12. Chapter Twelve

The distant sound of voices breeches my consciousness. Blinking, I find myself splayed on a cold marble floor. My hands and wrists are bound by heavy gold chains, in addition to the iron cuff still coiled around my wrist. The warm glow of sunlight filters through the intricate stained glass windows high above me, casting a rainbow of colors onto the stone floor. The vibrant hues depict a valiant knight locked in battle with a fierce dragon, their swords colliding in a fiery clash of steel. As my vision clears, I attempt to move to one side to get a better view of my surroundings. The room is eerily quiet. The flickering candles cast shadows on the faces of the nobles gathered around, their expressions varying from curiosity to apprehension. The air is thick with the scent of burning wax and incense, mixing with the subtle fragrance of perfumes and colognes worn by the courtiers.

"Leave now," an icy voice commands and draws my attention to the far end of the room. On an elaborate marble dais, the king and queen of Shadowvale lounge on their tall thrones. Aramis stands in front of them, his posture rigid, and Nero stoically by his side. "Attend to the task I have given you," the Queen adds as she moves to rise. Her beauty is hard to look at. She has porcelain skin, white as fresh cream, her golden hair is cascading down to her waist in perfect soft curls. Emotionless gray eyes scan the handmaiden beside her, ushering her forward with a curt wave of her hand.

My eyes rove to the king, who sits still as a statue. He would look kind if it was not for the empty stare observing the whole proceeding. It's as if a prisoner being chained on his throne room floor was nothing more than a regular afternoon activity. His hair is the same sandy blonde as Aramis', but his eyes are a vibrant green of spring meadows.

"But, your highnesses," Aramis protests with a bow. "I have more to report."

"Did I ask for your report?" She replies sharply. "You're dismissed."

"I will speak to my father, the king." Aramis interjects, moving towards the dais.

"You have urgent matters that need your attention. You are dismissed." She flicks her wrist towards the door.

"Tricella—" he glowers, lips pressing into a thin line. He sinks down to one knee facing the king. "Father–"

"Enough! Boy, need I remind you again?" The queen walks down the steps before him. "Your father may be king of this castle, but until you take his throne, I am your queen and you will address me with respect." She turns and a slap echoes across the room, causing the room to fall to silence. Kneeling on the floor beside Aramis, Nero's cheek burns red. Aramis's jaw clenches and I see his friend meet his eyes in a silent plea not to push her. Nero lowers his head and chances a quick glance my way, giving me a grim look.

"Next time you defy me, your guard will have more to contend with than wounded pride." She pushes past them and heads towards me.

Aramis's hand tightens into a fist at his side, the knuckles turning white as he pivots to face the queen. A bead of sweat trickles down his temple as he locks eyes with her, a pulse beating in his throat.

"Your majesty, I have information for my father that simply cannot wait." I watch as he puts his body between the queen and where I lie on the ground, unable to move. "Father, I insist on your counsel."

"Boy, you are testing my patience and good will," Tricella seethes. She snaps her fingers and Nero begins to choke, his face turning an ugly shade of purple as he claws at the invisible binding around his neck. "Now, I suggest you take your guards and leave me. Have I made myself clear?" She flicks out her wrist and Nero is thrown to the floor, gasping for air.

"Yes," Aramis replies flatly, heat creeping up his neck, and moves to help his best friend from the ground. He casts one last look at me before departing the throne room..

The door closes with a deafening boom. I cringe at the sound and close my eyes, praying to the goddess to take pity and free me, or my magic. But my only answer is silence.

"All of you, out!" The queen's sharp gaze sweeps across the courtiers, who scramble to gather their composure and exit the grand hall. The rustling of their silk garments echoes against the marble floors, and the clacking of their polished shoes reverberates throughout the room. The queen's regal presence seems to fill the space, leaving a palpable sense of authority and power in her wake.

I fight against my chains and try to sit up, ready to defend myself from whichever accusation the crown holds against me. Anger rises within me at the way I've been treated so far. How can they consider this fair? Knocked unconscious, chained and sprawled on the floor at their mercy like an animal.

"Now, what do we have here?" Magic buzzes around me, biting at my skin like hornets stinging, before the chains magically lift my body. My hands are above my head, feet dangling inches above the ground, my head starts pounding and my fingers go numb. The queen slowly paces around me.

"What do you want from me?" My voice barely comes out as a whisper, cracking on the words as anger leaves way to panic. Standing so close to me, I can now see how her beauty is actually that of a woman that has already witnessed many seasons pass. Under layers of powder, wrinkles adorn her eyes and the sides of her mouth. The illusion of plump cheeks is given by the rose-colored blush that sits heavily on her features. The shine of her hair is the result of golden threads which have been masterfully attached to her natural roots, much duller in color from this distance.

"It looks like my stepson finally did something right for once and caught me a unicorn. Alive." Tricella's lips curl into a malicious smile as she lets out a low murmur of satisfaction. A shiver courses through my body at her words. I strain against the invisible force that keeps me suspended in mid-air. The iron chains that bind me dig into my flesh, leaving a trail of hot, burning pain and I can hear the clanking of metal against metal. The air is now thick with the acrid scent of magic, a potent aroma that stings my nostrils. Sweat trickles down my skin, mingling with the blood seeping from my wrist wounds. Every breath I take is labored, as if the very air around is conspiring to suffocate me.

