A royal bloodline gets divided by rebels' attempted regicide, casting Alvina from her throne and into hiding, as Quinn, the bastard brother, is forced to take her place.
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Alvina was supposed to be queen, but when her coronation is abruptly stopp...
I slowly turned the knob on the door to my chambers. The door was pulled out of my hand immediately, and Aki pulled me inside by my hair.
"Where you've been?" he said coolly.
I wrapped my fingers around his wrist and tried to not cry out. "Nowhere!"
"Do you take me for an idiot, Quinn?" He walked through the sitting room and into the bedroom, throwing me onto the floor. He followed quickly, looming over me like a mountain.
"Huh? Do I look stupid to you?" He kicked me hard in the face.
"No, please, Aki, please don't," I cried and tried to shield my face. But I was already too late. My nose was bleeding.
He looked down at me and frowned. "What are you crying about? It's not like you don't deserve it. We have rules, you know. And you can't just disappear."
I shook my head and tried to crawl away from him.
"We're friends, aren't we? Isn't that what you always told me?"
"You've killed my sister. You beat me. You torture me. You just punched me in the face!" I growled back.
He straightened and frowned down at me. Then his expression turned cold. He slowly raised his fist, his breath growing heavy. His fist flew right towards my eye, and I saw stars. He kept doing it over and over. I couldn't focus on anything but the pain.
When he finally stopped, my breath was ragged. I had tried to scream. I think I did. But no one came to help me.
My eye was swollen shut, but I met Aki's gaze with the other. "Get out," I mumbled.
He rose from the floor, drying off his knuckles in his trousers before he left. He didn't even say anything, he just left.
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My right nostril was clogged. The only thing sounding through the council room was me breathing. My face was on fire. My eye was no longer swollen, but the white in it had turned blue. It looked bizarre. I had big blue, purple and yellow rings around my eyes and my nose was broken. I had cuts on my cheeks and in my eyebrows.
The councillors didn't look at me as they discussed politics and new proposals, and I didn't listen. Before I knew it, someone was touching my shoulder. I looked up ant met Charred's gaze. He was the only one left.
"The meeting is over, Your Highness."
"Right," I said hoarsely. I staggered to my feet, and Charred grabbed my arm, steadying me.
"How about we go to my chambers for some tea, Your Highness?"
I nodded tiredly, and Charred lead me to the doors. They opened, and Aki appeared behind them. I looked down at the floor.
"His Highness is expected-"
"His Highness is having tea with me. On my request," Charred interrupted and walked around Aki.
