The Stars That Lie (Druna ☾)

Chapter 13

Luna staggered at the dining room door as Mippy tried to pull her through to an adjacent study.

"No. No, please—" She didn't want the mark. She didn't want to become a death eater. Luna would do what she had to in order to survive, but Voldemort had said nothing about making her a death eater.

Lucius appeared, sneering as he took her by the arm, squeezing so hard that tears sprang to her eyes at once. "Enough of this," he hissed. "Move, girl." He threw her aggressively into the dark study where she crashed on the carpet.

Rough fibers abraded her palms as she tried to push herself up.

"Draco!" Lucius snapped. "Get in here and hold her still. I don't have time for this." He impatiently rolled up his sleeves and whipped open a cupboard with a cauldron and various vials of potions.

Luna whimpered where she sat on the floor. Mippy stood beside her, taking her arm to roll up the blue sleeve of her dress.

"No, Mippy, please."

"Shut the door," Lucius intoned.

When the dining room door fell shut behind Luna, the room plunged into darkness, the only light coming from a green-glowing potion that Lucius dumped into the cauldron that he set upon a desk. "Over here. Now."

Hands slid under her armpits, lifting her off the floor.

"No— No— No!" Luna wriggled, but the hands clamped around her upper arms. Not quite as painful and tight as Lucius's hold had been, but steady. Unbreakable.

"NO!"

"Hold her steady, Draco!"

Lucius grabbed her wrist, wrenching her arm so fast that her shoulder nearly jerked out of socket. He began to chant something Latin and riddled with dark, wicked words.

A warm chest pressed into her back, trapping her between it and the table with the cauldron. Lucius forced her fingers into the boiling liquid first, and she turned her head away, eyes squinted shut.

"Please! Stop!"

Her wrist slipped beneath the surface of the potion next. Then her forearm. Up to her elbow, her skin was on fire while Lucius droned his chant and Draco held her captive to it all.

It was a pain Luna had never felt before. Like her skin was melting off her bones. So potent, so consuming, that all she felt was the agonizing burn as her legs nearly gave out beneath her.

"It's nearly done." The whisper was hoarse against her ear, his breath warm and sputtered. "It's almost done..." Then, even softer, "I'm so sorry."

When at last Lucius released her wrist, she fell backwards into Draco. His arms were no longer binding shackles, but her net so she did not fall to the floor in a heap.

"Mippy!" Lucius was already striding out, whipping open the door to let in the light again. "Ready her room and warn her what will happen if she wanders."

"Yes, Master," Mippy squeaked.

Luna heaved a breath and forced her eyes open. Her vision wavered, and her arm trembled as she slowly brought it up into the light.

Her arm was still there. Nothing had melted off. But the black scourge of a skull and serpent marred her moon-white skin.

The cry that slipped from her lips was nothing short of broken.

What would her father say if he saw her like this? Bearing the dark mark... Working for the Dark Lord...

"Can you stand on your own?"