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Thorne

I made sure Marigold was safely tucked away with her nanny in the servants’ quarters before following my mother outside the grand ballroom.

“You’ve gone too far, Mother,” I said. “You have no authority in this palace. With Galen dead?—”

“Well, I certainly don’t see the Dowager Queen doing anything to stop me.

” She slowly turned, keeping her weight on her good leg as her gown swirled across the floor.

“And do you truly think that foreigner has any power here? After that sham of a wedding? Please, dear.” She scoffed.

“Nobody in this kingdom would follow her rule.”

“And you expect them to follow yours ?” I spat.

“With the support of our fellow regents, I’m sure the kingdom will come to an agreeable solution.”

I let out a derisive laugh. “How diplomatic of you, Mother. Why don’t you say what you really mean? That this was what you wanted from the beginning—yourself on that throne, even if you had to wade through bloodshed to get there.”

“No blood has been shed. You’re being dramatic, as always.” She pursed her lips as she stepped toward me. “You were involved in this from the start, Thorne. Do not forget that. ”

I stood my ground. “No. You will not keep manipulating me. You know I refused to play along once I realized what an asset Clarissa would be to this kingdom. How she could save us.”

Mother threw out a hand toward the ballroom. “And what would you call what just happened? Galen is dead !”

“She did not kill him!” I roared. “Blame the Fates, if you must. But I know she wouldn’t hurt him. You’re putting an innocent woman behind bars.”

She let out a sigh. “You have always trusted so easily, my son. So freely.” With a shake of her head, she said, “You don’t know what those people are capable of.”

“Is this some sort of twisted revenge for what Father did to us? Because he left us for Veridia?” I ground out.

She narrowed her eyes at me. “This has nothing to do with that man. I’m making the most of the situation and salvaging what I can of our kingdom.”

When she turned away from me, my anger morphed to desperation. “Please,” I said, voice cracking. I reached for her hand, clinging for any scrap, any morsel of compassion in the woman I’d loved for so long. The woman who raised me. “I love her, Mother. Don’t do this.”

Her eyes held mine, and the wrinkles on her forehead smoothed. “You do, don’t you?” she breathed out, cocking her head to the side. “Just as you loved your Iris.” Her shoulders fell, and hope soared in my chest.

“That was always your downfall, Thorne. But you will not make it mine.”

She tore her arm away.

As her decision settled over us, I straightened my spine. Resolve coursed through me. This world had taken Iris away from me. It had taken my father, my freedom, my identity.

I would not let it take her .

“Then I’ll get her myself,” I muttered, resting a hand on the pommel of my sword.

Mother’s eyes flicked to something behind me as she tsk ed. “I was afraid you might say that.” With a wave of her hand, two guards grabbed me by the arms. I tried to yank out of their hold, but their vise-like grip pinned me down.

“What are you doing?” I asked through gritted teeth.

“I love you, son, but as I said…I won’t let your heart get in my way.” She gave a swift nod.

Something slammed into the back of my head, and the world went black.