I can sense the magic being channeled through the steel of the tiny blade as it whips towards Nemesia’s heart.

It will not miss.

The pressure inside of me builds and builds—filling my stomach, my lungs, and my throat with sizzling, burning magic—until I erupt. With a screeching bellow, I force magic into and then out of me in massive amounts, thinking only that I want this all to be over. That I want my people safe and the Velmaran soldiers gone. That I want King Mazus to suffer like he made me suffer, and that I want him defeated. With a final, hoarse yell, all the magic within me pours into those desires. I won’t be able to hide the truth of my power after this, but I don’t care.

When all the magic drains from my veins, I collapse in a heap on the ground, relieved that death will finally take me.

Hawthorne

Witch Queen, Witch Queen—Leave me be

Witch Queen, Witch Queen—Set your sights away from me

Witch Queen, Witch Queen—Terrifying and fierce

Witch Queen, Witch Queen—My heart don’t pierce

Velmaran Children’s Nursery Rhyme

Three Hundred Years Later

“It’s time to wake up, sweetheart,” a soft feminine voice whispers in my ear. I grunt, not ready to wake. She persists, gently shoving me, and giggles brightly when I throw a pillow blindly at her. “As your betrothed, I must insist that you wake so we can leave these chambers together, Hawthorne Vicant.” Silene’s warm amber eyes stare back at me with absolute mischief dancing in them.

“Why do you insist on waking me so early?” I groan. Silene only grins, then rolls out of the bed and begins taking off her cloak, leather leggings, and soft tunic. I avert my gaze even though she couldn’t care less what I see. Taking a dress from the wardrobe in the corner by the bathing chamber, she laces it up with expert precision.

Glancing down at me still lying in bed, she says, laughter in her voice, “I rise early because I can’t bear to be stuck in these chambers with your stinky arse for even a second longer than necessary.” Then she throws me a damp towel, and I use it to wipe the sleep from my eyes before drawing the water out of it with my magic and shooting it towards Silene. She ducks out of the way.

“I do not smell! My hygiene is excellent, and you know it.” I stand, stretching my arms above me to release the tension from my shoulders and back from another night of poor sleep. “How was your night?”

“Fine. Nothing out of the ordinary,” she says with a shrug of her shoulders that makes my eyes roll involuntarily.