Page 2 of Bitter Prince

“What the hell happened here?” A deep Italian voice startled me and I whimpered, causing Phoenix to do the same. The lion’s eyes turned cold and cruel, staring us down. He took a step forward, his form darkening over us like a raincloud. I took my sister’s hand in mine and pushed her behind me. She was taller than me, but I was stronger. I’d bite him so she could run to get our papà.

“Which one of you did this?” he hissed.

Panic rose inside me. We should run. We should scream. Yet my voice was stuck in my throat. A six-year-old girl against the evil king.

“It was me.”

“No, Father, it was me.”

The voices of two boys answered in unison.

I followed the sound and found them standing in the corner. Two small shadows, unmoving. Their eyes were locked on the man.

One boy looked like his father. Same coloring. Same dark brown, almost black hair. Same harshness.

But the other… He was unlike any boy I had ever seen. His face had sharp angles. His skin was golden. His hair was darker than midnight and blue hues shone in its strands. His hooded eyes reflected the entire galaxy—a universe of its own—with stars buried deep within them.

When his gaze found mine, time came to a stop. It stood still, leaving us alone in the world.

It felt like looking up at the black velvet of the night, letting your dream swallow you. There was no sun in his eyes. There was no moon. But there were stars.

Stars that would one day shine only for me.

1

AMON, 12 YEARS OLD

Dante and I sat at the dining table, our eyes trained on our plates. Mine burned, but I knew if Father caught me crying, he’d whip me. My back itched at the thought as I felt my shirt shift across my scars.

But it was worth it to spare the little girl with crystal blue eyes and golden curls. For some reason, I couldn’t bear to see the fear in her eyes. Everyone was afraid of Father. But the thought of tears streaming down her plum cheeks had my chest tightening. Just like it had when Father hurt my mother.

Smash.

Another loud crash, and it didn’t take a genius to know there’d be a lot of broken furniture. Mamma and Father always argued. He called her a spoiled whore. She screamed for him to avenge her. I didn’t understand much of what was said, but it was hard to understand why he always yelled at her. Mamma said that a good man never raised his hand or his voice at women or children.

And yet, she loved him.

Another bloodcurdling scream tore through the castle. I pushed my chair back and stood. We weren’t permitted to interfere, but I couldn’t let him hurt my mamma. If I got the beating intended for her, so be it.

“Amon, you shouldn’t…” Dante trailed off as he looked at my face. Then he sighed and pushed his chair back too. “Fine, we do it together.”

I shook my head. “No, you’ll have to take care of Mamma.”

His jaw clenched, and I knew he didn’t like my answer. But this would be one of those times that I’d enforce the “I’m older” rule. Even if only by a few weeks.

I walked through the foyer covered in broken glass and red droplets.Blood.My heart twisted as I walked up the stairs, following the trail of destruction and the sound of angry voices. My feet carried me toward Father’s bedroom door, which stood ajar.

“How could you let him step foot in here? Our home.” Mamma’s voice cracked. “Knowing… how he treated me. Used me.”

“This had nothing to do with you.” Father’s booming voice shook the windows. At least it felt that way. “Stop being melodramatic and jealous. It is unbecoming.”

“You… you… monster. I gave you e-everything.” Mamma reverted to speaking Japanese, her sobs breaking her words. “I’m still giving you everything. And you—”

“Don’t finish that,” Father said with a threatening growl. A loud creak sounded, immediately followed by soft sobs that made my gut twist. I hadn’t eaten dinner yet, but lunch threatened to come back up my throat.

I pushed the door open, stepped into the doorframe, and froze.

Father had Mamma on the bed, his knee on her throat. Her hands were tied to the bed rail, her body bruised and bloody. Her clothes were ripped and hanging off her like rags.