I am not a queen because I rule. I rule because I am THE QUEEN.
Birthed in my heart. Alive in my veins…
***********************
‘‘I was pinned to the dining table, trapped beneath a circle of questions and hungry stares. Their faces loomed, demanding answers I couldn’t hold back. My body wasn’t mine- it moved because they willed it.
There was grime under my skin, a hollowness in my chest, and a storm in my head I couldn’t quiet-”
It appeared that Nadezhda had momentarily lost awareness of Zorgan’s presence, as her words spilled forth- her mouth wasn’t just speaking, it was bleeding.
‘‘There was a hand. That hand…it- it violated the moment in a different way. First it rested on my shoulder.
Then it moved, slowly but deliberately, until it reached my- my che-” She heaved a hot breath, not completing the statement.
‘‘I don’t even remember how I got to that bed the next morning. I must have passed out.