Dolian looks between my father and myself, seeing more than I ever wanted him to because he’s starting to put the pieces together—the ones that tell the story of who I am and what I’ve done. “You sent yoursonto infiltrate my kingdom?”
“I’m afraid I have no idea what you’re talking about,” my father replies smoothly, taking a step forward to try and block out some of what Dolian can see.
It’s too late, however, because the vile bastard isn’t even looking at my father anymore. He’s staring at the trembling woman in my arms. Shadows lift from the floor and come rushing towards me as I use some of my magic so that I don’t take this entire palace down from the way rage boils in my blood.
“Hello, my darling Rhea,” he purrs while shoving a hand into his pocket. “Are you havingfunon your little adventure away from home?”
A growl erupts from my throat, but Rhea lifts her head and stands taller. “The Mortal Kingdom isnotmy home.”
King Dolian laughs, the sound completely at odds with the macabre contortion of his features. “Don’t you remember what I told you? You can run and hide, but I willalwaysfind you. You belong tome.You always have, and you always will.”
“Enough,” my father commands, his voice dripping in disdain. “Lady Rhea is not athingto possess. She is a person who has chosen to stay inmykingdom. She is protected here, King Dolian, and there is nothing you can do to force her to go back.” My chest swells with pride as I glance at my father, my grip on the shadows now swirling around the room relaxing a fraction.
“She wasstolenfrom me!” he bellows, his teeth bared as his hazel eyes grow wide with fiery anger. “Rhea, I want you to listenverycarefully. You aremine,and I will stop at nothing to bring you back to where you belong. If that means showing you the depths of what I’m willing to do, then so be it. But it will beyourhands dirtied with the blood of the sacrifices you’re willing to make so that you can play pretend with that lyingprince.”
“I am going tokillyou,” I vow again, eager to end the monster whose blood I willgladlycoat my hands in. I command the shadows to rise until they are swirling at my shoulders, cloaking me in their darkness as I glare at him. They protectively curlaround Rhea as well, her small gasp at the feel of them making Dolian sneer.
“When she is back at my side and I have her in every wayyoucannot, it will be you who dies a slow and painful death.” His cold eyes then turn to my father. “Enjoy the safety of your people while you have it, King Sadryn. One can never be too sure when such a thing might be ripped away.” He steps away from the Mirror, his gaudy red and gold throne coming into view before the image distorts as the magic fades and the glass returns to its solid mirrored state.
“He isatrocious,” my mother hisses.
The hair on the back of my neck rises, and I whip my head around to find Daje standing at the door, his wide eyes transfixed on the Mirror.Fuck.
With a deep breath, I unspool the shadows from around our bodies and turn Rhea so that she is facing me. Her eyes are glossed over, the color still leached from her face as I cradle it in my hands. “Sunshine, look at me,” I say gently, tilting her head back to meet my gaze. She does, her shaking fingers wrapping around my wrists. “I want you to head upstairs to our room. I’m going to handle this, and then I will be right there. You are safe here. Always. I won’t let anything happen to you.”
She nods, a tear leaking down her cheek. My magic turns volatile, the urge to feel Dolian’s neck snapping beneath my fingers spurred on by the sight of that solitary tear. He’ll pay for ever causing her a singleounceof pain. Clenching my jaw, I walk Rhea to the door of the council room. Daje’s eyes meet mine as he swallows roughly, Rhea brushing past him in a daze. When she rounds the corner, I gather the shadows and wrap them around Daje until they become solid ropes as strong as stone.
“What are you doinghere?”
“I thought I heard Bahira’s voice,” Daje grunts out against the tightening confines. He doesn’t try to fight his way freethough; instead, his dark blue eyes stare directly into mine. “I was coming to see if it was her when I heard—”
“Whatexactlydid you hear?” I ask, heat flaring in my palm from the magic that glows there.
“Nox, release him,” my father urges from my side. My mother stands next to him, her fingers resting at her throat as she moves her stunned gaze from me to Daje.
“Not until he tells me what he’s heard and what he plans to do with that information.”
Daje’s father isn’t just on the fucking council—he is my father’slead advisor. He cannot know who Rhea truly is or where she comes from,especiallyif that information comes with also finding out that King Dolian all but threatened the Mage Kingdom if Rhea doesn’t return. CouncilmanKallin’sduty is to our kingdom—one that he takes seriously and one that, under any other circumstance, I would be happy of his steadfast dedication to.
“I heard everything,” Daje replies cautiously. I tighten the shadow ropes around him until the muscles in his neck flex. “But I’m not going to say anything. To anyone. Not even my father.”
“Nox. Let himgo.”
“I swear it, Nox,” Daje rasps, and though it goes against every instinct lighting up my body, I release my magic and send the shadows back to where I gathered them from. Daje falls to his knees as he struggles to catch his breath.
Squatting down next to him, my voice lowers until I’m sure it’s deep enough to rattle his bones. “I’m choosing to trust you because you are my friend and because I know Bahira does. But if I find out that you have betrayed me inanyway—that you have betrayedRhea—I will kill you without a second thought.”
I wait for Daje to nod his agreement before standing and striding out of the room, feeling my parents stunned gazes heavy on my back. I take the steps up to our room two at a time,anxious to reassure Rhea in any way she needs that she will always be safe with me. I don’t even make it all the way up before my magic sharpens within me. Like a needle finding true north, I can feel exactly where Rhea is. It’s how I found her at the right tavern this evening.
Barron’s worried gaze greets me at the landing, but he simply nods his head in understanding at the pained look that must be on my face, stepping out of my way and then moving back into position as I pass. I quicken my steps, my hand pushing through my hair as I finally reach the door. I allow one slow and steady inhale before I open it—finding Rhea pacing back and forth in the dim light of a single spelled flame, her hands twisting nervously into the fabric of her dress.
“Daje won’t say anything,” I tell her, hoping to ease some of the anxious tension that has filled the room in my absence, as I close the door behind me.
I expect her to immediately ask how we can be sure—a question I don’t exactly have an answer to—but as she makes her way towards me, it isn’t curiosity that swirls in her eyes. Hunger,desperatehunger, floods her gaze and flushes her cheeks, the emotion making me question if I’m seeing her correctly. Her fingers begin to fumble with my belt buckle, and I’m stuck between growing arousal and utter confusion as I watch for a moment before laying my hands on top of hers and halting her shaky movements.
“Rhea?”
“I need you. I need tofeelyou. To know that we are here. Together. That nothing willeverseparate us,” she rasps, her gaze full of the truth of that desire as her eyes bounce between mine. “Please, Nox.”
