife from his pocket, a penknife.
He crouched, a sinister smile on his lips, and drove the object into my heart. "See you in the afterlife, bitch."
And then they were gone, lithe, fast, before I could count two seconds.
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