Page 27 of Uncrowned

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“You killed my parents. …You already did.”

CHAPTER 10

Vaughn

Not anyone could be a queen. There was a certain aura of power one had to hold to wear a crown. It wasn’t a fight—it was a forging. A mix of push and pull. Submission and dominance. It was knowing when to use a sword or silence. And it wasn’t a role most could fill. You had to have the strength to stab or the discipline to be ready and do so when the time came. Royalty was resilient. It was steady and waiting.

“I’ve given you time. Five minutes, to be exact. You’ve been kidnapped. Your parents have been killed. Your captor is threatening to retrieve you. You’re too hurt and weak to physically win against him in a fight. Use your mind. Your instincts. What do you do?”

“Go to hell.”

“Not without you.”

Her eyes flickered, softening for only a moment. Her lips parted through her pause.

“I don’t want to come down.”

“That’s not what I asked you. You will come down. I’ll get you myself. Answer the question.”

Penelope swallowed hard, turning more towards me as she let go of her legs and lowered her feet to the step below.

“Think, Penelope. You’re here. I’ve taken you and killed your parents. You can’t fight me and win. You can’t escape. I’m threatening to go up there and bring you down. What. Do. You. Do.”

The deepness in my tone had her gripping to the stair. She kept her arms tight against her thighs as she held on. Seconds passed and she eased to her feet.

“I’m scared. I don’t want to go down there.”

“You should be scared, but you don’t have a choice.”

Hesitation, but she took a step down.

“What if you hurt me?”

“I killed those who hurt you.”

Another step.

“That doesn’t mean you still won’t hurt me. You said you’d force me down if I didn’t listen.”

“That is true. And I will.”

She didn’t move. She stayed on the step, waiting.

“How… How did you know they hurt me?”

“Because Lord Allford told me what he did to you before I killed him. Your father has a history of hurting you. I suspected, and I was right. He did.”

Tears raced down Penelope’s cheeks, and she quickly reached up and wiped them away. When the sob came, she stood straighter. She didn’t cower. She didn’t fall apart. Perfect. Fucking perfect.

Another step closer.

“Lord Allford…” Another step. “He told you what he did to me?”

“He did.”

Another step.