Caught a unicorn alive?

"I have committed no crimes against Shadowvale," I cry out.

"Oh darling," she laughs, and fear like I have never felt before takes over me. "I know you are not a criminal," she announces offhandedly as she continues to examine me like a prize mare.

"But Aramis…" My heart is racing and the pounding in my head increases. "Why did you have Aramis capture and drag me here under the guise of committing treason against the crown if you knew of my innocence?" I retort, glaring at her.

She throws her head back in laughter, hand flying to her chest. "You honestly think my dear sweet stepson, with his righteous, do-good attitude, looking out for the good of the kingdom, would travel halfway across the continent to bring me back a prized specimen for my own pleasure? No. Only a threat against his kingdom would give him enough drive to do that."

I glance pleadingly to the king, but he stares in the distance with a faraway look on his face. The sudden realization that I have been dragged to Shadowvale for much, much darker reasons dawns on me and leaves me unable to speak. There is no innocence to prove, no trust to win.

"He's too wrapped up in his war against the rebel shifters," she continues, and her lips pull up into a smirk. "I have to say, I thought he'd be harder to manipulate. But he's so insistent on playing the white knight, come to save the day. He's blind to what's right in front of him."

"You won't get away with this!" I yell until a tight grip clamps down on my windpipe. Crushing pain radiates around my neck, my vision flickering before it releases.

"Alice, my knife." At her words, I buck and panic as I frantically look around the room, but it is empty save for a few guards who evade my pleading glances. A firm grip on my hair wrenches my head back and causes me to arch backwards. The queen's cool gaze assesses my face as she delicately runs a finger over the star on my brow. My skin burns at her touch and I glare defiantly. She twirls a loose strand of my hair around her finger. "What pretty hair you have. We can't have you trying to woo your way out of here. Males can be so… sentimental when it comes to a beautiful female." She glances towards the king on the throne, her face a mask of emotions. What did she do to him?

"Let me go!" I croak out, my throat raw.

"Oh, I don't think so, little unicorn. I've waited a long time for you." Another sharp tug on my scalp brings a glimpse of silver in my vision before the blade saws through my long, waist-length dark hair. The sound of the blade echoes in my ears and the weight of my hair falls to the ground. When her grip releases, the edges of my now shorn hair tickle my jawline but she is not done yet. Blade still in hand, she proceeds to slice through my layers of clothing until I'm left in nothing but a sheer chemise. Heat floods into my cheeks as I stare at the piles of scraps and hair below me on the ground.

"Why?" I meet her icy gaze.

"Why?" She tosses her head back, her laughing echoing in the room.

"I am no one. Just let me go back home." A note of desperation enters my voice.

"Oh, you are so much more than you know. I've waited a long time for you and now that I have you, I won't be letting you go. That's all you need to know." A wicked smile plays across her lips as she runs the flat of the blade across my side, scratching at the thin fabric separating the cold steel from my skin. She raises a hand and the same biting sensation of magic runs along my skin before I'm lowered to the ground on my hands and knees.

What magic is this? I've felt nothing like it before.

I open my mouth to retort, but feel it snap shut, the skin of my face reverberating with her magic. She walks around me in a circle, appraising me. Stopping, she runs a finger across the mark on my brow again, then frowns. Her eyes catch on the iron bracelet around my wrist.

"Ah, I wondered how he contained you." My arm jerks into the air, the familiar bracelet falling off into the queen's hands. As soon as the cuff leaves my wrist, the warmth of my magic floods my body and I bare my teeth.

Now we'll see who has me.

I reach deep into the core of my magic, willing it to shed my mortal form. Heat radiates from my star mark as my skin radiates a luminescent glow. Greed flashes in the queen's eyes as she watches me before pressing her hand once more to my forehead. A shiver runs through my body, like my veins are filling with ice, before the draw of my magical energy leaks away. I buck trying to pull away, but I'm held firm by her magic as I watch in horror the glow of my powers dance along her skin. Instantly, the small creases at the corner of her eyes and mouth smooth out, her hair takes on a golden shine. She looks as though she's turned back the clock of time. Releasing her hand from me, I fall to the ground, her powers no longer holding me in place. I am hollow, save for a small spark of magic at my core. I call to it, but it only flutters weakly inside me.

"Oh yes, you are exactly what I was looking for." She looks over to her handmaiden, Alice, standing at her side. The girl has a glassy faraway look, but she turns her face towards the queen. "It appears that looks can deceive. Have her taken to the tower, bathed and fed. I need her alive. And clean up this mess." She kicks at the pile of rags and hair around me.

Lemon!

My heart races, terror for him squeezing my gut. My limbs are heavy as if weighed down with lead, and I can't seem to lift my body up. A guard I do not recognize scoops me up and follows the little maid as we head towards the great doors, leaving the hall.