Queen Rising by Danielle Paige Page A

her mother and pleaded with her. “Please,” she whispered.
    Margot’s mother shifted away and looked up at the North Lights. She had no attachment to her children, so how could she understand their attachment to each other?
    â€œPlease,” Margot repeated, so loudly that some of the other parents turned and looked at her. It hurt her to ask her mother anything, but the prospect of losing Go made her forget every bit of her pride. She gripped her brother’s hand tighter.
    â€œFind someone who will take both of us. It is the only thing I will ever ask of you.”
    Her mother smiled a smile that Margot knew well. One that dismissed Margot’s protests, one that meant her mother was going to do whatever she thought was best.
    Margot knelt down next to her brother knowing that she had no time left for bargaining. It was time for making promises. It was time for good-bye.
    Her brother cast his long lashes in her direction. He looked from her to Prince Lazar on the balcony to the purse of coins their mother now held. What was happening was finally sinking in.
    Margot had always hated disappointing him in small ways. There was never enough food to eat in their home. There was never enough of anything, but they had always had each other. Now they would not have that.
    â€œNo, you can’t do this,” Go said, looking at their mother.
    She glanced down at him and pat him on his head.
    â€œYou don’t know how lucky you are. One of my babies is going to grow up in a castle.”
    â€œI am not your baby,” he bit back, sounding much older than his four years.
    Margot knew she needed to make this right, as much as she was able to. “Listen to me, little man. You are going to spend some time learning all about this castle. You’ll find out where the best hiding places are. And when I come back next month, you’re going to show me, okay? I’ll visit you.”
    Go opened his mouth to protest again, but Margot spoke over him, pulling him close.
    â€œNo arguments. This is how it has to be for a while. But I will always come back for you. I promise you.”
    She could feel his small arms clinging tighter to her neck, and when his wet cheek met hers she didn’t know where his tears ended and hers began. She felt the air between them again as their mother pulled them apart and handed Go off to a soldier who carried him away.
    The ache was physical now. Margot sank to the ground, not caring as another set of arms picked her up. It was the soldiers who were lifting her, and pushing her toward her mother.
    â€œFeed her something in the interim. The girl is all bones.”
    Her mother laughed. The idea of feeding her own child was humorous to her.
    Then, Margot’s mother dragged her out of the courtyard and back out into the day.
    â€œI’ll take her,” a voice chased after them as they made their way down the winding road in front of the palace. The voice belonged to a strange looking treelike creature that could only be a witch.
    Margot’s mother stopped in her tracks, and Margot almost fell from the change in momentum.
    â€œHow much do you want for her?”
    Margot’s mother let go of her hand and looked at the witch. “How do you expect me to let go of my last child?” But she took a step toward the witch, ready to negotiate.
    When their business was done, her mother turned to Margot.
    â€œYou should thank me. Today I have taught you something that you were bound to learn eventually. There is no such thing as family. Your father left me and I am leaving both of you.”
    â€œI will never leave Go,” Margot replied.
    â€œThen he will leave you. It’s how it works. We try, but we fail. Love is an illusion. Only this is real,” Margot’s mother said, clutching the purse with more passion than any hug she had ever given either of her children. “I have saved you a lot of time and tears. You do not believe me now, but