Unlikely Queen (Crystal Castle 1)

Where is the sister I grew up with?

Does she not remember having to braid my hair because Tatiana didn’t have enough time to and no one taught me how to do it?

She taught me how to read, while Tatiana showed me how to fight.

I love her, even if she cannot see straight, even if she is blind. I’ll remind her where we came from and what it took for us to get here. We lost a lot of friends, we have even lost family. So it baffles me that she can sit next to the queen and break bread with her, knowing full well exactly who she is.

“I see you decided not to go the route today of locking me up in a box?” I smile at her. It’s fake. She knows it and gives me a fake one in return.

“Of course not, you are my guest.”

“And before I was your prisoner… times change fast around here.” I stand a little taller, and she lifts her hand to her neck where I can see the red outline of where my hands were around her throat, squeezing.

“Don’t be a fool. Sit. Eat. I have a surprise you will love.”

“You dead?” I ask with excitement, clapping my hands together.

She waves a hand at me. “Do not be silly. Now, sit.” She sits as she says the words.

Melvon looks at me, and I know he’s waiting for me to make the first move because in his mind we should not be here.

I’m not sure if it’s smart or stupid to walk toward that table, but I do it anyway. For one, it puts me closer to the queen, and two, it brings me even closer to my sister. I pull out the chair, one down from where the queen is located and sit. Melvon takes the seat directly next to me, staying close.

“I hope you like chocolate. We have an array of chocolate for tonight… cakes, sweets, and so much more.”

I see Tanya smiling at me, as if this is all it will take to make me trust the queen. Nothing, and I mean absolutely nothing, will allow me to trust her. She could save a baby right in front of my eyes and I still would believe it’s fake. She’s grown good at manipulation. She’s proven that time and time again. She manipulated the witches for so long that we ended up becoming her allies. And then when she had enough power, when she had the vampires and the angels, she no longer had need for the witches. I mean, can you get more powerful than an angel?

“Tatiana hasn’t changed much, has she?” the queen asks as two servants come to the table and place a plate in front of each of us. I’m unsure of the need for such a large table, because clearly, there are no other guests.

“She has,” I say, looking down to my food, then back to her. “You wouldn’t know, though. I bet your reflection is all you admire before you would even fathom someone else?”

“Are you insinuating I’m selfish?” the queen asks me.

“Of course not, I’m saying you are. There is a difference, dear,” I bite back. I watch as her face goes red, and I can see I’m making her angry. She isn’t hiding it well. But she is being extremely careful with her words and her actions right now. Why? I’m not sure.

“I do love myself, as all women should. Do you not agree, Tanya?” The queen looks to my sister for help, and my sister stares at her with glassy eyes and agrees with a nod. “Of course, my queen, you have proven that to me time and time again.”

I sit back, baffled at her words.

Who is this person talking?

My sister doesn’t talk like that, nor has she ever praised the queen.

I purse my lips, trying to hold back the smartass remark that wants to fall from my mouth. What I would really love to do is get up from the seat, walk around the table, put both my hands on my sister’s face, and scream at her, ask her what she thinks she’s doing. She has to know that following the queen so blindly is not how we grew up, and it’s certainly not who we are.

We are not followers, especially to someone so vile.

“I’ve never been so disappointed in my life,” I say to my sister.

“You shouldn’t be. Your sister is a great ally,” the queen says. “She helps when needed and has become a wonderful friend to me as well.” Her hand lays on my sister’s and she gives it a squeeze, looking at her before she looks back to me.

“Do you have her under a spell, too?” I ask, my head dropping to the side. “Because clearly, you do the angels.” I look back to where Bronik is standing at the door. “Did you know an angel can choose to want you… if he so desires? He can choose to have those feelings we get. But none of yours do because you have taken most of their choice from them, have you not?” She stays quiet at my words. “Like Bronik… I can see you want him. Do you think he would still be here if you gave him his free will? Or that he would serve you freely?”