I wiped his blood from my hand with a towel, the red staining the fabric, but I didn’t fucking care.
Lorenzo was dead.Dead.
And I didn’t even have to lift a finger.
I reached for the white card resting on the top of the severed head, careful not to touch any part of Lorenzo.
My name was written in an elegant sloping font on the front.
I opened the card and read.
Adreona, a special gift for you, in thanks for the gift you sent us. With Lorenzo’s unexpected death, we have arranged for the Rossi cousin next in line, Isolde, to arrive later this week. It is a Blood Court rule, after all, that the next blood relative must take the crown in the unfortunate case the current line dies without an heir. We have already sent word to Isolde, alerting her of her new title. We have scheduled her coronation for next week.
Included are the official ruling and the notice sent out to the courts.
Please welcome the new Blood Queen warmly for us. We are sorry we can’t be there, but we’ve got more important duties to attend to.
Sincerely, High Queen and King, Lennox Adair and Luka Rossi
The joy I had felt over Lorenzo’s death quickly dissipated.
The paper fluttered to the ground. I reached for it, quickly scanning over the document pinned behind the note.
The official Blood Court document ruling a consort cannot take the throne in the event of the king or queen’s death.
I quickly flitted to the next page.
Lennox Adair and Luka Rossi are saddened to announce the death of the Blood King, Lorenzo Rossi. Although he was only king for ashort time, his loss is still mourned. Isolde Rossi has been appointed next in line for the Blood Crown in the wake of his loss.
We are devastated by another loss in the Rossi family.
I didn’t bother to read the rest, I crumpled the paper in my hand, letting the ball fall to the ground at my feet.
How quickly everything could change.
A scream tore from my throat.
My body trembled as emotions rushed through me.
I threw the box with Lorenzo’s head to the ground. It flew from the box, landing with a squelch on the wood floor before it rolled, leaving a trail of blood in its wake.
The contents of my dresser went next, the glasses and mirrors shattering around me.
I destroyed the entire room.
Only when I heard the sound of footsteps tramping on the stairs did I stop.
“Miss Adreona, what has happened?”
I looked up to meet the watchful eyes of the staff as they pressed against the wall by the door, their eyes scanning the mess I had made.
I clutched Lorenzo’s severed head in my arms, pressing it against my chest as I cradled it, his blood staining my dress.
Tears streamed down my cheeks from my angry rant, but they wouldn’t know the difference.
“They’ve killed the king.” I sniffled.
“Who?” someone whispered.
