Page 13 of Ruthless Kings of Vengeance
The black rabbit's eyes close as if in benediction, its small body dissolving along with everything else. But the warmth of it —the essential truth it represented— remains, a coal of certainty burning in my chest even as existence itself fades to nothing.
I am the Queen.
This is my game to win.
And I will write the ending, no matter what forces rise against me.
The white room vanishes completely, taking with it light, sensation, awareness...
But not my resolve.
Never that.
The universe contracts to a single point of purpose, and then?—
Nothing.
2
VOICES IN THE HOLLOW DARKNESS
~GEMINI~
Darkness cocoons me, interrupted by fleeting moments of awareness that feel like breaking the surface of deep water only to be pulled under again.
Voices penetrate the murky depths of unconsciousness, distant at first, then suddenly crisp and clear as if the speakers stand directly over me.
Each drift toward consciousness brings more clarity, though my eyelids remain too heavy to lift, my body unresponsive to commands.
"Memory loss? Are you fucking for real?"
Zander's voice cuts through the darkness first, familiar in its intensity. Though he's clearly trying to moderate his volume, anger vibrates through every syllable. The effort to contain his rage makes his voice tremble slightly at the edges.
"Of all the bullshit—" He pauses, likely noticing someone's warning glance. "How extensive are we talking?"
Silence follows, filled only by the steady beeping of what must be cardiac monitors nearby. The antiseptic scent ofhospital surrounds me, mingling with the distinct cologne I recognize as Zander's.
Someone shifts beside the bed, their warmth close enough that I can sense it against my right arm.
"It's impossible to determine exact parameters until she regains consciousness," a clinical voice responds – Marcus, his usual detachment giving way to a subtle undercurrent of concern. "The hippocampus shows significant inflammation consistent with trauma-induced amnesia, but whether that translates to days, weeks, or months missing..."
A hiss of frustration interrupts him, followed by the sound of someone pacing — rapid, agitated footsteps that match Zander's unpredictable energy.
"Why the fuck weren't we told this was a possibility?" His voice rises before dropping abruptly as if someone gestured for him to keep quiet. "The antidote was supposed to fix everything! You said?—"
"I said it would counteract the scorpion venom," Marcus cuts in, tension evident in his normally measured tone. "Which it did, considering she's breathing right now instead of lying in the morgue."
"Did you want her dead or what?"
The new voice startles me – deeper, with an edge of contempt that feels oddly personal. I recognize it instantly from our confrontation in the Leighton courtyard: Theo Ferdinand. Prince, Savage King, and perpetual thorn in everyone's side.
Why is he here?
The question forms in my foggy mind as silence stretches following his blunt question.
"That's what I fucking thought," Theo continues, satisfaction evident in his tone.
"Can you not be an ass right now?"
