Page 155 of Uncrowned

Even as I tried to process all I had learned, I wasn’t sure I’d ever be able to grasp the true significance of just how many levels of humanity existed. What most viewed as the baseline for ‘bad’ probably wasn’t even permissible to The Order. I wasn’t even sure most could comprehend just how dark the world could go. We sacrificed regularly. Masters ate babies. They killed slaves in the vilest ways they could manage.

Were all of the Masters like that?

I didn’t think so, but what did I know?

Nothing.

I knew absolutely nothing.

If I wanted to be queen. If I wanted Vaughn. I had to know it all…

CHAPTER 53

Vaughn

I wasn’t sure what I expected when I started sleeping with Penelope again. The first few nights had been what dreams were made of—her, me, our bodies entwined with lovemaking sessions that lasted for hours. But the bliss couldn’t override the horrors that lived inside of her.

“No! No! Vau—Vaughn! No!”

The terror in the tone, the explosive screaming… for the second night, it pulled me from a deep sleep, sending me into a panic as I twisted to reach for Penelope. She was thrashing, twisted in the sheet as she tried to fight her way free. The door flew open and guards raced in, turning on the light as they did.

Sobs and screaming filled the room as I untangled a confused and anxious Penelope. The moment her arms were free, she was pulling around my neck, climbing into my lap. I waved the guards out just as I had the night before, fixing the blanket up around her as she continued to shake through the cries.

“Shhh, love. I have you. You’re okay.”

“I-I’m n-not.”

“You are. You’re in my arms. You’re safe.”

“They got me.” More sobs. “They had me and Marian and they—they hurt us, but then I left her. I can’t believe I left her with them. I’m a horrible friend. I hate this. I-I want her gone. I want her to leave here.” Penelope broke all over again. “I c-can’t bear it.”

“You can and you will.” My jaw tightened as I rocked her and held her tighter. “We talked about this. You know the reasons why. There is no other way. If we want to set things right, we need her reborn. She must be strong. The sort of strength she needs does not come with training. It comes from trauma. You didn’t do this, I did. Even if you would have fought me, threatened to leave, never spoken to me again, my decision would have been the same. You’ve chosen your future, and that future is me. Sacrifice is the weight of the Crown. Accept.”

“It hurts.”

“I know. Now say you accept.”

More sobs. “I accept. That does not mean I like it. I hate it.”

“I know.”

She sniffled, snuggling her face into my neck.

“How much longer will she be here?”

“I’m to meet with the men today.”

Penelope flew up from my neck. “Men? What men?”

“Bram Whitlock, Elec Wexler, and Drayton Pennington. They’ll come for her in a few hours.”

Terror. Relief. The two morphed into hesitation as I watched Penelope fade from the room into her thoughts.

“I want to be there.”

“I don’t⁠—”

“Please. Vaughn, please. I have to be there.”