Whatever the King had been referring to, I knew one thing for certain.
It wasn’t anything good.
Chapter Eleven
Ryker
The thick stone walls of the palace did little to keep out the whispers.
They were crawling through the corridors like a sickness. Every noble with a loose tongue was already spreading the newsof Lord Thorne’s demise. Unlike the servants, however, they lacked the survival instincts that urged them to remain quiet and unnoticeable whenever I lurked nearby.
And they dared to look down on the staff as if they were superior fae.
Cadence hadn’t said a word since we’d left the dining hall. Her brows were furrowed, and she played with the loose strands of her hair.
I didn’t interrupt her musings. Instead, I watched her as she turned her thoughts over inside her mind, incapable of doing anything else. My gaze traveled the length of her body. The way she swayed her hips with every step was unintentional. She had no idea of the effect she had on me, how easily she could ruin me.
Riordan was right. She was fire. Wild, defiant, and mesmerizing.
I had meant it when I said I’d commit terrible acts to keep her by my side, because she was my calm and my chaos — the heart of my storm — and the entire world quieted when she was near.
I had faced down enemies, outnumbered and bleeding. From the moment my powers manifested, I’d survived more than a dozen attempts on my life. I had even battled monsters that were born of nightmares. And not one of those experiences unnerved me.
But Cadence? She unraveled me with a single look.
I had no idea what thoughts occupied her mind, only that she was scheming. A small smile tugged at my lips. My Temptress had promised to be my ruin, and I couldn’t fucking wait to see what she had planned for me.
We turned the corner, marching through the hallway that led to our chambers. When we reached the door, I pushed it open and allowed Cadence to precede me. She moved through the antechamber quickly, eager to check in with Callum, I assumed.
When my gaze landed onmy brother, irritation flared inside me. Riordan was sprawled across my bed, balancing a goblet of wine on the wooden frame with the poise of a man unafraid of gravity.
“Are you comfortable, Riordan?” I asked, unable to conceal the snarl that stained my words.
I folded my arms across my chest and leaned against the doorframe. My brother raised himself onto his elbows, peering over at me with a mischievous grin.
“Very much so, Ryker. Thank you for asking.”
He lifted his goblet to his lips and drank greedily. The contented sigh that escaped him only inflamed my irritation.
“Get the fuck off my bed.”
Riordan returned his attention to me and straightened. A hand rested over his heart, and his mouth was wide in feigned horror.
“Brother, it almost seems as if you are displeased to see me?” he said, his eyes glinting with mirth I did not reciprocate.
I ran a hand through my hair, tugging on the strands, hoping the pain would ground me.
I would not murder my brother.
“What did I do to offend the gods to be saddled with a brother like you?” I muttered.
“That list is quite long, I’m afraid,” Riordan said, a little too pleased with himself.
A chuckle sounded across the room, drawing my gaze to where Cadence and Callum stood. As if just realizing he’d laughed at Riordan’s joke, Callum scowled at my brother and returned his attention to his sister.
Riordan’s face broke into a broad and somewhat deranged grin. I could see the wheels turning as he plotted to upend Callum’s life in the way only he could.
“I need to speak with you,” I said to Riordan as I tilted my head toward the antechamber.
