When Nox comes for me, as I know he will, I am not naive enough to believe that he will not bring a reckoning with him. Ihaveto make sure that it isn’t all in vain. Perhaps I should fear, as past me once did, being cut from the same monstrous cloth as my uncle. That my newfound hunger for retribution against him might be a slippery slope to fall upon. But all I can think about are the lives King Dolian took—mercilessly. And as I wrap a towel around myself and head towards the door to my chambers, I decide that maybe being a little merciless towards monsters isn’t such a bad thing.
“How are you doing this morning, Lady Rhea?” Eve asks, her voice soft. A salt-tinted ocean breeze blows in through the open window in the room, stirring some of the light blonde hair that has fallen loose from her bun.
Dressed in a cream chemise, I step into the gown she holds out for me, its shade a lovely light blue. “Well enough,” I answer, slipping my arms into the long gossamer sleeves, the fabric bundled with lace ties at my wrists. I run my hands over the white embroidery that decorates the thinly corseted bodice, noticing the pattern of stars.
She hums, lacing up the dress in the back before gesturing for me to sit at the vanity. “His Majesty has told me to inform you that after breakfast, you will have your first lesson.”
“Right,” I breathe out, twisting my hands together in my lap. The king had demanded that, before we could return to the castle at Vitour, I needed to be worthy of mystatusas his soon-to-be queen. Apparently, that involves taking actual lessons until he finds that to be true. I had snarled, reminding him that I would never behis, and to my surprise, he had only smirked as his eyes dragged down my body slowly. But I could do this—I could pretend to be enough of what he wants in the hopes that he lets his guard down. The sooner we return to Vitour, the sooner I will be reunited with Nox.
Gods, Imisshim. I can’t even imagine what he is doing now. How he is handling…everything. I suppose that isn’t totally true. Nox had once told me he would drown the world in shadows if it meant I was safer. Despite what he’s said, I know that he cares for his people. For those innocently caught between his wants and desires and the expectations thrust upon him by his title and the council. I do not doubt Nox would choose me over them, that he will come for me as soon as possible, but Ihopethat it will not come at the cost of anyone else. Or that the damage caused when he leaves won’t be irreparable.
I shiver from the note of dread that settles in my stomach just as Eve finishes my hair.
“All done.” She pats my shoulders gently, drawing my gaze up to hers in the reflection of the vanity mirror. She doesn’t look much older than I am, and the urge to ask her about herself dangles on the tip of my tongue. But then I think of the crescent scar on her palm. Of the way the king so ruthlessly handled her. As if sensing my hesitation, she steps back and clears her throat. “I will be meeting with you later today for a tea lesson. Before that, you’ll meet with Mia who will instruct you in dancing.”
A sigh leaves me as I stand and thank her, though it morphs into a pained groan when my hip begins to throb. How long has it been since he branded me? A week? Nearly two? Time has bled from one day to the next, each one spent with me trying to tap into a part of myself that feels foreign. I suppose every part of me does now with the presence of another’s magic suffocating my own. My heart pounds in my chest as we exit my room, each beat reverberating in my skull like an ominous drum.
I could do this. Ihaveto do this. And if I lose myself a little along the way, then I could do that too.
“What news is there from my advisors?” King Dolian asks from my left, his question directed to Simon who occupies a seat across the table in front of me. Thankfully, there have been no follow up nightmares involving him.
“Nothing of note. There was a small skirmish in the city center, but it was dealt with quickly by our guards.”
“What over?”
“A few of the shop owners refused to pay their taxes. Apparently, they are unhappy with the newest increase.”
With my stomach already leaden being near the king, I lazily push the food on my plate around, my interest piqued by Simon’s words.
“They think running a safe kingdom is something that can be done on will alone. Their coin goes directly back to them, ensuring no one enters our borders without our knowing,” King Dolian sneers, his chair creaking as he adjusts his position in it.
A short huff leaves me, hidden by the sound of my fork scraping along my plate. I don’t have to understand politics and the intricacies ofrunning a safe kingdomto know that he spews nothing but falsities. Nox had infiltrated his kingdom—his godsdamn castle and the tower attached to it—without issue. I highly doubt he is the only one capable of doing such a thing.
“They also worry about the Cruel Death.”
King Dolian’s fingers drum on the table. “What is the total number of deaths this week?”
Simon takes a drink from his chalice before answering. “Twelve. All men under the age of twenty-four.”
A few seconds of silence pass, and I glance the king’s way to find him already looking at me, lines bracketing his mouth. “Send out a missive immediately to every province. Able men twenty-five and under are being enlisted. We don’t have time to wait for those who volunteer. We need our numbers robust for what may lie ahead.”
My grip tightens on my fork. It hadn’t been twelve deaths in the kingdom but twelve in his preciousarmy. The Cruel Death had always been something I felt far removed from, living as I did in the tower. Without frequent updates from Alexi and then Nox, I wouldn’t have given it much thought. And recently, I’m ashamed to admit I hadn’t thought about it atall. Still, the image of Tienne’s emaciated body flashes in my mind, sending a chill down my back.
“Word has also come from the Mage Kingdom.” Stupidly, I eagerly look to Simon. He smirks, as if acknowledging to us both that I was too obvious in my interest.
“And?” the king drawls.
“It’s quite interesting. Princess Bahira has returned from her stint over in the Shifter Kingdom.”
I glance over to King Dolian then. Though he feigns nonchalance, I’ve studied his face up close foryears. I don’t miss the way his eyebrow twitches or how his jaw hardens at the news. In contrast, I draw in what feels like a deeper breath than I’ve taken since I woke up here. Nox having Bahira will be good, as he and his sister are close. I hadn’t gotten the chance to really know her yet, but Bahira didn’t strike me as someone who would tolerate the council’s interrogations and controlling tactics towards Nox. She would make sure he was careful and taken care of.
“Did she come home alone?”
“It appears that way,” Simon answers, taking another drink before he looks back at me. “Care to share what you know about it?”
I arch a brow, sitting up straighter. “I don’t know anything.”
He grins—though it barely constitutes one. “There is also news of Prince Nox. Rumors state that he’s sick, apparently in some sort of deep sleep that he can’t be woken from.”
