Prologue
WHY? Why did you accept this with a smile?
The question burned within me like a flame even though I knew the answer. I didn’t dare voice it aloud, lest I ruin my carefully crafted facade.
My name was Luxeria von Ausgrid. I was a newly crowned queen, having just ascended the throne of the Federal Kingdom of Ausgrid. Standing before me was Wilhelm Radford, son of the marquess Lord Radford—and my fiancé. At this very moment, we were in the midst of our wedding ceremony…but neither vows nor rings would pass between us.
No, what linked us together now was a red sword. The blade had pierced right through him.
“Aiiieeeee!”
After a moment of silence, screams tore throughout the halls. The terrified shrieking was hardly fit for a wedding; that much was obvious. After all, the bride had just stabbed the groom. But the screams felt terribly far away, as if I were on the outside looking in.
I watched Wilhelm collapse to the floor, then turned to the chaotic hall. Caution, fear, shock, and anger rolled toward me in waves. Why, a bride should never have been the target of such emotions on her big day! A smile curved my lips ever so slightly.
“Silence,” I declared. Though I did not speak loudly, my voice resonated through the chamber. A few guests stood and tried to run, so I followed up with, “To your seats, everyone.”
Despite it being my first command after taking the throne, some refused to comply. Or, more specifically, they couldn’t comply. They stood stupefied at the sight of Wilhelm and me, unable to process what had transpired.
I couldn’t move on if I just let them be, so I gave the order again in a firmer tone: “What are you doing? To your seats. Now.” They snapped out of their stupor, realized they were the only ones standing, and rushed to sit down.
“A word, Your Majesty!” A voice other than mine reverberated through the silent hall. It belonged to Vixen Radford, Wilhelm’s father and head of House Radford.
“What is it, Lord Radford?” I asked as I sat on my throne.
“Why did you kill my son?! Tell me!” he bellowed, his eyes dark with hatred. The entire crowd seemed to agree.
“Why, you ask? Of all people, you dare question me? I should be the one asking questions here, Marquess.” I sucked in a breath and faced Vixen Radford head-on. “Why did you betray the royal family?”
At long last, the curtains had risen on my revenge.