Page 86 of Demon Heart: The Complete Series

Her clawed swipe missed my face by centimeters.

“My magic is gone!”

She took a leap forward, trying for a kick.

Again, I dodged the landing.

“Why are you sparkling?”

I ducked a punch. “Again, good question.”

Where were her guards? She must have some guards outside the room.

She paused, catching her breath. “You really have been trained well.”

“Of course.”

“Arrogant trash.”

I shrugged, drawing my dagger.

She folded her arms. “How did this happen, Shadow? How did we get here?”

“You might want to find a mirror and take a good long look at yourself.”

She glanced to the left. “This place won’t hold me. There are too many who support my cause. Wait and see. I will be free.”

“But you’ll never be queen again.”

“Is that so?”

“Just leave it to Piper. She’ll sort things out.”

“My daughter…” She sighed, saying nothing else.

Okay, never mind this broken queen. How did I get out of here?

“I only want what’s best for everyone.”

Please shut up. “Have you seen the riots?”

No answer. My blade seemed to temper her a bit.

Good. I wanted to think, not get ready for another attack.

“Where’s the front door?” I asked.

“You won’t leave this place.”

“I’d like to try.”

“I won’t let you.”

“Oh, please. I’d really appreciate it.”

“You hateful servant.”

I ignored her, scanning the shadows. Getting Xavier and Darcy off that beach was my top priority, not enduring anymore of her shit.

How was I going to get them out of there?

“You failed me, Roman.”

I hopped from foot to foot, trying to block her out.

“Demon fucker.”

Not working.

“Failure.”

Yeah, yeah.

“Your grandmother would be so ashamed.”

Bingo. She managed to find the trigger. “And what about you? What would your son and husband think?”

“How dare?—”

“Don’t even fucking try it with me. Mention her again and I’ll?—”

“What was her name, Shadow?” She smirked, not bothered by my retort.

“Stop talking.” My grip on the dagger tightened.

“She’s better off dead.”

“Stop. Talking.” Heat flared across my face.

“To see her grandchild spread his legs for a demon and betray his queen is so much worse than death. Lucky her.”

“I swear to?—”

She came at me, cracking me in the face with a meaty right hook.

I spun, tumbling across the thin carpet.

“Crawl, Roman. Crawl for your queen.”

The dagger remained in my hand.

“You’re nothing but my dog,” she said, shaking her hand. “I made you. I am part of you. You’ll never be free of me.”

Blood filled my mouth. I spat some at her shoes. “Fuck you.”

Where the hell were her guards?

“You should love me. Only me. I am your world.”

I got back on my feet, spitting more blood.

Wow. Her punch was brutal. I was shocked to have a cheekbone left. “Where’s the door?”

“Forget the door. You’re not leaving. I’ll kill you, your friends, everyone else who crossed me. Mark my words.”

“Show me the?—”

She came at me, screaming a flurry of curses. I ducked two consecutive punches, driving the dagger into her right eye.

She howled. I yanked the blade free.

“Roman!”

Rage slammed into me, taking over my body just like it’d done with Una.

“Help me!” Margarite wailed, trying to run away.

I grabbed her, this woman who’d been my everything, now a target for my hate, spun her to face me, sticking the blade into her stomach.

Seven times.

Blood oozed from her wide-open mouth and destroyed eyes. She tried to speak, a dying gargle coming out of her instead.

It reminded me of my grandma’s last breath.

She attempted one final grab. I shoved her back, half of her body disappearing into the darkness with a heavy thud.

Silence followed.

The guards still didn’t come.

I stared at her feet, every breath agony. “What have I done?”

Tears broke free, my chest on fire.

I’d killed her. I’d killed the queen.

Oh my God.

Oh my fucking God.

I waited to be whisked off to the lake again, for something else to happen. Desperate for it. I’d rather be on that icy shore than here, drowning in sorrow and confusion and horror.

I’d killed her.

I’d really killed.

But nothing happened. Nothing whisked me away.

Move your feet!

The door. Find the door, get out of here, don’t succumb to the rising dread.

I can do this.

I can do this.

Oh, God…

Margarite groaned as she sat back up, her body lighting up with dusty sparks.

My stomach dropped, jaw ready to hit the floor.

Golden eyes flared to life in the shadows. “Roman?”

This isn’t happening.

“Why am I sparkling?”

“I—”

“Why am I alive?”

Please tell me this isn’t happening…

“And what can I do for you?”

Huh?

“How can I help you?” she added.

Voices in the dark, a lock clicking. Light spilled into the room, a chorus of yelling following.

Two men in balaclavas appeared, either side of Margarite.

“Your Majesty?” one of them said. “We’re here to save you.”

“Why is she sparkling?”

“And she’s injured. What the fuck is going on?”

Eyes fell on me, the queen pointing at me.

“That’s him!” someone called from the dark. “The Shadow guy.”

“What can I do for you?” Margarite asked again.

“She’s under some sort of spell,” the guy on her left said.

“There’s no magic, though.”

Okay. I’d spent too long in this room. I moved, aiming for a gap next to the man on the right, ready to fight my way through.

“Grab him!”

And then the room filled with bodies, someone taking a baseball bat to my skull.

I went down hard, pain exploding in my head, tumbling into unconsciousness.

Shit!

Not again!