A Princess's Duty by Sloane Murphy

Author:Sloane Murphy [Murphy, Sloane]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Sloane Murphy
Published: 2018-10-21T18:30:00+00:00

I OPEN MY EYES FROM my crouched position, the pounding in my head makes it hard to see. But not hard enough that I can’t see it. The blood. It coats my hands and arms, the floor beneath me. I lift my head, my hair flinging behind me is matted, but now I see it all.

What have I done?

There are bodies scattered across the floor, some dismembered, some unrecognisable. I try to stand, but my legs fail me. This couldn’t have been me. I wouldn’t do this. That’s when I feel Cade behind me, I spin around to face him, feeling as feral as I’m sure I look.

“What did you do?”

“Oh, I didn’t do anything, Emilia. This was all you.” There’s a smug smile on his face and I want to wipe it off. My rage flares and it’s like a whole new beast I’ve never felt before. My fire comes to the surface, and my eyes glow.

“You’re lying. You did something. You must have. I wouldn’t have done this.”

“No, Emilia. This is the reality of being what you are. We all have a monster inside of us, yours just hasn’t come out to play before. There’s more to you than you know, than any of us know.”

Tears of anger and frustration run down my face, and I can almost taste my fear at his words. This can’t be who I really am. Yes, my kind might be cruel by nature, but this is not who I am. I don’t want to believe it, even as the memories from last night filter in. The nectar. King Adriel’s words about me being who I really am. No. I won’t believe it. I stand and face him, pulling on my anger to strengthen my shaking legs and keep me strong.

“Then why don’t I remember? How do I know any of this was really me? This could all be a ruse as a way to try and break me.”

“That would be the nectar. You did exactly as my father predicted. Exactly what he wanted. You showed us the real you. The one you hide inside, buried deep. Turns out when you let your monster come out to play, when you let go of your high standards and your graces. Thinking you were better than the rest of us.” His cruel words cut me, but I can’t believe I did this.

I look at him closely, and his eyes give him away. He doesn’t mean his words. I’m not sure when I started seeing him properly again, but I know in this moment, the connection Cade and I once had is still there.

I cross my arms, the blood still coating my blue dress looks almost black, but I try not to think about it too much. “I did not do this, Cade. And you will not convince me otherwise.”

“I told you she wouldn’t fall for your stupid test, Mother,” Rowan calls from behind me, and I see him and Lanora entering the room, barely even noticing the death and destruction before them.

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