He had overcome obstacle after obstacle over the past few decades. He’d cheated death and escaped impossible situations. He’d also amassed more wealth in the human realm than the entirety of his parents’ fortune here in Magic.
Finding a way around a curse and making Dominique love him in return might be the most difficult task he’d faced, but she was marrying him tomorrow. He would have years to find a way to convince her. He had the time, and he had more than enough determination.
With his thoughts focused on his plans, Ronan didn’t realize Dominique had fallen asleep in his lap until she released a quiet snore. He’d heard the small sounds last night and suppressed a laugh. For such a refined, aloof female, his fiancée had the cutest snore he’d ever heard.
Eventually, he forced himself to carry her to his bed. Using his magic, he released two thin tendrils of shadow and tugged the blankets down since his hands were full of sleeping female fae. Gently, he placed her on the mattress, tugging the blanketsback over her. Leaning down, Ronan pressed a kiss to her forehead.
In sleep, she looked softer, warmer. At peace.
With one last look, he exited his room, using his magic to lock the doors. Dominique could leave if she wanted, but no one else could enter except his sister. And even then, she couldn’t do so without his approval.
He didn’t care if it would irritate her. Dominique’s safety was more important than Aisling’s hurt feelings.
He found his parents in their shared office, each of them working at their desk. Their retainers moved about the room, carrying books and papers, appearing busy in general even though Ronan knew none of them truly ever accomplished anything.
“We need to talk,” Ronan stated, his voice loud. “Alone.”
Everyone stopped moving. His parents remained seated at their respective desks, their retainers looking toward the king and queen for final instruction.
“It’s about traitors in our midst.”
Tension and a low hum of whispered conversation and shuffling papers filled the room.
“It’s no one here,” Ronan continued, pitching his voice above the din. “But it’s imperative I speak to you both alone so we can determine what should be done.”
His mother still didn’t move, but his father nodded. “Of course, son,” Caden said. Looking around at the staff, he announced, “Leave us. Return at the usual ending time for lunch.”
Quickly, the retainers filed from the room, their expressions full of blatant curiosity now that they believed they weren’t suspects. Ronan waited until the door shut behind them before he set a magical perimeter to keep spying eyes and ears from hearing the conversation that was about to occur.
“The Proxas have left the kingdom,” Ronan announced. He assumed as much but discovered he was correct on the way to his parents’ office with one call to his sister. She’d sent a couple of members of the Brotherhood of the Dagger after them just to watch and wait until the next course of action was determined.
“Because of the traitors?” his mother asked.
“No, because theyarethe traitors,” Ronan answered.
His mother scoffed, disregarding his words, but his father knew he wouldn’t lie about something like this. “Explain,” he said.
“Graciella and Jurgen intended to use Dominique to control me after our marriage. They were also planning to assassinate the two of you in order for us to ascend to the throne. Once that was done, they intended to kill Dominique and convince me that one of her elder sisters was my true love. After my second marriage, I too would meet a tragic and untimely death, leaving Graciella and Jurgen to use their daughter as a puppet as they ruled the kingdom from the shadows.”
His father stared at him, his face expressionless. Once again, his mother scoffed. Ronan had no doubt that Bronwyn was more annoyed that her plans to upset Dominique and perhaps even prevent the wedding were disrupted. He knew she wouldn’t believe him, but that didn’t matter. Caden would, and, more importantly, he would act.
“How do you know?” the king asked.
“I followed them all morning until they cornered Dominique in the garden. I heard enough before that time to know that they intended to take the throne at some point, but it wasn’t until they drugged Dominique that I understood exactly what they planned.”
“They drugged their own daughter?” his mother asked, her tone scathing. “Somehow, I doubt that. The little whore had to have been in on the plan.”
Ronan shot his mother a hard look. “That will be the last time you speak of my future wife like that. Am I understood?”
His mother blinked at him. Perhaps she hadn’t believed him earlier when he said he wouldn’t tolerate either of them disrespecting Dominique.
“As I told Father, I know where all the secrets are buried in this castle. Including yours. They’re enough to have the two of you removed and banished, perhaps even start wars with our neighbors. Do not test me on this again.”
His mother’s face turned white as she stared at him. “You would choose her over your family?”
“That is exactly what Graciella asked Dominique when she refused to help them with their plan. And, as my fiancée said, I’m not sure what you are, but you have never been my family.”
Bronwyn’s face turned ashen. She looked genuinely hurt by his words. How that could be, he wasn’t sure. His mother never seemed overly interested in what he and his sister were up to. She always got his academic and extracurricular updates directly from his tutors and private instructors. There was never a moment where she asked, “How was your day?” or “What did you learn today?”
