Queens (The Female #5)

Prologue

CASSIA

A SCREAM TEARS from my lips, so loud and raw, it feels like my throat is shredding.

It’s all I can think to do. It’s the only noise I can think to make.

Dad’s here within a second. One blink and he’s in front of me, appearing out of thin air in the way I’ll be able to do when I’m older and stronger. My other fathers appear within two more blinks.

Somebody grabs me, pulling me away from the body.

Is it real? Luca’s body is twisted, and his leg isn’t where it should be. He should be crying. Why isn’t he crying?

That’s not right.

There’s another scream, this one from Mom. She’s running out the back door, tripping over my prized pile of rocks in the process. I like to stack them on the patio. I’m not supposed to. I don’t listen.

For the first time in my life, nobody catches Mom. She slams hard against the ground, but she’s up again in a heartbeat. I barely get a whiff of her floral perfume as she sprints past me.

There’s more screaming.

I’m pulled farther away, dragged inside by a shadow. The household servants are quiet, but quick. A slight turn of my head confirms it’s my tutor. She’s not looking at me. She’s looking at Luca.

I fight against her, not wanting to go inside. I want to hear Luca cry. My baby brother is always crying, and I don’t understand why he isn’t now. What’s wrong with him?