Emperor Hugo frowned at his children. The empress smiled and sipped her tea.
“Maybe every time I see him. I’ll just … whoosh.” Beau mimed the sound of wind.
Beau and Anais kept laughing.
Elias held completely still.
How fucking dare they? How fucking dare Beau and Anais mock Prince Gerard?
Elias suddenly felt an urge to sign and flick his fingers at Beau and Anais. Then he’d watch as the lightning entered their bodies. They’d jerk and fall to the floor as the lightning tore through them and they cried out. And whilst he was at it, he’d zap his stepmother too.
Also, Beau could not blow anyone away. He’d need a team of wind sorcerers to manage that. Perhaps he could make Prince Gerard’s coat waft.
In fact, Zephyrias didn’t even have wind archmages!They all worked in cells with their engraved bracelets that they used to control their powers.
“Just focus on the fact he is a prince,” Empress Emmeline said.
“I will.” Beau slumped back in his chair.
Elias suppressed a scowl. How dare Beau be disappointed in Prince Gerard? Who the fuck did this shitty human and average wind sorcerer think he was? He was no catch! He was nothing!
Elias had found out a great deal about Prince Gerard. He was still a strong fighter, even though he’d lost half his vision. He was smart, a leader, and a skilled tactician.
Beau didn’t deserve him! He didn’t deserve half of who Prince Gerard was. Elias’s heart raced, and his breath quickened. Oh, he wanted to zap Beau so bad!
Prince Gerard deserved someone who did not just reluctantly tolerate him. He deserved someone who could look upon his face and see the beauty in those marks. The endurance. The ability to survive.
Elias could see beauty in the marks. After all, he’d made them. Prince Gerard bore the touch of his magic.
He took several long, slow breaths. He sipped his tea. Slowly, his heartbeat, the rage, and the desire to shock his half-siblings and stepmother calmed.
This is a battle I choose. I will not lose this.
Elias tilted his head. “Prince Gerard.” He frowned, like he was thinking. “That’s not the man with the …” He gestured to his own face as he glanced around the room.
Beau scowled.
“Oh no! It is!” Elias pressed his fingers to his lips. “You’re marrying him? Oh. I’m so sorry, Beau.” He looked away. Then he laughed. “Well, I’m glad it’s you and not me!”
He placed his teacup down in front of him. “I couldn’t stomach marrying someone with such a face.” He gave an exaggerated shudder. “One night would be far too many. It doesn’t matter if you close your eyes, you could stillfeelhis skin.”
The words stung his tongue as if he’d eaten a mouthful of stinging nettle. But it was a necessary evil. He had to make this convincing.
His stepmother would never do him a kindness. Never do something for him that she thought he wanted. But she’d go far out of her way to hurt him.
“Dragon Warrior. Is that what he is called? More like a dragon wretch!” It wasn’t the cleverest of barbs, but Elias was working on the fly.
He slid a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t handle being married to him. Prince or not. I’d prefer to marry some lowly, insignificant lord compared to a man with a face so vile. And the scars cover so much of his face. They even go through his lip.” And Elias may have imagined those very lips wrapped around his dick.
That thought really isn’t helpful right now.
He shook himself. “And for the rest of your lives, you’ll stand beside him.” He looked out the window. “And every time someone thinks of you, they will think of your husband and his repulsive appearance.”
Elias picked up his tea and drank it, wanting to wash the taste of those horrid insults from his mouth.
From the corner of his eye, he could see the empress staring at him.
Chapter
