Sinclair, Lilac, and the guards—two of whom still aimed flaming arrows at her hut. She dropped the bottle and jerked toward the nearest trembling soldier waiting to shackle her, causing him to seize and stumble over himself. With a sharp laugh, she rolled her eyes and stomped out of the guards’ circle, seeing herself into the carriage. One of Sinclair’s men followed closely behind her until she clambered inside, while the others turned to fetch Garin.
Lilac watched in mute horror as they kneeled to yank his arms out from under him. After doubly securing his wrists behind his back with thick shackles, they tossed his body in after Adelaide, then mounted their own horses. Garin’s stolen horse was then secured to the back of the carriage.
“Let’s go.” The guard at Lilac’s elbow removed his own set of chains from his belt, but Sinclair made a noise.
“She’ll ride with me.”
“Sir—”
“Leave her, Arwen. Anything else she tries will only count against her.”
Growing heated now, she yanked away from Arwen. “Count against? You have no right to tally against me. Once I’m queen—”
The corner of Sinclair’s mouth turned down in pity. “Perhaps you don’t know,” he chided, “quite how this works. There’s enough evidence of treason against you to have your entire family locked away. I’m only here searching for you because it is my duty, otherwise I’d be completely fine with you being lost to the Darklings forever. Your chance at becoming monarch has long sailed. You’ll now be my queen. The queen consort, technically.”
Consort, she thought, blood boiling. Never.
“Treason? You left me for dead with a vampire!”
“That vampire, though? That one there?” In a fit of rage, he suddenly reached down and gripped Lilac’s chin. Instinctively, to save her own spine, she allowed him to forced her face toward the wagon. “The one that kidnapped you back at my camp? Taking him to bed is an odd way of showing contempt.”
Anger and confusion flashed over Lilac’s face before she could catch herself. She’d skipped a beat for less than a split second, but it was enough for Sinclair to notice.
“Did I forget to mention? Sable and Jeanare send their well wishes.”
“What did you do with them?” Lilac demanded.
“They’re safe at home. For now, until court calls for their arrest and execution. That will be fun to watch, no?” He held his hand out to her while Arwen led the last steed closer before mounting the driver’s seat of the carriage. “Come now.”
She swallowed thickly, her throat locked. Thanks to Garin, Jeanare had no recollection of their visit, and Sable couldn’t possibly have said anything. Unless it was urgent. Unless it was to spare their lives.
“Never.” Lilac’s lips trembled as she spoke in quiet fury. “I’ll have your head for this. My parents would never agree.”
“But they’ve already welcomed me into your family, my sweetheart.” He raised his eyebrows, as if in disbelief that she could think otherwise. “You made your stance quite clear when you disappeared, which I now know was of your free will.”
Lilac began to shake, her skin crawling with both hot and cold. It was all she’d ever wanted—to become the queen. The witch’s letter had suddenly inspired her seek freedom, made her believe she could become a leader her parents and kingdom would be proud of. After her time in Brocéliande, her hopes and dreams for reform included the Darkling community as well.
Now, none of those aspirations would come to fruition.
Sinclair sighed pityingly once more. “You poor, tiresome little thing. You’re not in any kind of trouble. Not if you comply. Your parents and your kingdom—our kingdom, awaits. Come now.”
Lilac stared numbly at the Marquis’ outstretched palm. Behind him, the expanse of marsh suddenly appeared vast and empty. A soft breeze tangled the waterlilies in the reeds and ruffled wisps of her hair, which no longer smelled of lavender sprigs, nor of Garin. This feeling, the gaping void in her chest, was agonizing. It was familiar and foreign all the same. She was the furthest thing from an untamable, feral flame; no, she was but an ember in a sputtering fire.
For the first time since she’d escaped into the Brocéliande wilderness, she felt small.
Insignificant.
And alone.
Managing to nod, Lilac detachedly placed herself into the very arms that had once pinned her down so that their owner could attempt to take everything he’d wanted and more. Despite how hard she fought, it seemed that he would succeed in the end, after all.