Blood Consort (A Beauty Like You, Book 2)

Wishes

Sooo the best part about writing these first few chapters is that bits and pieces of these scenes have been in my notes app for a while, I really needed to just take the time to piece them together. Because of that, I got halfway through chapter 3 already because I was writing it as chapter 2 and then realized chapter 2 would've been like 5,000 words and I can't spoil you too hard or you'll start expecting 5k chapters 😜 lol I love y'all-anyway I hope I've sufficiently spoiled you with the somewhat quick update and the next chapter also probably being done pretty soon. The least I could do after dropping off the face of the Earth lol! Enjoy~ 💕

...

Keith came for them in the early hours of the morning.

The walk was quiet. The anticipation hung thick in the air and forced his limbs to drag through molasses just to move-but there was also a stark lack of care. Yes, he wondered a great deal about what he was about to face, and yes, he worried about it.

But he also...didn't.

This was so beyond him. He'd seen battle not long ago. He'd saved Earth. He'd watched Zarkon be murdered by Allura. He'd watched Haggar be killed by her own son, who loved her as a mother even still. He'd watched his lover die, stricken by the same mother he held so dear. His body had been so...empty. His eyes so flat. No clever, witty words on his tongue. No twitching in the fingers that always itched to sketch a detail, scribble a note.

Lance shivered coldly as the heavy doors opened, the sound echoing boldly throughout the room.

He'd lost himself somewhere in the hall-in the way the loss of his love felt. The way the world had well and truly been empty for those moments. He'd wanted to steal his own breath just to see Lotor's rise and fall again.

His mind reeled-he didn't feel present. He felt...there again.

Felt the violet lightning.

Felt reality invert.

Like putty in his hands.

Fire shot up his spine at the thoughts-he'd reached for White's power without meaning to, and it had come. Now, he had to stamp it down-and somehow come to focus again.

It was overwhelming. Being between worlds. One of his deepest sorrow, and one of incredible tension. He felt himself being pulled as tight as a bowstring.

Lotor was too far away for Lance to seek solace in him.

The hours sailed by in a fury of questions from the Senate-picking and prodding and hoping to find a shiny red button they could press.

Watching was difficult. Allura-who he was seeing for the first time since she'd killed Zarkon-was given a verbal lashing as she was perceived to be the instigator of the lions' recommissioning. Shiro was crucified on the stand on everything from Zarkon's battle for control of Black, the Kuron, and his relationship with Adam, who had defied the Garrison.

"Lance McClain, is it true that you defected from the Voltron team?" General Aratus was loud and seemingly happy with the proceedings thus far.

Lance kept a straight face. "Yes," he said. Clear, concise, and no room for manipulation. Maybe at one point in his life he might've offered more, but he'd learned a lot from Lotor.

General Aratus studied some portfolio pages on his stand. "Please describe the nature of the events leading up to this."

This is where he had to be careful-open ended questions gave more opportunity for slip ups. Misconception. Lance pursed his lips and took his time responding, but he knew this one was unavoidable-he wasn't worthy.