Chapter 14

"Aqueen of the demons sometimes needs to make difficult decisions. While love is always necessary, so is a strong, firm hand. Because to rule is to rise above with an iron fist." Dacio strolled back and forth in front of his contestants.

Once again he was in that armor that looked like it'd been braided over his body, and part of me wondered if he slept in it. His crown was firmly perched on his head with those thick metal horns pointing up in all different directions. Not a single hair on his head was out of place. Part of me felt like a soldier standing here in the line while he spoke to us, and the other part of me could only wonder what the fuck I was doing here. As he kept talking, I couldn't help but glance toward where Avalon stood just across from me.

I woke from a dream that felt so real, so vivid about him, and I still didn't know what to make of it. It was hard for me to reconcile the demon I knew with the one I dreamed of. There was no doubt Avalon was compelling, with his long, dark, jagged hair and glowing eyes. But the demon I knew was rough, rude, and merciless. The one in my dream was almost . . . sweet. He stood there in total command of himself, like a warrior who knew he owned the space around him. With his every move, I noticed the soldiers around him gave him a wide berth. There was a respect but also fear in their movements. Today he wore a black breastplate, black shirt, and black plants. To me he looked like darkness itself. Shadows clung to him even with the midday sun high overhead.

The walls around us felt so high, like there was no escape from this place. Either I was surrounded by soldiers, walls, or Avalon was there watching me. Tendreece stood beside me looking down her nose at me. She lowered her voice. "I see you survived the night."

"Much to your dismay. I'm sure."

"In time." She lifted her chin and stuck her nose higher in the air. "I used to be a lady of the vampire court. My ascension to the demon throne is only natural."

I rolled my eyes. "Have at it."

"You should both keep quiet," Malotte whispered under her breath from where she stood on my other side. "Pay attention."

Dacio continued, "Obedience, calm, and control are all things I am looking for in a queen. But most of all . . . loyalty. I want to know that my words will be trusted and followed, for we will be in this together for life."

Obedience for life . . . Count me out.

Dacio waved his hand, and off to the side a door formed in the solid slate wall. I'd only see one other demon with the power over earth like that: Linford. The doors opened wide and three people in red cloaks walked out. Their faces were hidden by large hoods that hung nearly to their shoulders, and the cloaks hung from their shoulders down to the ground, covering them completely. One by one, they turned to face away from us and dropped to their knees. They were each about fifteen feet apart and all faced Dacio.

He lifted his chin and waved toward us. "Now, if you all would form three lines."

Tendreece stood in the first line, and I just turned to fall in behind her with Malotte behind me. The other contestants got into the other lines. I had no idea why anyone would want to be a part of this. Well, of course Tendreece wanted the status. But I couldn't see why Malotte or Kelda or even Norla would want to be here for this. A soldier stopped at each of the lines and handed the first in line a long whip. My stomach sank at the sight of them and the kneeling people in robes.

Dacio motioned to the kneeling figures. "These servants have been brought here for one reason. They have stolen from me and it's punishable by lashes. Each of you will give them three lashes."

Oh, hell no! I took a step back and bumped into Malotte. She caught my arm. "Are you alright?"

I shook my head and backed up a few steps and knocked into Tendreece. She stumbled forward, then turned on me and shoved me back. I bumped into Malotte and suddenly I felt like a ping pong ball between the two of them. I straightened my stance and glared at Tendreece. "It was an accident."

She looked down her nose at me, then tried to flick a couple drops of water my way, but it hit some kind of barrier and just fell to the ground. She glared even harder. "Like I'm going to believe that."

"It was!" Malotte piped up from just beside me.

Her arm shot out like she was trying to slap me. I arched my back and ducked away. I had two sisters growing up and a wardrobe to protect. A little slap wasn't going to get me. My hand snapped out and connected with the side of her face with a snap. The palm of my hand stung, and when she turned back to face me my hand was imprinted on her face in an angry red welt. When she tried to swing at me again, I caught her wrists and held it there. Her blue horns emerged from her head. The puddle of water that'd been at her feet slithered up around her body and toward my arm. The moment it got close to my skin, it fell away from me like drops of rain.

Her eyes widened. "It can't be."

She stumbled back and raised the whip over her head, about to let it loose in my direction. She flicked it back. Suddenly, Avalon was there catching the tip of the whip. It wrapped around his wrist and down his forearm. He gave a decisive yank and Tendreece stumbled back, letting go of the whip. She swung around to face him. "How . . . how dare you?"

"How dare I?" He wound the whip up as he walked toward her. "Careful. You do not dictate death here."

She sucked in a sharp breath. "And you do?"

"Care to find out?" He growled and she stumbled her way back toward the end of the line.

I squared my shoulders as he approached me. "She started it . . . I was gonna finish it."

"I bet you were." He held the whip out toward me.

I shook my head. "No."

"Take it."

"I won't." I crossed my arms over my chest.

Dacio glanced toward us and called out, "Problem?"

"No," Avalon called back. He tossed the whip at me, and my reflexes reacted and I caught it. "Do as you're told."

"If you think that'll work, then you don't know me at all." I put my hands on my hips. There was no way in hell that I was going to hurt a defenseless person.

Avalon glanced over his shoulder at the people kneeling. "Just do it and all will be well."

"How can you be so cruel?" I almost wished this version of Avalon was like the one I dreamed of. He'd be more reasonable, more feeling. I refused to hurt anyone. Who knew why these people were here or what they'd actually done? All I'd seen of most demons was cruelty and cutthroat actions. As soon as I got back to veil I would leap through it without hesitation.

He stepped in closer to me. "Just do it. Trust me."

Is her for real?"I don't trust you."

"If you don't, you'll be back where all this started," he whispered under his breath.

