Cruel Queen (Crystal Castle #2) Read Online T.L. Smith

Categories Genre: Fantasy/Sci-fi, Paranormal, Romance, Witches Tags Authors: Series: Crystal Castle Series by T.L. Smith
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Total pages in book: 69
Estimated words: 66383 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 332(@200wpm)___ 266(@250wpm)___ 221(@300wpm)
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I caress my belly. How could I not have known? It’s been months, and I didn’t even stop to think that I could be pregnant. The time in this world is different from the time I spent with Max in his world, and I try to work it all out in my head. But I come up with nothing.

Cinitta checks on me often.

None of them knows what is happening. They don’t quite understand how I went from the person who was constantly moving and doing things to someone who just lies silently in bed. I think they know Grim has something to do with it, though.

“Talia.” Tatiana sits at the edge of my bed and offers me a smile as she lays her hand on my foot. “You have to talk. What happened?”

“Is John still afraid for you to be around me?” I ask.

She’s taken aback by my comment, but shakes her head. “No. He just didn’t know what to expect.”

I sit up, my back against the headboard. She goes to speak, but the air in the room changes, and she freezes. Grim appears, a weird look on his face that I’m not sure I’m ready to deal with. But a weird sense of relief floods over me at the sight of him.

“I loved him. Did you know that?” I ask Grim, and he nods. “I loved you as well,” I whisper.

“I know.” He steps closer, lifts the sheets, and climbs into bed next to me. He pulls me to him with ease, as if we were made to fit perfectly with each other. “But we have eternity together. You will outlive everyone you love,” he whispers.

I hate that thought—it sends a shiver through my body.

And I hate that I love them both.

Everything has happened so fast, and it’s all-consuming.

“You haven’t been sleeping,” he says, his hand stroking my hair. I lay my head on his chest, and I’m met with a smell that brings me more comfort than I care to admit. “I need you to sleep.” He kisses the top of my head. “I’ll stay here with you.”

I flick my gaze to my sister’s frozen form and close my eyes. And when I do, I dream of a world where everyone I love is alive, well, and happy.

As I wake with a jump, Grim holds me tighter.

“You are safe,” he says, kissing the top of my head.

“I killed all those vampires.”

“You did,” he whispers.

“Does that make me an evil person?” I ask. He remains silent. “Grim?”

“No, it just means you are more human than you thought. And sometimes humans snap under pressure.” I take his excuse and hold it close to my chest. It’s all I can think of doing.

“I have to tell them, don’t I?” I lift my head to gaze at him, and his eyes shift to my sister before they look back at me.

“That is up to you.”

“If I asked you to take me from this world, would you?”

“No.”

“Why?” I look up at him through my lashes.

“Because this world needs you more so than I do.” He kisses the top of my head, and then he is gone.

“Talia.” I turn to my sister. “What’s wrong?” she asks, and I shake my head.

“Everything,” I whisper. She moves up the bed and sits next to me. I don’t tell her that Grim was just here.

“I heard about Max.” Her expression is sorrowful. “I’m sorry. I know you two had something serious.”

“Yeah.”

“I’m sorry about John as well. He just thought—”

“That I was crazy.”

“Well, you were a little.”

“Fair call,” I say, nodding.

“That york is still out there. It keeps on forming into our mother.” I quiver at the thought. “Francis really admires you. I never thought that old bat would admire anyone.”

“Francis has been good to me. She helped restore this house,” I say, looking around.

“I wouldn’t say restore… it’s practically brand new. Nothing like what we grew up in.” She laughs.

The door opens, and Tanya spots us in bed before she walks in and shuts the door behind her. She climbs on the bed with us.

“You are both smiling. I like it.” I look to Tatiana and smile wider. “It’s good to see you both smile again. It’s been too long.” I turn to Tanya and ask, “Does Melvon hate me for killing his people?”

“They killed all of Max’s people, so no.”

“Oh my God.” I shake my head.

“So you probably did a good thing.”

“It doesn’t feel good. And his people… they just wanted a better life, and look what happened,” I whisper, sinking into the bed. “I feel like all I bring is destruction and death.”

“You don’t, not at all. You bring so much more. And you know it.” Tatiana holds my hand. “Look at my daughter. She was dead, and you gave her life. Now she is breathing and in her father’s arms, fast asleep.”


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