Page 148 of Vicious Is My Throne

I ignored the barb, spreading my hands. “Take it. I never asked for any of this. Take the power and release Tristan.” I tried to take a steadying breath, but he was losing so much blood…

Ever so slowly, the shards of glass twisted, Tristan groaning through his teeth, his eyes finding mine, fury turning to fear. I lurched forward a step and the Oracle shoved me back with a laugh.

“I should kill every single one of them and make you watch. You always had a too soft a heart for a queen. Far too soft for you to survive in this universe. They were always your greatest weakness and my greatest leverage over you.”

Blood dribbled from the corner of Tristan’s mouth, his hazel eyes dimming as his body sagged.

“No. Please.” I backed away, scanned her face for any shred of mercy, and found nothing. I fell to my knees.

“Take the godsdamned magic. I’ll give you back every drop. All three realms worth. Let him go. Stop hurting him,” I panted and triumph gilded the angles of her face.

“Say you’re a thief.”

“I…what?” I gripped the keystone in my hand, the surface warming against my palm. Finally, fucking finally the keystone was going to work.

“Admit you are a thief and a liar and you never deserved the magic. I want to hear you say the truth out loud.”

“Fine. I’m a liar and a thief and never deserved the magic. Happy?”

“Infinitesimally so.”

“Then take this cursed magic and be gone.” Stars danced around us, not even the mist-laden wind powerful enough to carry them away.

A chill trembled down my spine at what I was about to do.

At what I was risking if I failed.

She lifted her arms and the room closed off. Shadows spun through the suddenly still air, wrapping around me, cloyingly sharp like they were filled with thorns. The Oracle threw her head back and groaned. “I have never tasted such power. So new. So undiminished So cold.”

My mouth dried out. “Get on with it. Bad enough you’re taking my power, I don’t need to listen to your little victory speech while you steal what is rightfully mine.”

Her face smoothed out.

Oh, that pissed her off.

“But this could be my only chance to say everything I’ve wished to say, sister.” Her shadows tightened, like a reptile squeezing the life out of me, thorns digging in deep. “Surely you won’t deprive me of that simple joy?”

“Do I have a choice?” I winced as pain lanced through me, cruel claws scraping against my insides, carving out every last shred of Fae magic like meat out of a pumpkin.

She didn’t answer, too focused on stripping me bare. The floor rumbled, cracks spreading from beneath our feet, up the walls, across the ceiling.

Gelvira poked curiously through my head as she stripped my magic away, but I hadn’t lied.

Not about anything.

I’d never wanted this power, never wanted to be part of this conspiracy. The only good thing—I managed to raise my head enough to look at Tristan—was them. That I’d gotten this chance to know these males. To love them. To discover I was worthy of love.

Because of them I withstood her assault, let her whittle me hollow from the inside, black eyes glowing with delight as she rent me to pieces, her hatred eternal and final.

I writhed and grunted, bracing for death, but never, ever begged.

Not even when the edges of my vision went black, muscle, bone, and blood held captive as the marble floor sped up to meet me with a sickening crunch.

I came to staring into Tristan’s eyes, all that beautiful golden light ebbing away, only the pulse beating in the hollow of his throat proof he still lived. I reached out my hand, but only managed to drag my fingers through the very edge of the pool he lay in.

Blood coated the inside of my mouth in a thick layer of copper.

I couldn’t release the stone, the warm surface glued to my hand, my fingers tightening down until my palm began to burn, but unlike before, the stone didn’t boost my magic.

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