Zoe Thanatos(93)

Zoe laced her fingers through Thea’s hands and moved her arms until they were resting carefully on her chest. With a final squeeze she let go, arranging her mother’s hands so they rested on one top of the other just below her heart.

“I’ll be with you soon,” she promised, her voice just a whisper in the clinical room. She secured the remaining two syringes in the back of her pants before turning and heading out the room for the Throne Room.





Eva was escorted by two Crown Soldiers behind the large black wall that partitioned the Throne Room. The escort wasn’t necessary but she felt it would be imprudent to suggest otherwise. They were a mere few feet from the entryway to the Nero Residence when the Soldiers stopped at the entrance to the Royal Residence. Eva said nothing as the doors opened and several Crown Soldiers stepped backwards, nodding their heads slightly in reverence to her.

One of the Queen’s ladies dressed in a traditional purple gown greeted Eva with a fixed smile.

“Welcome home, Evadine Nero. My name is Julia. Please follow me and I’ll escort you to your new residence.”

There must have been a mistake. Was she being moved to an outlying city far away from her brother? No, that couldn’t be it. Why would one of the Queen’s ladies take her to a residence outside Royal City?

When Eva did not reply, Julia turned and walked away. The two Crown Soldiers behind her motioned for her to follow. She did so, weaving past the expansive common room to a part of the residence she’d never seen before. An entire wing expanded out from the main area, and a series of smaller residences were tucked away behind closed doors spaced distantly from each other. Julia opened one of the first doors and stepped aside, motioning for Eva to enter first.

It was the size of the common room in the Nero Residence, large and impeccably decorated with sectionals of modular seating in crisp white colors, a dining area that could seat at least six people, and at least three bedrooms that branched off from the main common area. The glass walls ebbed with a soft golden light that cast a soft glow on every white surface.

“Why am I here when I have my own Residence? One that I’ve lived in for most of my life,” she reminded, looking to Julia and the two Crown Soldiers expectantly.

Julia smiled politely and bowed her head ever so slightly. “As a member of the royal family you are entitled to a private apartment in the Royal Residence. Two of the Queen’s ladies will be appointed to your residence for your personal needs. If you require anything at all please do not hesitate to request it.”

As a member of the royal family? Eva took a swift look around. While the accommodations were decidedly swankier than the considerably nice dwelling she’d grown up in, there was no escaping that she was even more in royal custody than before. And only a few doors down from the Queen at that.

“We’ve taken the liberty of moving your personal belongings from your old residence so that you can become instantly acquainted with your new home. Her Highness requests that you please change into formal dress and accompany her to the Throne Room for the official proceedings. Do you have any questions?”

She had many, but none that she would dare ask. Julia and her two escorts excused themselves from the room, leaving her alone for the first time since releasing her from the holding cell. What is going on? she wondered. There wasn’t time to dwell on questions no one but Evan could provide answers to, and he was nowhere to be seen. She quickly changed into a formal dress that had been laid out for her, probably by one of her new servants, and ran her fingers through her hair before making her way into the Royal common room.

As she entered everyone stood, their backs to her and attention on something on the other side of the room. Eva made her way through the throng of people and stopped when every head in the room bowed. The Queen entered the room from her private residence dressed in a resplendent green gown and sparkling golden crown, Evander at her side. He, too, was dressed in formal attire, and much to her surprise also wore a simple golden crown at the top of his head. In the shock of the moment she failed to bow and stood out amongst the crowd of bent heads. The Queen’s eyes were on her but her face revealed nothing. Eva knew better than to not bow in the presence of the Queen, but was too taken aback by the sight of Evan as King to remember the formalities.

Evander did not speak a word, but merely stared at her intently with bright green eyes that were set off by the Queen’s own dress. As the moment passed the Residents present in the room stood up straight again, and Eva could see in her peripheral vision several incredulous glances from the others.

Eva watched in continued fascination as her brother bowed his head to the Queen before releasing her hand and walking straight for Eva, every Resident between them parting to make a pathway for him. He embraced her in a hug and met her cheek with a chaste kiss.