The Red Queen Read Online Free PDF Page B

Which one wanted her more?
    But instead of showing desire, their eyes held identical pain and wariness. If it weren’t for the undeniable tenderness dwelling in the depth of their sadness, she’d have thrown her plate at them. They made her feel like she was eating at her own funeral. Suddenly, the memories of attending the funerals of Orlando, Marloes, and her other loyal warriors flooded back. With that piece of memory, grief struck her. No! She wasn’t equipped to deal with that amount of sorrow and guilt. She must put them in a box, as Kian had advised.
    “Where is the box?” she demanded. Grief kept hitting her. It was too much!
    Everyone looked puzzled, and then traded nervous glances.
    Lucienne tossed her fork onto the table. It clanked. “You all look at me as if I’m crazy,” she hissed. She was also humiliated that the boys didn’t desire her as she’d wanted. “Did I ask any of you to pity me?”
    “It’s not pity, Lucia,” Vladimir started. “I—”
    “You’re a liar,” she said.
    “Lucia.” Ashburn reached her. “I don’t know about him,” he said over Vladimir’s growl, “but I’ve never lied to you. Look at me and see the truth.” 
    She peeked into his eyes. Their color shifted from ice blue to silver gray with thick emotions, which made her pulse quicken. His young male musk distracted her more. It was calling her to him, tugging her toward him. Her eyes brightened. There was something between them, and it was lovely and lush. She put her palm against his face, her anger whiffing away. “I want you, Ash,” she said.
    Ashburn sucked in a breath. She knew he shared what she felt. He wanted her even more than she did him. Then what was he waiting for? Shouldn't he start kissing her?
    Vladimir shoved Ashburn away and cut in between them. “Lucia, you’re tired,” he said. “I’ll take you to your bedroom.”
    “No, you won’t take me anywhere.” She didn’t even look at him, her eyes fixing on Ashburn. “And I’m far from tired.”
    Vladimir turned to Ashburn and gave him a blunt order, “Leave.”
    “Like hell I’ll leave her in your incompetent hands,” Ashburn shot back.
    “She isn't herself,” Vladimir said through clenched teeth. “The thing in you is making her worse.”
    Ashburn turned to Vladimir, eyes narrowed in fury. “The thing in me?”
    Lucienne also glared at the Czech.
    “You know exactly what I mean,” Vladimir said.
    “Who caused her to be like this?” Ashburn asked.
    They talked about her as if she weren’t here, as if she were a weak girl. How dare they! She was …. Who was she? The vague recollection of her role came into focus. She was the Siren? Yes, and a terribly powerful one. She must show them that, but how?
    Something in her consciousness twinkled, but then slipped through her grasp. She studied the boys closely, desperate to find clues. The veins in Vladimir’s temples jumped. Guilt and self-loathing darkened his hazel eyes, diminishing the remaining light in them—it was scarce already. The guilty one , she realized. Ash had said Vladimir had caused her harm. If so, he deserved to be punished, but she needed to find out what kind of harm he’d done her.
    “She’s better off without you,” Ashburn said. “Why don’t you do us all a favor? Get off this island and disappear.”
    “Want to get rid of me?” Vladimir laughed viciously. “It won’t happen. I stick to her. You, on the other hand, should get lost.”
    Earlier on, she’d worried that none of them found her attractive, but that had been baseless. Look at how they were fighting for her! She couldn’t help but curl her lips in a grin.
    “I know all about your dirty secrets,” Vladimir said, a menacing smugness flashing in his eyes. “Yes, I know what that thing in you has been doing to her. Even now you’re influencing her. Remove yourself this second, or I’ll remove you myself.”
    The thing in Ash? What was the Czech prince talking about? She did feel an