a P

espera, Isis, and Livia's f

ic room, my heart a cold, steady drum.

fingers lingered-a foreign sensation of absolute

heavy oak door and sl

orboard and pulled out a small, locked wooden box. It

round my neck. The lock clicked open with a so

. There was only a single, small red dragon crystal

d stone, a tidal wave of sorr

ve me a safe haven in a harsh world, my mother married Corbin Beaumont.

ng. Corbin was a monster

urces, he revealed his true, greedy nature. He took Vespera as his

d neglect, while Vespera orchestrated

ommitted, slowly poisoned her daily meals, and

ivid. I was seven years old, hiding w

s her cheekbone from Corbin's heavy hand. She was coughing violently into a

y tiny hands desperately clutching her cold fing

erce as she pressed the red crystal brooch into my small palm. She

er forget," she had pl

hose two daughters of hers smile with venom in their teeth. The only person you can rely

ped my eye and fell ont

who had eventually died of illness and heartb

I had finally learned

, and Livia had cornered me near the steep ravine behin

with cold, murderous intent. She didn't even hesitate; she gave her daughters

and the sickening crack of my body hitting the cliffside wer

ot die. My broken body was caught by a thick, jutting pine branch hal

deep it was indistin

ndless darkness

e my grandmother-a legendary figure I had only heard of in

l and venom arts of our true, Primordial

almost killed me-it had shattered t

gh my veins, knitting my broken bones, healing my ruptu

brooch and pinned it

I would not carry the family that

travel bag and walked out of t

riage. Just a single, terrified maid named Martha cowering

urched forward toward the volcan

rsh, but my mind w

m any village. The door opened, and the steward offered a wooden flask. His eyes

and dusty," he urged, his gaze dragging

es immediately flaring. To a no

arts, the faint, musky undertone of Weepin

nd aphrodisiac that would strip away a victim's abili

sk. "Why don't you dr

olite facade completely vani

ve you. Madam Vespera paid me good money to rape you right here on the road.

he carriage floorboard to scare me. Then he lunged forward,

y the time I'm done with you, you'll be totally ruined! When the Lord o

ened draconic reflexes, he

clamped down on his outstretched wrist and twisted vi

heer terror. I kicked him hard in the chest, sending hi

stepped out after him, and pressed my boot hea

ha was sobbing, curled in

ut here," I co

ng like a leaf. I kicked the stewa

ed, my eyes locked on

keep the secret. If you want to survive, you must prove whose side you a

t the cruel steward who had beaten,

long-suppressed hatred ignited in her eyes. With a ragged battle cr

e and went co

ng and crying, but she looked up at

n and rifled through his inner pockets. My fin

at immediately caught my attention was the heavy

Vespera had paid the steward to ruin my chastity on

he elegant handwriting read. A ruined bride is a dead bride. Do it cleanly on the ro