Bheera wraps me tighter in her arms as I cower, trying to shrink away from his wrath.
“I should’ve known you would be feeding him this nonsense,” he snarls.
I scramble out of her hold, shaking my head as I try to stand, to protect her like she protected me, but my knees are glued to the floor.
“No, Father! It wasn’t her! I was asking questions, and s-she told me to stop because you didn’t approve, and—”
“Don’t lie for me, Xeni,” Bheera says, still wearing that patient smile even as fear flickers in her eyes. “You’ve been punished enough.”
Father rises to his full height with deadly calm. “Remember your station. I will not stand for your judgment in my house, and I do not need advice on how to raise my son. Go to the parlor and wait for me there.”
It’s a command she’s powerless to refuse.
Bheera turns and walks away with those same controlled steps that carried me to kneel in this spot.
I cry harder, clutching at his pants as I try to go after her.
“Father, don’t—”
He shoves me away, lip lifting in disgust. “Get up. Clean yourself and go to bed.”
“Don’t hurt Bheera.” My eyes are pleading as they land on his. “I love her.”
“Love,” he snarls. “She really has been feeding you full of nonsense, hasn’t she? Love and the Fates.”
He zeroes in on me with chilling intensity. “Did she tell you about the prophecy?”
“Yes,” I whisper, the word dragged from my mouth against my will.
His lips set into a grim, disapproving line. “The Fates don’t care about you, Xenesis, and we don’t speak of their lies under this roof. You only need to remember one thing about the prophecy. It’s nonsense, meant only to control us. We are too powerful to be controlled.Wecontrol our destiny.Icontrol fate, not them. I carry their same power, and Ido not bow! Do you hear me, boy?”
“Yes, sir,” I whisper, still kneeling despite his power releasing me to move.
“If I hear any more fantastical stories about love and the Fates, there will be consequences. Your future will not be spent mingling with humans or worshipping false idols. A ridiculous story doesn’t change that. There is no pride to be found in becoming fate’s puppet, and you won’t speak of this silly notion of love again.”
He leans forward, and my eyes widen as his thumb strokes over my cheek. The gesture should be affectionate but only sends ice through my veins.
He does it a second time, his nail scraping against my skin. “I want to make one thing abundantly clear. If someday you find yourself a pawn in Fate’s plans and end up mated to ahuman,”he says, practically spitting the word with disgust, “they will die. I’ll be sure of it. No child of mine will play a part in the Fates’ hands, and I won’t allow you to embarrass me further.”
His thumb swipes over my cheek again, the nail biting just enough to sting, and his next words feel like an unbreakable command.
“Never forget who you truly belong to, son.”
Xeni
“Wherehaveyoubeen?”
I lift one shoulder in a lazy shrug, the sharp punch of leather assaulting my senses. The nauseating scent of fresh polish and hide is thick enough to coat my throat and turn my stomach.
Father is so fucking predictable.
No son of his will be seen in prisoner rags or marked as less. It doesn’t matter that he’s never claimed me publicly or acknowledged the blood we share.
In some sick, twisted way, I’m still a trophy.
Polished and shiny, even in disgrace.
They’ve meticulously restored my uniform. The leather has been treated with softeners until it gleams under the harsh light like obsidian, and the hide has been buffed to a flawless shine that reflects the room back at me. After he took a long look at my scarred face, he replaced my eyepatch to hide the blemishes.
