Though, it did explain my obsession with her. She was something new, something that had never existed before. And that was likely why she had been hiding as a human. King Aelius would never stand for such a thing. The Fae were always beautiful, and that was the one part of Asteria that couldn’t be hidden away, her Fae features too fair to belong to a human. I’d known the second I saw her where she belonged.
And that was in my bed—tied up and helpless as I did what I would with her. I could imagine tying her up spread eagle to my four-poster bed and spending the entire day eating her cunt until she begged me for mercy—but I wouldn’t give it. I would thrust my cock into her while she cried and begged me to stop.
It’s what I had imagined when I locked those cuffs around her wrists and ankles, spreading her on the bed for my pleasure. I should have just fucked her then, not given in to the thrill of torturing her with anticipation.
I cut off that line of thinking for now as I felt myself growing hard, shifting slightly to relieve the growing ache in my cock. Asteria should have been here to service me. That was her purpose in life, not to warm Calix’s bed, not even to follow the gods’ plan for her.
No—she existed to please me, that was all.
Oh, I knew my soon to be wife would have argued against me keeping her around. Zerlina was a jealous one, which I admittedly liked. I wanted women fighting over me for the pleasure of gracing my bed. She would have come around though, once I made some truths very clear to her.
I stood as the doors opened and a line of guards parted to reveal their liege. I first saw the gold tipped shoes hitting thewhite and gold marble floor, then the flowing blue robes with a golden brocade, until I raised my eyes up and found golden hair and sky-blue eyes.
Asteria’s eyes.
A roaring din of wrath rose within me, but I forced it down. This meeting was too important. I bowed, gritting my teeth as I always did when forced to do something so beneath me. “King Aelius. Thank you for agreeing to meet me.”
“Prince Cyrus.” Aelius nodded, regally, his nose in the air like he was doing me some great service by gracing me with his presence. “I can’t say I wasn’t surprised. It’s not often a royal from another kingdom asks to meet with me, and informs me they’ll be alone, without guards, to share a very important bit of news that no one can find out.” He sat down across from me and leaned back, an amused smile upon his lips. “All very dramatic.”
I forced a smile, wanting to send a bolt of lightning into his damned blue eyes, both from his words—and so it didn’t feel like looking intohereyes. “It’s extremely important, and I think you and I can help one another.”
“Have we not already agreed to do so? If you find my heir?” Aelius raised an inquisitive brow.
I barely refrained from rolling my eyes. “A tentative alliance with my father, yes. I want one withme.” As I expected, Aelius’s eyes sparkled at the news.
“Is that so?” He asked as he took the seat across from me. “And why would I cut the king out of this? You are a mere prince.” He leaned back, relaxed as I could be, and I took a mental deep breath so I wouldn’t spear him with a bolt.
“My father won’t rule forever. The time is coming for me to take my place, and when it does, I intend to take out Night Kingdom completely. All that land will be available. Including the places that border your own kingdom. Even the remainingparts of the Etheralta Mountains.” I raised a brow at Aelius who smirked in return.
“Hmm. An interesting proposition. However, Night Kingdom is our balance. We’d risk chaos.” Aelius challenged. I smirked at him, hardly believing that was his rebuttal.
“What’s wrong with a little chaos? I doubt you’re unaware my kingdom has been leaning that way for some time, and we’ve suffered no ill effects at all. It’s a children’s story, in truth, meant to make us all behave.” I explained, rolling my eyes and mocking the idea. An act, of course—the gods were as cruel as ever—but Aelius didn’t need to know that. The gods may be a problem, but we would remake this world, force them out of the picture somehow. They deserved it after all—everything I did was for the best, and yet my powers waned.
At least there was blood magic to make up the difference.
“It’s an awfully big risk for me.” King Aelius chuckled, shaking his head. “I don’t see how it could possibly be worth it.”
“Because I’m going to kill your heir for you.” I smiled, running my tongue over my sharpened canine. I took satisfaction from the way Aelis jolt back in his chair.
“What did you just say?” Aelius replied, going completely still as he stared at me with hunger in his gaze.
“Oh, yes, your heir. I found her.” I smirked as his face grew cold; anger obvious in the set of his mouth—the same way Asteria’s looked when she tried to hide hers.
“Is this some kind of joke? Women don’t receive the blessing from the gods.” Aelius insisted, glaring at me.
“The gods certainly can—and they will, just to fuck with you. They’ve never chosen a woman before, but lucky you, it was your heir who was chosen to be the first.” I told him merrily, sarcasm clear. The gods who gave me my magic only to take it away were at fault for this too—the battle for the future of Celesterra was coming. I could practically feel it in the air. I would ensurethey were brought a reckoning—once I ruled the continent. Not that my allies needed to know my plans. They certainly wouldn’t agree to the full picture.
“No, I will not abide awomaninheriting my throne!” Aelius shook his head as he slammed his fist down on the table.
“Something tells me that’s why your wife hid her.” I told him dryly. The man still wasn’t putting the picture together. This was the King of Day? Oh, this would be too easy.
“My wife?” Aelius questioned, cocking his head to the side. I fisted my hands, hating the similarities I spotted between them. Hating her—yet needing her all the same. She was the only one to ever see the rage within me and match it with her own. How could she have turned her back on that? Did she not realize how rare it was? “You think she was aware of this atrocity?”
Aelius’s words brought me back to the present, but it was worth it. I couldn’t help the joy I felt at needling him along the path to answers. I leaned back in my chair, exuding the casual arrogance I was so good at performing. “I would say so, considering your heir is—”
“Who?” Aelis demanded, slamming his fist down again. His demands made me want to slam my fist into his face.
I laughed, pausing for dramatic effect. He was right where I wanted him, and now—for the push.
