“I was talking with her guard—Flynn—on the bridge, and she stepped through the tower door there. I caught her down here. She also had a white fox with her.”
My leg burns with pain in response, the bite from that fox flaring back to life.
“I had brought her back to her room and was on my way to tell you when Flynn attacked me. He was able to get the upper hand and then bound me down here.” He swallows, his gazeleveling with mine. “He fought differently than how we train our men to fight.”
I turn without another word and head up the stairs, leaving Xander to decide if he is going to follow me or not. The steps up to the top are many, and it gives me plenty of time to think about how this could have happened. Somehow, despite the fact that I always had a second pair of eyes on the tower door, Rhea was able to befriend this guard. One that is much younger than Alexi. Than even myself. My steps turn more aggressive as I near the top.
If he so much as touched her…I shake my head and blow a breath out. It matters not because once she is back in my possession, I will make sure she never leaves again.
The wooden door creaks as I push it open and step in, the space feeling empty and cold without her here—though her scent still lingers in the air.Lilies.So similar to the flower her mother smelled of. Exhaling roughly, I walk around the main room. Each of my visits here had been purposeful. I never allowed myself to fully take in the space that Rhea dwelled in all day and night. I couldn’t. It further crushed a long since shrunken part of me that wanted to nurture and care for her in a different way. But history had proven to me that I would lose her if I did that. If I didn’t mold her into who I knew she was capable of being, she would be lost for good. Everything I did was to make her worthy of the title she would gain by my side: Queen of the Mortal Kingdom.
My steps echo against the wood floors as I enter the library. I had already been cut out of Luna’s life by the time she was pregnant with Rhea, but even I had heard about her newfound interest in the old guard tower. It’s the main reason why I placed Rhea here instead of somewhere in the castle. I hoped she might feel somewhat connected to the woman who curated the space.Despite how things fell apart between us in the end, Luna would always have her fingers wrapped around a piece of my heart.
Walking over to the window seat, my gaze is drawn to the book lying in the middle:The Little Sun.Despite myself, I cannot help the small tilt of my lips. When Luna first came to the castle as a maid, she carried this book everywhere with her. I had made her read it to me over and over again in our early days of friendship, and she obliged every time. The memory washes through me, but I allow none of my feelings to latch on to it. That time is long gone, and in the end, she betrayed me as everyone else had. Flipping through the pages, I stop when I see a flash of misplaced paper. I hear Xander come into the library but give him no mind as I read the words Rhea wrote.
Trust the stars over the ancient trees to guide me from the false king. And look to the east for the answers I seek.
I crumple the paper in my hand, twisting my neck side to side to stretch the muscles out as I work to tame the monster inside of me.
“What is it?” Xander asks.
“She is heading towards the Mage Kingdom,”I grit out. I know the Mage Kingdom’s secret; one they’ve guarded since the war. With Rhea being part mage, she will be able to pass through the Spell without repercussion. My guardshaveto get to her before then.
I slap the note into Xander’s hand before forcing my injured leg to move me across the space to the door and back down the steps. Once I’m finally on the bridge, I find one of the remaining captains.
“They are heading towards the Mage Kingdom border. Send enough men so that, no matter where they try to enter, they fail.”
He nods, turning back to run and gather the rest. Theywillstop them, and she will be back in the safety of our kingdom soon enough. Any other option is not acceptable.
Present
“Your Majesty, I have your tea.” The maid’s voice travels through the door.
“Come in,” I command, leaning back in my armchair as I stare out of the floor-to-ceiling window to the gardens below. Each day with no word whether or not Rhea is making her way back to me is nothing short of a flame being held to my skin. I need her here; I need to know that she is safe once more. Now that she is officially twenty-two, I can proceed with my plans of wedding her and making her my queen. I need tosolidifymaking her fully mine.
The maid sets my tea on the table at my side, pouring the dark liquid into the porcelain tea cup until it’s half full. Steam curls up and over its edge as I reach for the carafe of milk and add a small splash.
“Is there anything else you require, Your Majesty?”
“No, you are free to go.” She curtsies, her footsteps nearly silent as she heads towards the door. “Tienne,” I call out, my gaze back on the window in front of me while I take a small sip of tea.
“Yes, Your Majesty?”
“Do you have any news to report on our littlesideproject?”
After Rhea’s escape, I knew that someone had to have been helping her beyond the mage parading as a mortal guard. Mygrip on the teacup tightens, heat from the steaming hot liquid scalding me.
“Not yet, Sire. As you can imagine, everyone is being very tight-lipped about who worked on her supply orders and if anyone beyond the newest guard delivered them to her.”
I smirk at her obvious attempt not to nameFlynn. Perhaps shedidnotice the way my hands fisted the last time I spoke of him.Perceptive little maid. I stand, setting my cup down on its saucer before turning to stride towards her. Her attention to detail means that she should have caught something, should know more about who could have possibly assisted Rhea. Stopping before her, I force the fury I feel inside to show up in the clench of my jaw and glint in my eyes.
“I will find outwhoaided Flynn in abducting the princess. If one of the things I learn is that you helped them or that you are withholding information,” I pause, leaning in close enough that I can see the way her pulse flutters at her neck. My voice is a blade honed by years of being on the receiving end of similar words. “I will not hesitate to remove your head. Do I make myself clear?” I devour the way her cheeks flush and her chest rises and falls quickly in fear. Gods, she nearlysmellslike she’s afraid, and it would be soeasyto act on my desire for it. To draw more and more of that dread from her until nothing remains and then force her to draw everything from me with her mouth or hands or body.
But she doesn’t look like Rhea, and so I force my blood to cool as she responds.
“Of course, Your Majesty. I will get answers for you.”
“Good. Now, get out.” Turning back to the window, I once more look upon the garden.
