Black Sun

Thirty-Two

Nox Palace, Venus

DOONE

After being put on the ships, guards watch Doone and escort her home. When they reach Venus, Doone is dropped off and then dragged to the Great Hall, her parents waiting on their thrones, the looks on their faces containing pure evil. No one speaks until Doone is uncuffed and everyone besides the King, Queen, and Doone remains in the room.

"What were you thinking?" Elara hisses, standing up and pacing down the steps toward Doone.

"I-" Doone starts.

"You weren't, that's what you were thinking," Elara spits. The King says nothing, watching Elara handle Doone with an intense look on his face.

"Are you going to let me explain?" Doone drones on.

"What is there to explain?! You ran away from the ball with Prince Rafe and those lesbian princesses, and then you were taken to Mercury where your friend, Princess Adelaide killed Maven after he killed one of his brothers and his parents. Then you ran off to wherever with your little group of vigilantes. Not to mention, your brother isn't with you. Only god knows why you're back. Are you pregnant or something?"

"No, I'm not pregnant! I came back because of Petra!" Doone yells, her self-control snapping.

Everyone feels the room chill. The King even shudders as Elara stares her daughter down.

"Who said you could speak to me like that?" Elara says through her teeth.

Doone stands her ground with a level stare.

"I didn't ask, did I?" Doone replies, her voice coated with sarcasm.

Elara raises her hand and before Doone can flinch away, her mother's slender, bony fingers land on her cheek. Doone rubs the stinging area on her face as her mother walks away from her, holding her hand gently.

Anger boils under Doone's skin and she doesn't try to stop herself from bursting out.

"If you don't let me leave, let me take Datura, Jordyn, and the triplets, and marry Rafe, I'll go to the Solar Council and tell them about your sadistic torture and abuse of your citizens, prisoners, and children. I'll tell them how you don't really pay the people that work for other planets, that you just trade them, and that they are not working out of the free will!" Doone spits. Elara looks at King Vero.

"You won't," she says, her voice filled with uncertainty.

"Make me stay here, I dare you," Doone narrows her eyes and leans forward slightly, putting pressure and meaning behind her words.

The Queen makes her way to the King and they duck their heads together, quietly talking.

"Okay," the Queen says, turning around. Doone straightens and meets her mother's cold gaze with a calm and collected one. Her mother's eyes harden further, filled with a fiery rage.

"We will let you go," King Vero says standing up, and tucking his hands behind his back. "Under two conditions."

"And those are?" Doone asks, her voice quiet.

"One, you tell no one what we do here, and two you are sure this is what you want to do," King Vero says.

"What?!" Queen Elara spits, spinning on her husband.

"God's sake Elara, shut up for once in your life!" King Vero says.

Doone is shocked, she has never heard her father talk to her mother like that, let alone she's never heard them disagree.