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I hobble down another long hallway before an awful scream makes my skin crawl.

“Please!” a man blubbers. “Please, I’m so sorry!”

My grip tightens around a side table. I know that voice! “Phillion?” I squeak. He must’ve come back for me. Maybe Father was furious when he heard he’d left me here and demanded he bring me home immediately.

I scramble faster down the corridor. He sounds hurt, but maybe I can help him, and then we can⁠—

My good foot slides out from below me, and I squeal as I land on my elbows with an odd splash. As I push myself up, my blood-stained face blinks back at me, reflecting in the…

I lift up a wet hand. Water? Looking ahead, I see the entire hallway is covered in puddles.

When another awful scream rattles down the walls, a gush of water spills out from a nearby door.

Shaking, I crawl towards it, pushing open the door to what should be the main living room of the manor.

But the room that greets me makes my hand smack over my mouth.

It’s the same living room I saw on my first day. Pink, gold-trimmed sofas surround a stone fireplace while soft rugs cover the floor.

The now completely drenched floor.

A familiar prince stands in the centre of the room. He holds Phillion up by his throat while water gushes from his hands over the squirming guard’s face.

Like he’s trying to kill him.

“Did you know drowning is the most painful way to die?” Lux says over him in a tone that makes all the blood rush from my head.

18

LUX

“While I don’t know for certain if that’s true, I’m sure it is rather unpleasant.” I keep my grip on the bastard’s collar, forcing more water down his throat. He’s probably crying again, but I can’t see through my conjured water and I don’t really care.

Last night while I was dancing with Eden at the ball, Castor told me he’d found the thief who’d been stealing her undergarments.

I’ll admit, when I first heard that a few of Eden’s bloomers had gone missing, I assumed it would be my brother. It wouldn’t be the first time he’d stolen underwear from a female who’d caught his attention.

But when I confronted him about it and he assured me that the thief was not in fact him, we both became as furious as each other.

It took Castor two days to find her bloomers hidden under Phillion’s mattress in the guards’ quarters and mere minutes to drag him into our living room, leaving his bruised body in chains for me to finish the job.

My fingertips were already damp by the time I left the ball and found him here. But I didn’t kill him straight away. That would’ve been far too kind.

“Did you fist your puny cock to her scent?” I hiss into his ear. “Did you let your seed spoil the cotton that had once touched the sex of my mate?”

“Please, Your Highness,” he croaks. “Please, I didn’t know they were hers!”

“Liar,” I sing as water trickles against his face.

“No, please⁠—”

“You went into her room while her servants were preparing her for bed.” Rage courses through me. “You took her underwear to satisfy your own sick urges.”

“No—”

“Nobody touches my Eden.” I let my magic pour from my fingers, gushing into his throat. His body convulses under my grip. “Nobody except for her mate⁠—”

“STOP!”