Page 33 of Queens

Aziel has made it painfully clear he doesn’t see me ever ruling Wrath, so I don’t see the point in trying. No amount of effort will earn me my birthright, not unless I take the kingdom with force. I could attempt a coup, but that’s too far—even for me.

I would have to hurt Aziel, maybe even kill him, and I have no interest in that.

I hate him, but that’s not the emotion I feel deep down. I love him, and it’s infuriating.

I shouldn’t love Aziel, not after he’s denied me the only thing I’ve ever wanted. I have no idea who I am if not the future leader of Wrath. I may be the heir, but that doesn’t mean anything. If Mom chooses to have more children, specifically ones fathered by Aziel, I could lose everything. They may not be the firstborn, but nothing is stopping Aziel from giving them his title instead.

He could cast me aside, and there’s nothing I could do to stop it.

I roll onto my stomach, hating how pathetic I feel. They’ve taken everything from me, and I mentally picture ripping every member of my family apart as I sob into my pillow. I’m unable to stop the tears, even as the scents of Mom and Aziel infiltrates my bedroom.

Why are they here? I want to be left alone. I want to disappear into my sheets.

I turn, watching from the corner of my eye as Mom scans my vanity and grabs my hairbrush. I refuse to acknowledge her, even as she climbs into my bed and slides her hand down my spine.

“Sit up, Cassia,” she murmurs. “Your hair needs brushing. The mats are back.”

I hesitate, debating rejecting her help before pushing myself up into a sitting position. Mom makes herself comfortable at the head of my bed, then guides me to sit between her legs so she has easy access to the back of my head.

I ignore the quiet, frustrated tut she lets out when she sees how matted my hair has become. She explicitly instructed me to brush it daily when she came here earlier this week. I didn’t listen.

“I’m forgot,” I lie.

Mom hums. “Don’t worry. We’ll get you fixed up.”

I can only imagine the horrible things she’s thinking about me. Does she think I’m a failure, too? Does she secretly hate me for not being able to kill Mammon? I was doing it for her, too.

Aziel stands beside my open bedroom door, his arms crossed over his chest and his expression unreadable. I don’t want to know what he’s thinking. I don’t care. My anger mounts when his face shifts into an unmistakable look of pity. I don’t want his fucking pity.

“What do you want?” I snap.

He’s not welcome here, and he knows that. I don’t care to speak to him—or even look at him.

A long beat of silence stretches before Aziel speaks. “You haven’t left your bed in almost three weeks. We’re worried about you.”

I extend my arm and jingle my bracelet. If he’s so worried, he can take my damned leash off. He’s chained me like a dog, and if he wants to see me happy, he can remove it.

Aziel blinks. He’s just as stubborn as Silas, if not more. Gray and Mom will be my best bet at reclaiming my freedom. They’re the soft ones, and they’re easy to win over.

I pick at my bedsheets, needing to do something with my hands.

Aziel shifts, leaning against the edge of my desk. I hate how he’s looking at me, and I refuse to acknowledge him as Mom brushes through my knots. I’ve always had unruly hair, the thick, wavy strands prone to tangles.

I needed help caring for it for most of my childhood. Mom, Gray, or Silas would brush it almost every evening. Aziel lost privileges after accidentally giving me a small bald spot when I was eleven. I’ve never forgiven him.

“Come to work tomorrow,” Aziel finally says.

I scoff, unable to hold back the noise. “I’d rather not.”

“I’m not asking.” Aziel cocks his head to the side. “You have a job to do. The work hasn’t vanished just because you left. People have stepped up to fulfill your tasks, but they can’t manage them indefinitely.”

“Then hire somebody to do them.”

“No.”

“Yes.” There’s a sharp bite to my voice that I don’t bother holding back. “You’ve made it abundantly clear that I’m never going to lead Wrath, and I’m not particularly keen to continue wasting my time.”

My voice cracks, but I don’t care. I don’t care about much of anything anymore. I’ve spent my entire life dreaming about leading Wrath, and Aziel swept the rug out from underneath me the first time I made an important decision without his explicit permission.