Page 151 of A Kingdom of Shadow and Ash

As if she cared.

In two days, the castle would be filled with music and wine, draped in gold and silks, to celebrate an engagement she had never wanted. The banquet would be lavish, the guests brilliantin their jewels, the air thick with the perfume of false smiles. And when the revelry ended, the other princes and princesses would finally return to their kingdoms, their duty to the celebration fulfilled.

But Alina would not.

In less than a week, she would be taken to a foreign land, a stranger among strangers, where yet another feast would be prepared in her honour. Another crown of flowers placed upon her head. Another night of gilded chains before the wedding.

Her stomach curled at the thought.

She followed the maid through the halls, the familiar walls closing in on her like a cage of red stone and gold. She adjusted the sleeves of her dress, her fingers repeatedly smoothing her hair, ensuring that no unruly strands had fallen free. A foolish effort—no perfect facade could disguise the fury that simmered beneath her skin.

She had not seen her mother since the slap.

The memory of it burnt, raw and humiliating, threatening to rise to the surface like bile. But Alina swallowed it down like the bitter remedies forced upon her as a child, squared her shoulders, and stepped into the dragon’s den.

Alina’s breath caught in her throat at the sight of her brother seated within the dimly lit chamber. He should not have been here—not yet, not so soon. His skin, still pallid from the strain of his wounds, was a stark contrast to the loose shirt draped over him. He looked fragile, frayed at the edges.

But there was no time to dwell on that.

Queen Cyra dismissed the last lingering maid with a sharp flick of her wrist before turning on Alina. Her fingers, cold and unyielding, latched onto Alina’s arm, dragging her further into the room with a force that belied her regal grace.

‘Finally, child! What took you so long?’ Her voice, strained and breathless, barely masked theundercurrent of desperation laced within it.

Alina wrenched her arm free, rubbing the lingering imprint of her mother’s grasp. ‘What is it, Mother?’ Her gaze darted to Ash, who sat motionless, his expression unreadable but watchful. ‘Ash should not be out of bed yet.’

‘This is far too important,’ the queen snapped.

‘Could it not have been discussed in Ash’s room?’

The queen’s gaze sharpened, suspicion flaring behind her steel-like eyes.‘No. The wyverian princess might have heard.’ She gestured vaguely around the room. ‘This place is safe.’

Alina pinched the bridge of her nose, her patience thinning. ‘What is it? You are making us nervous.’

The queen halted her pacing and turned to Ash, a fire burning in her gaze. ‘My son, what I am about to tell you is of utmost importance. You must listen first—listen and do as I say—for if you do not, we will all perish.’ A shiver ran down Alina’s spine at the weight of her mother’s words.Perish? She had never seen their mother like this before—so fraught with unease, so unhinged.

Ash exchanged a look with Alina, mirroring her confusion.

‘Mother, what are you saying—’

‘You are the key to everything!’ The queen surged forward, cupping Ash’s face with trembling hands.

Alina stilled. Never in her life had she seen their mother display such tenderness. And that—more than the feverish glint in the queen’s eyes—was what frightened her the most.

‘The moment you were born, I felt the stars align,’ the queen continued, her voice hushed with reverence. ‘I saw you rise from the ashes. It was all predestined, arranged for this moment. I feared the dagger would never be found, but I have seen its hiding place in my dreams.’ She gripped his hands tightly. ‘Now, at last, you can break the curse.’

‘Mother, what dagger? What are y-you talking about? Surely y-you do n-not believe in the curse,’ Ash said. ‘We have m-more pressing matters to wo-worry about. Witches attacked the w-wall and fa-father is brushing it off as if it n-never ha-happened.’

‘Listen to me,’ she implored. ‘The witches do not matter right now. If the curse is not broken, something terrible will happen to you.’

‘What does Ash have to do with the curse?’ Alina’s heart pounded in her chest.

Her mother turned to her, eyes brimming with certainty. ‘I already told you. He is the chosen one. And if the curse remains unbroken, he will suffer.’

Alina cast a quick glance at her brother, who sat still and silent, his jaw clenched. He was not listening to her words—he was assessing his mother, searching for the cracks in her logic, the fracture of madness that had taken root.

Everyone in the Eight Kingdoms knew of the curse—an old whisper passed from tongue to tongue, slowly withering into legend. Few believed it. How could they? It was easy to dismiss a prophecy when the threat loomed in the distance, untethered from the present. It was a story, nothing more.

And yet, here their mother stood, shaking with conviction.

---