Chapter 4

After the engagement ceremony, word of that day's little drama spread through the castle like wildfire.

In public, everyone maintained a facade of normality, but behind closed doors, whispers proliferated. The marriage, they said, had been doomed from the start; Alex, it was clear, harbored no genuine feelings for his bride.

Alex had been thoroughly humiliated that day, and it was a given that he wouldn't be darkening Ella's door anytime soon.

But how could a witch who had only just come into her powers endure being cooped up in her room all alone? My dear sister would simply have to find her own way to pass the time.

But I was in no mood to laugh. The Soul-Mate Rite had been interrupted, and my body could wait no longer.

I had planned to wait until I returned to the witches' enclave and find some random man to ease the ache. But that night, the magic inside me grew too wild, too fierce to contain.

I slipped away to the garden behind the castle. There, I encountered a man passing by. My magic, surging beyond my control, lashed out and pinned him to the ground.

Having tasted a man for the first time, I found I couldn't bear to let go. I stayed with him until dawn, and even then, I rose reluctantly, still aching with a hunger not yet fully sated.

His dark eyes held mine. "You've got some nerve," he murmured. "Spending the night with a stranger without even knowing my name?"

I didn't much care what he thought. I pulled my clothes back on and turned to leave. "It was mutual, so what's the big deal? Anyway, thanks for the... entertainment."

He looked as if he wanted to say more, but I was already gone, leaving behind only the tangled evidence of our night pressed into the grass.

*****

Back in the palace, I was just about to rest when I heard muffled moans drifting from Ella's chambers.

I rolled over, annoyed. So, Alex had finally decided to pay her a visit?

Seriously, Ella was acting like she'd never been with a man before.

The girl sharing my room muttered under her breath, "She's completely lost control. Is that any way for a future queen to behave? She's making all of us witches look bad."

I closed my eyes, letting the thought settle. Then, something clicked.

The vampires had their own rigid customs. Tonight was the night of the new moon, which meant Alex was obligated to be at the Council of Elders.

By all accounts, he should have left ages ago.

So, who, then, was in Ella's room?

A chill traced its way down my spine.

I knew Ella was bold, but I never imagined she would be this reckless.

She was obsessed with how, in our previous life, I had given birth to the Pureblood Heir and secured my place as queen.

She had always believed herself superior to me in every way, so she was convinced she could produce a Pureblood Heir with no trouble at all.

But Alex hadn't so much as set foot in her chambers for weeks. How, then, was she supposed to get pregnant?

She was trying to get pregnant by someone else! The realization hit me with the force of a physical blow.

She had well and truly lost her mind.

But if anyone found out, all the witches would be dragged into this mess.

I swallowed my shock and quietly turned over.

She had made her own choices. Whatever came next, she would have to face the consequences.

It had nothing to do with me.

With that thought, I settled in to sleep.

But my stomach churned, a strange sensation, as if something were swimming deep within me.

I pressed a hand to my stomach, and the sensation faded.

I told myself it must have been something I ate. It would pass by morning.

But having carried a child in my previous life, I knew this feeling all too well. A dark, ominous premonition washed over me.

The man from tonight flashed through my mind again, his face hazy, just beyond reach.

Could it really be...

No. That would be too much of a coincidence. I shook my head, dismissing the thought.