THORNE
“Get up.”A booted foot smacked my leg, and I flung out an arm, waving my attacker away.
“I said, get up.” Another kick nailed me in the ass, and I crack open one eye, uttering a low growl.
“Go away.” The foul bite of alcohol curdled in my throat. Sour spirits wafted from my pores like rot from a corpse. Drunkenness clung to me, thick and suffocating, the only protection I had against the gaping wound of her absence.
“Get up, you inebriated fool. I grow weary of your presence in my throne room,” barked that imperious voice. “Despite what my mate believes, this has gone on long enough.”
“Fine. Fine.” I forced my torso upright. Using the trunk of the sacred tree as support, I shoved to my feet. Spots swam before my eyes, and my stomach rebelled. I smacked my hand over my mouth, belching.
“Vomit here, and I will rebuild Idris’ zoo, starting with you. While Runa may be sympathetic to your grieving, my patience runs thin. Too bad for you, the queen is at the market today.”
Grieving? Surely the pain I experienced with Serafina’s loss couldn’t be described by such an innocuous word.
What I felt was the constant spiraling of my soul as it circled hell’s shit-filled latrine. The tearing of my heart as a pack of rabid beasts sank savage teeth into the bleeding muscle, shredding it to pieces.
This was no mere grieving.
Immune to my suffering, the mighty king of Carcerem slung my arm over his shoulder, helping me to step over the roots of his infernal tree. Empty bottles of Ambrosia spilled out of my makeshift nest. They clanked against one another as they rolled out of my path.
“Why? Why did she do it?” I asked for what was probably the hundredth time. “Why did she save me only to leave me?” In doing so, Sera had granted Alaric his dearest wish. Because of her sacrifice, I would live on without her. Longing for my mate until the end of my days.
Without bothering to answer my very deep, very complicated question, Victor led me down the steps of the dais. My feet moved as if disconnected from my body. As I shuffled further from the tree, the center of my chest ached, a tugging sensation taking hold.
“Wait,” I muttered, blinking blurry eyes.
“When’s the last time you consumed anything other than alcohol?” Victor asked.
I scrunched my forehead. “What day is it?”
“It’s been ten days,” he grumbled. “Ten long days of you moaning, weeping, making an utter fool of yourself. At some point, I would like to be able to sit on my throne without your sobs echoing off my walls.”
I stiffened in his embrace, turned my face, and flinched at finding him so close. “And what if it were your mate who was devoured by an ancient tree?”
His grip on me tightened, his lips forming a thin line. Yeah. I thought so.
The tugging sensation beneath my ribs pulled harder, and I whipped my head around, noting we’d traveled several paces away from the arbor.
“Stop.” I reared back, but the king’s grip was too strong now that his power was restored. Thanks to my mate.
With trudging steps, he led me further down the aisle. Bent on getting rid of me? Tearing me apart from what remained of Serafina?
That tugging increased. It wrenched at my insides. Clawed my dragonflame. Ripped at my heart. Threatened to tear me in half.
“Dammit. I. Said. Stop,” I roared, command rumbling with my beast’s presence. With a flex of my dragon’s strength, I wrenched free of the powerful king.
Victor spun to face me, both of us squaring off.
“I won’t leave her.” Smoke coiled from my nostrils.
“Serafina is gone,” Victor stated, his voice hard. “Your behavior does not honor the sacrifice she made. You discredit her memory.”
“And isn’t it convenient that her sacrifice served you?” Spikes prickled along my back.
“You as well.” His silver gaze narrowed with disdain. “Or do you forget that sacrifice is the reason you breathe?”
The guilt his provocation evoked threatened to fracture me into tiny pieces and toss me into the wind. “At what cost?”
