Rorin puts us chest to chest, the tackiness of his blood tarnishing my leathers. “King.”He spits, cupping my jaw tightly between his thumb and pointer finger. The emphasis on his new title causes my knees to weaken.
Do not fall for it, Eveera.
"Do not underestimate me in my court again.” My eyes are locked on Rorin, but my words are aimed pointedly at his insufferable guard.
From my peripheral I can see Mousy's face already pinched, his lip curling before he shouts, “DID YOU REALLY NEED TO DO THAT?!”
Yes.I think to myself. Rorin and I breathe heavily against one another, his usually tan skin graying from the blood loss. My eyes soften, the guilt taking over, until Mousy's voice filters back in.
Apparently, he wasn’t finished addressing me.
“He is King Consort of this court, that makes it my hom—” He starts.
I raise my hand, still in the hold of myhusband. “That. Makes you aguestof this court,fool. But let me be very clear, Obsidian isnot. Your. Home.”I force my disdain as far forward as possible. Settling it completely in front of the shame I feel seeing Rorin hurt.
King.The word turns in my stomach. This whole circumstance has been dizzying, and the worst part is that he is relentless. He won't just give up, he won't leave me be, he has to be everywhere I am and in every thought I have.
It's maddening. His entitlement. His smugness. The hold he has — the hold hethinkshe has over me. It’s why I threw the dagger, and it's why, despite seeing the anguish in his eyes, I ripped it out.
He dropped to his knees the minute I pulled the blade out, his hand flying to clutch at his shoulder. Bennett and Will rush out towards him, cursing at me the entire way as they go to help their man.
Max gives me a harrowed look on my way out that I disregard. Just as I disregard every swear, hitting my back, and the disapproving look I got from Marjorie when she passed me. Somehow, she’d had the forethought I would do something like that.
The second I was back in my room, I peeled out of my clothes, leaving their disapproval at my doors.
I collapse back onto the blankets, wrapping myself tightly in them, trying to squeeze my eyes shut to avoid the fallout of my spar with Rorin. The fallout that will undoubtedly involve Felix barging into my room, a lecture at the ready.
Unfortunately, his pained expression, the haughty air around him just prior to me sinking my dagger into his shoulder, his words last night…"Stop avoiding me, Eveera. This punishment has lasted long enough."haunt me.
“Stop avoiding me.” I can’t,I think. I can never stop because the moment I do, I know that the already fragile walls of my resolve will come crumbling down, and I'll have to face something much worse than Felix's growing disappointment.
I'll have to face myself — my feelings… my feelings forhim.
KNOCK! KNOCK!KNOCK!
Without even waiting for my acknowledgment, the doors fly open.Called it.
"A-hem. I've heard that stabbing one's spouse usually does not lead to a life full of happiness and harmony." I fling the covers back at the sound of the voice, rubbing my eyes to make sure I'm seeing things clearly.
"Armond." I breathe. He looks long at me, his dark auburn hair falling out of the ponytail he's pulled it into. He tosses a dress onto the bed and faces the door for me to change. I slide out from underneath the covers and step into it, snapping my fingers for him to tie up the back. "You're in my room."
He clanks over, grabbing hold of the ribbon. "You're causing trouble."
My mouth turns down into a frown, "Wa–” he pulls the ties taut, and I fall forward, catching myself on one of the posters of my bed. “Was Felix tired of scolding me, so he had you leave Matthis to do it?" I fire off the question, and when he finishes tying, I pat his chest and step around him to drag myself in front of the mirror.
“We don't have time for trouble." He calls out behind me as I turn the nozzle on and place my hands under the running water, splashing the cold onto my face.
"What does that mean?" The question comes out more bitterly than I'd intended as I drag a cloth down my face to soak up the droplets.
He leans in the doorway, folding his arms across his armor. "It means that Hadar is on the move again — and you have their heir being held hostage in your court." My blood freezes at the reminder of the princess. I'd worked hard to forget about her over the past twelve hours.
My head hangs between my shoulders, and I stand there, hunched and quiet for a moment while I decide if I want to know where the rest of this conversation is going.Arghhh.I growl inside my mind, and Vada echoes it.
She's been there in my head — hovering — ever since the block on our bond was removed. Usually, I wouldn't mind, but with Rorin and my forced proximity, she's feeding off of every one of my emotions. Especially my stress, which mixes poorly with her anger and leaves me with one hell of a bloody headache.
I nudge her presence,"you're not helping."
"You're fragile."She snaps.