At the front of the line farthest from me, Dacio stood next to Lizvita. She smiled at him and batted her eyelashes in his direction. Her hair was still pulled into that high bun, and she held the whip out toward him. "I think I need a lesson."

Ew. Is she flirting? Dacio smirked down at her. "Independence is essential. If you think you can't . . ."

"Oh, I can." She beamed up at him as he stepped back. She lifted the whip and cracked it in the direction of the hooded servant. The servant arched their back in pain but didn't cry out, but by the time Lizvita got to the third strike, the servant was trembling with pain. The red hood wavered with each move.

Dacio smirked at her, seeming pleased by her cruelty. She turned and handed the whip to Norla. "Your turn, Nor Nor."

When I met Norla last night, she didn't seem the type to embrace this kind of violence. She glanced around at the rest of us and shook her head. "I'm sorry, Your Highness. But I cannot."

"You're sure?" Dacio eyed her.

"My apologies, my lord, but I can't."

"Very well." He motioned to the guards around the courtyard. "Seize her."

The soldiers swarmed her all at once, easily restraining her within moments. She looked up at him with tears in her eyes. "Please, no."

Dacio waved her away. "Take her to the dungeons."

Tears ran down her face, and she went limp as the guards dragged her away. My eyes widened, and Avalon wrapped his hand around mine, tightening it on the whip. "Just do it. Trust me. You don't want the consequences."

"But . . . but I can't hurt someone like this. They didn't do anything to me."

His eyes bore into mine. "Lily. Do. It. I swear to you all will be well."

"Why are you doing this?" I held the whip tightly in my hand.

He didn't answer me. He just turned and walked away without another word. Dacio wandered over to our little ground. "And what of you three? Do any of you have the ability to meet out justice?"

"I do." Tendreece walked past me, yanking the whip from my hand.

She lifted her chin, pointing her snobby nose high into the air. Her long blue hair shimmered behind her. I could see Tendreece being an over-indulged, spoiled brat of a royal, but the poor country would suffer under her. With three quick flicks of her wrist, she beat the poor servant without so much as a hint of feeling or hesitation.

She bowed to Dacio. "Anything for my King."

As she passed me, she gave a little hmm sound, and I tried and failed not to roll my eyes. I just couldn't understand how no one beside Norla would refuse to go along with this. Malotte took the whip without hesitation. Last night she'd taken away Penned's body with so much care, and now she cared nothing for the servant. She cracked the whip across its back and the servant shivered with pain. I flinched back from the sight of those red cloaks and the abuse. This wasn't who I was or who I would be.

Dacio gave her a tiny applause as he wandered away from our line to look at the others. Malotte handed me the rope and spoke to me through thinned lips. "You might not trust Avalon, but I do. Do it."

I ground my teeth together and held the whip loose at my side. I wanted to ask why she would trust him? What had he done to earn it? But I didn't have the time I needed to get the answers I desired. Dacio spun around and his eyes were focused only on me. I felt them boring into me, and when I looked back to the other side of the courtyard, Avalon stood still as stone with his face looking like a chiseled mask of dangerous beauty. I was beginning to hate that face.

"We're waiting." Dacio motioned to the hooded figure.

I sucked in a deep breath and flicked my arm forward with as little effort as I could make. The whip snapped across the servants back, and I felt tears prick the back of my eyes. Vomit rose in my throat, and I did the other two lashes in quick succession, barely even touching the fabric on the servant's back.

Dacio sighed and shook his head. "That'll do."

I was the last one to go. I swayed on my feet. I'd never hated myself so much as I did in this moment. I trusted people who hadn't earned nor deserved it. Why? This world was beginning to twist my own reality. Dacio motioned to the servants and three soldiers came forward and ripped the cloaks from their bodies. I couldn't believe what I was seeing.

"What the fuck?" I hissed under my breath.

There before all of us were statues. Stone statues of people kneeling. My jaw dropped, and I glanced at the others and then to Avalon. His eyes met mine for barely a second, then he turned away. Dacio chuckled, and when he flexed his fingers, the statues rose to their feet and marched back toward the door they'd come through. My stomach rolled, and I wanted to run from this mind-fuck of a place.

Dacio snickered. "You can't think me that cruel."

Yes. Yes, I can.

"It was a test of your loyalty and obedience to me but also of how cruel and shrewd you are willing to be . . . and the lengths you would go to for your own crown . . . or to share mine." He paused, looking Tendreece up and down. "And it was telling."

As I looked around the courtyard, I realized I wasn't in some kind of bachelorette game. No, this was chess, and every move was watched and analyzed. With each move we made, we were judged. We were either meant for Dacio or the dungeon. Everything about this place was lies and games. But I wasn't playing for the throne. I didn't want it and I didn't believe that there was no way back. I just had to get to the spot where Avalon dropped me. There had to have been a portal somewhere.

"What say you, Avalon? Shall we do another?" Dacio glanced over his shoulder toward Avalon.

"Later."

"A man of few words, is he not?" He chuckled. "We will retire for a time for luncheon. You are dismissed to the dining hall. And, Tendreece—"

"Yes, Your Highness?" She smiled and preened.

"No more deaths by your hand or you will join Norla in the bowels of the castle, never to be seen again."

Her smile faltered for a moment, and she bowed. "You have my word."

He waved us away. "Until later then."

My insides were a tangled mess of self-loathing and shock. I'd gone from feeling the lowest I ever had, to complete shock, and now somewhat numb to the cruelty, even if it was fake. We'd been shuffled around the castle and told what to do like the good little debutants we were meant to be. I felt like cattle being led to the slaughter as the soldiers closed in around us. Maybe I was heading for the slaughter. Within the walls of this castle, it certainly felt like it.