“No!”She denied it, and her dread was a potent stench as it swept through her. “No, I didn’t say a word. I swear it on the Old Gods!”
I rolled my eyes,as if swearing on fictional gods meant anything to me. But she was being truthful at least. Meaning Kian came to his suspicions on his own.
I let her go,and she sank to the floor, trembling. I scoffed at her pathetic display. “Get up.”
She struggled to rise,making me roll my eyes again. I eyed her, considering what I wanted, or more like needed to work out my frustration. I could have her now, or later. She’d proven a proficient fuck. I could see why my father enjoyed her. But Zerlina was bound to be around later, and if I could have the two of them together, that would be ideal.
I shook my head.I didn’t have time to indulge now, so later it would have to be.
“Get ready,Lord Visita is due to arrive soon, and I want you circling with the humans. Do what you’re good at.” I instructed her, and she straightened up, nodding her head as if resetting herself. I shook my head, unable to help comparing her to the one I truly wanted.
Asteria wasworth a thousand of this insipid girl.
“Got it.I’ll see what’s being said.” She smiled eagerly, as if I’d never scared her at all. I had to give her credit for that, at least. Her ability to suppress her emotions quickly helped make her a good spy among humans.
After a quick change of clothes,I made my way down to meet Vissy. My crown sat on my head, complimented by my jacket, a high-necked one in charcoal grey, with pink lining the trim. As much as I disliked the pink, I had to embrace it as king. The royal colors were another accessory that gave legitimacy to my position, just like the crown.
We should have hadcharcoal and purple as our colors, but it was yet another thing Night had stolen away. Just because our wings were pink didn’t mean everything had to be.
I smiledas Vissy swaggered through the main doors, but as much as I wanted to walk to meet him, I had to wait for the formal address.
“My King.”Vissy smiled, kneeling before me.
His brow hairwas tastefully messy, ending a bit higher than his shoulders at the moment. His gold eyes glowed as he looked up, and I could see several women and men of the court watching him. He was a favorite among them, as was his wife, and for good reason.
“My King.”His wife, Nisha, kneeled before me, and I spared her a quick nod as I bid them rise.
Before I could even openmy mouth, our reunion was interrupted.
“Ah, Lord Visita.”Aelius drawled as he walked into the great hall.
“King Aelius.”Vissy bowed his head in greeting. “I’d heard you arrived.”
“Yes,although I’m most disappointed mydeardaughter hasn’t been captured yet.” Aelius sneered as his eyes caught mine. “Someone insists we wait. I didn’t realize it was so hard to kill one little girl,” he taunted, raising a brow at me as his head cocked to the side.
His expression was sosimilar to Asteria’s when she challenged me, that it had my lightning sparking in response.
“I’ve told you before, Aelius.”I ground out, frustrated. He seemed to think we should just send an assassin after her. Of course, he also thought I’d let her die, so he was wrong on many fronts. “Things need to happen in the proper way to ensure the war as a whole is won. I won’t let you leave back to Day just because your problem is solved, when mine remains.”
Vissy’s brows flew up,and his mouth opened in shock. He turned to me, but I shook my head at him, making his mouth close with an audible click.
Aelius chuckled,“I’m a man of my word, Cyrus. I’d help with Night regardless.”
“Forgive me for not believing you,”I replied dryly. “Now, if you’ll excuse us.” I nodded to Aelius before turning to Vissy, indicating for him to follow.
We walkeddown the hall in silence, Vissy cutting his eyes to me every so often, until he finally spoke.
“Are you—”Vissy cut himself off, his eyes wide as he stared at me, shaking his head.
“Am I what?”I ground out, hating the uncertainty in Vissy’s eyes. I could never count on my own brothers, but Vissy, he was the brother I never had. And more, at times, but never in any way serious. We trusted one another. He had never questioned me in all the long years we’d been friends.
“You don’t actually planon killing Asteria, do you?” he asked, and I tilted my head back, eyes falling closed as I let out a frustrated sigh. How did no one else seem to understand?
I openedmy eyes and lifted my head, staring straight into his golden orbs, “Of course not. I have other plans for her. She may not enjoy it, but her insolence cannot be allowed to go unpunished.”
“Insolence, or rejection?”Vissy countered, his lip curling. I could feel my rage rising at his own insolent attitude. “She refused you, and you can’t stand it. But she’s no mere human, Cyrus; she’s one of us.”
Before I even knew whatI was doing, my hand was around his throat, and I had him pressed against the wall. A snarl curled my lips as I brought our faces so close together that our noses nearly brushed. “It doesn’t matter. None of it matters. Fae or not, heir or not, a new order is coming, and she, like so many others, will soon learn their place.”
