A sharp sensation prickled my nerves even before I could open my eyes, rising from a dreamless sleep.

My head weighed heavy. My vision a blurry mess. And through that wobbly sense, I found myself sitting in a chair.

Ropes dug deep into my hands, holding me snug against the chair arms. Some even wrapped around my chest, shoulders, and stomach, keeping me in place.

And if that wasn't enough, my head started to pound like an angry mob trying to break down a door, or in my case, it was my skull.

I blinked harder, a soft groan escaping my lips as I tried to raise my head. My already blurry vision swirled like a whirlpool as I tried to see where I was.

After another session of hard blinking and gulping to soothe my parched throat, I could decipher the dark brown wooden planks around me. They were everywhere. Walls. Ceiling. Floor. Oh, there was a door too.

It looked like a snug, cozy wooden chamber with no window and nothing else.

I looked down at the white rope stopping the blood flow underneath my skin.

Whoever the offender was did they really think they could stop me, a seasoned veteran with a meager rope? Terrence would have laugh- Terrence! My kids!

Goodness, I had to save them!

I clenched my fingers and closed my eyes, summoning my green energy. They rushed through my veins, even reached the barrier of my skin as well. But they did not flow out as expected.

I frowned, my eyes flunging open as I stared down.

What happened?

I breathed and tried again and again and every time I got the same result. The only difference was that the pounding in my head now worsened heaps much.

A frustrated groan wrung out of my throat and I wiggled, rattling the chair in a futile attempt.

"It won't work, Your Majesty."

I froze. My gaze snapped up toward the now open door.

There stood my tall brother-in-law in all his stony glory.

"P-Prince Vance?" I gulped, hating my scratchy throat for making me stutter.

"Need water?" he said, strolling inside as if he owned the place, "Unfortunately, we don't have it available here at the moment."

"Let me go."

"Not until morning, pardon me." He slid a finger on the wall, wiping the dirt then rubbing it with his thumb.

"Why are you doing this! Hermione and Damien are in danger!"

"I'm aware."

"Then save them! They are your brother's children."

"And yours," he spoke in a colder tone.

"So?"

"So, they are tainted with your blood, spoiled with the essence of your witchy soul."

That had me pause.

"W-What?"

He looked up at the ceiling, at the dimly lit swinging candelabra acting as a chandelier. The only source of lighting in this room.

His sigh seemed tired. "Queen Esmarelda, did you really not know why I never liked you?"

"What are you talking about?"

He chuckled softly and met my gaze with hard cobalts in his eyes.

"Since the very day Terrence brought you home and introduced you as his wife, I knew I hated you. You were a threat to my throne, a liability for our kingdom, a dent in our reputation with your sully, poor status. You were a basic charity case. But they were not the real reason for my discontent toward you, although, I admit, they helped support my cause."

I licked my dry lips. "Then what's the real issue?"

"It's your witch blood," he said as if relaying a fact and it was far worse just because of that.

It was as if my blood was my fault, as if I chose to be born with it. And what if I had? What was wrong with my blood?

So I asked, "Why? What did my blood do?"

"Well, you tainted our royal blue with your murky green. You see, we blue-blood beholders used to pride ourselves in preserving our purity and strength of our blood. It was a blessing from Superior Strength to our ancestor for their stone-hard devotion toward him which demands to be highly valued and remain that way. Not to be insulted by tainted blood in our family. And you, my dear, have done a grave sin by disrespecting the blessing of Superior Strength and dared to darken our heritage further by bearing not one but two tainted souls who are unfortunately heirs to the throne. Tell me, don't you feel a little shame for this?"

I stared at him wide-eyed and utterly bewildered beyond belief.

I knew he hated me for my witch blood. But this?

A hoarse choke wrung out of my throat and I loathed that I couldn't even laugh properly.

Prince Vance narrowed his eyes. "What's the matter? Did my words seem jester to you?"

I snorted and looked up at the ceiling. "Boy, oh, boy..." I sighed and lowered my gaze to that pathetic Blue abomination. "That... is the reason you went up and beyond to harm your niece and nephew? Just because they share my blood? And you're relaying this like a proud blue goat-"

"Queen Esmarelda."

"Goodness, I can't believe this," My fingers gripped the chair arms hard as my stare grew harder. "I. Freaking. Can't. Believe. This. You dared to hurt my children so your pathetic ass can tote itself and say you saved and, what, preserved your God's so-called blessing."

"Queen, you are insulting our Sup-"

"Oh, just shut up! If your Superior Strength was so narrow-minded as you bloke then why did he even accept your brother and my bond in the first place? Why did he bless your sorry royalty with not one but two mixed blood heirs? Did you ever stop to think that? Or you just spew shit about respecting your God and don't actually have any faith in him? Is your Superior Strength only vanity for you people to use?"

"Esmarelda!"

"Don't shout! Don't you dare shout, Prince Vance. You planned to harm my kids with Lucinda using my coven people as a front. You think I don't know that? I saw your precious Lucinda talking with one of the coven folk tonight. And even before then, I have noticed how she shared looks with you in the passing, how she clings to my kids and stares at them with veiled contempt in her eyes. I just didn't think anything of it. Not until one of the maids saw her talking to someone in a hood in the market last week. Someone in a dark tribal hood."

Prince Vance stilled.

I continued. "He was your spy in my coven, wasn't he? He was relaying information about Eastern Coven to Lucinda for your ears."

"What do you mean?"

I smirked. "Don't look so surprised, Prince Vance. I have lived with you Blues for years and you think I wouldn't know who wipes the dirt under your shoes? I may not leave the palace much but I know who comes in and goes out. I have my set of eyes too, you see."

"And I assume, Terrence knows as well."

"Well, he was the one to suggest the ball. A mere ploy to catch you and your two spies in the act. He suspected you may be involved somehow in this disturbance between the two lands. What he doesn't know is that his vain brother could stoop hell deep lower to harm his family. Really, Prince Vance, don't you have any shame?"

Prince Vance didn't respond, not even bothering to look my way.

I shook my head. "You committed a great crime even your father can't save you from now and you got no remorse. Anyways, enough talking. Now, unhand me so I can go save my kids."

The way his lips twitched, my stomach coiled in a tight knot.

"You are a witch aren't you? Do release yourself."

"What do you mean? Unhand me. Now!" I tugged at the ropes and gritted my teeth as a sharp pain prickled my nerves.

He smirked and met my wide, panicked eyes. Pure and unadulterated hatred in them curdles my inside.

"Prince Vance, I swear on my blood if you did something to my kids-"

"You'll do nothing, Queen. Not until the potion blocking your energy dissipates. Not even after that." his smirk widened as I froze. "Pardon me, Your Majesty, I can't waste time any longer. I have a coven and two spoiled fruits to dispose. The world is a dirty place. Someone must do the cleaning."

He turned around and walked away. The door shut close and I remained rooted in my seat. My mind reeled over his words.

Coven.

Fruits.

Dirty.

Dispose.

Dispose...

The image of my Damien and Hermione crying amidst the dead bodies of my coven people flashed before my mind.

"No!" I screamed, "No. No. No!" I  tugged at my rope as tears washed down my cheeks. "No, please, no."

The sound of my terrible wailing echoed around the empty chamber as I thrashed for one last time and threw my head back, sheer panic and helplessness squeezing my heart tight.

This was it.

My kingdoms were going to destroy themselves.

My kids were going to die.

And I?

A worthless queen. A failed mother.

I couldn't do anything.

"What do I do Terrence's Superior Strength?" My hoarse voice mumbled as my head dropped, my whole body trembling right along with my entire world. "What can I do? Show me the way. Please..."