Page 48 of Queen of Thorns
I jerk my attention to the Whisperwood Queen, her eyes cast down at the empty fountain, shame written on her wrinkled face.
There is a tiny canal that leads up to a bowl on a platform. I follow the empty canal, curving up to the chalice. There is one trickle of power dripping down to the fountain’s well. Single drops every few seconds. That is all that’s left.
“It’s not your fault,” I tell her. “You were only holding on until...”
“Until you could come.”
The hair on my arms stands up straight, and I take in a deep breath to stop my teeth from chattering.
A few feet beyond the fountain is a bowl on a stand. I approach and stare at the tiny bit of magic swirling inside.
I look down awkwardly at the beautiful black crown in my hands. This, unlike everything else, is polished and lovely. It’s been well taken care of.
“You can place it here, for now,” the queen says, motioning to a stand next to the back wall. I obey and place the glistening crown on the plate gently then turn to the bits of dark magic swirling in the bowl.
“Wait,” the queen says. Her heels click on the stone flooring as she marches toward me. “Take first. Then, give.”
I frown. “But—”
“You have never tasted from the fountain. It is customary that you complete your rites.”
“Okay,” I whisper. She grabs the small silver ladle hanging off the side and scoops a small bit of frothy black liquid. Carefully she brings the magic up to my mouth and tips it until the smokey magic pours in.
The moment it touches my tongue, all my senses explode. It’s bitter and sharp and, somehow, delicious. The magic soars through my veins, stretching, pulling, and filling. I stumble back, shocked at the effect. I had expected such a small amount from a weak source to be timid.
This is—incredible.
My eyes fly open, strength and magic more alive and purer than I’ve ever felt it before. I stare down at the last bit of magic in the bowl. My fingers tingle, ready to complete the ritual, but I pause.
“He’ll know,” I whisper. The moment I do this, the Night Bringer will feel it. He’ll know.
“Who, child?” the queen asks.
“The Night Bringer.”
The queen stills but otherwise doesn’t react.
It is time,the voice floats from the bag on my back for only my ears.It must be done.
“Let him know.” The queen’s harsh voice surprises me, but then my lips curl into a grin, and for the first time, I am excited.
Let him know, I think. He’ll be angry. He might act out. But for now, this is the rebellion that I’ve been waiting for. This is the moment he used as temptation before our bargain, the desire he used against me.
This was supposed to be the purpose of the power he granted me. It was always what I intended to use it for, and finally I will.
I hold both palms up, and black power explodes from them. There are rumblings of surprise and awe from the crowd below. Honestly, I was so distracted by the moment I didn’t even notice that some of those from the city had followed me in. There are nearly two dozen fae watching me.
I ignore them and focus on the darkness crawling from my hands. It expands quickly, covering the entire room in black shadows. The crowd gasps, but I can’t see anything but my body, the bowl, and my magic surrounding me.
The blackness breathes, a low growl reverberating from it. Someone below whimpers, but I don’t even blink. This magic may be angry and fierce, but I own it. And I am worse.
“You are mine to wield,” I tell it.
It stills, and when I press my hands into the bowl and curl my fingers, the magic obeys. The bowl rocks violently at the sudden rush of magic. It swirls like a tiny cyclone and filters quickly into the canal, down to the fountain.
The room lightens enough for me to see the shadowed faces of the onlookers, their eyes wide as they watch the magic pass from me to the bowl and quickly fill the fountain that has remained empty for a century.
The walls that were dull and dingy now shimmer—their darkness no longer a detriment but instead impossibly beautiful. The cavernous room is brightened and swells with life. Like the castle itself has taken its first breath in a very long time.
