Eventually I heard him stomp toward the door and throw it open. “I’ll lock the door. You’ll be safe,” he said and then paused for another few heartbeats.
If he was expecting a response from me, he would be waiting for eternity, for I had nothing left to say to him.
He heaved a sigh and then the door closed. A second later I heard the telltale sound of a lock being engaged.
I counted to thirty, and then let the tears that had been clawing at the back of my eyes escape. My throat tightened as I let myself feel this betrayal and fully process it.I’d been so stupid to trust an Ethereum lord! Queen Liliana would kill me if she knew I’d been dying to kiss him.
By the time I was done crying I was exhausted and it didn’t take long to fall into a heavy sleep. My body and mind were both wrung out from the long day. My dreams were a kaleidoscope of images. My mother and father sitting on their thrones, Stryker’s stern face, the brilliant red, orange, and purple leaves of the Fall Court foliage, the dark abyss of Stryker’s dungeon.
Scene after scene of my life in the Fall Court meshed with my experiences in Ethereum in a nonsensical loop. My mind was a jumbled mess so in the middle of the night when a hand clamped over my mouth, waking me from sleep, and someone warned me that if I screamed they’d slit my throat, I was too disoriented to do what I’d been trained to and lash out at them with my magic.
By the time I became aware enough to fight back, they’d slapped a foul-smelling cloth over my mouth and nose, and darkness reached up to reclaim me.
Chapter 12
Stryker
Ipaused for the fifth time since leaving Aribella in that room alone a few moments ago. My muscles were tense and my hand gripped the banister so tightly I expected wood shards to crack off.
The look on her face when she realized I’d chained her to the bed would forever haunt me. She tried to cover it with anger, but I’d seen the truth in her eyes. Betrayal. Sorrow. Pain. I’d hurt her, deeply.
My mind and heart warred with each other.
Aribella’s large brown eyes appeared in my mind’s eye, heavy with unshed tears, and I spun around. My legs took me back up the flight of stairs in jerky movements until the large brown eyes morphed into crystalline blue ones.
My blood ran cold and I froze, my body locking up as a memory sucked me under.
Her husky laugh beckoned me. Rosaline looked over her shoulder at me with a come-hither stare. I reached out and captured a lock of her silky moon-colored hair in between my fingers just to have her twist out of my grasp.
“How much do you love me?” she asked, a smirk curling the corners of her mouth.
This was a game of hers. She always wanted me to tell her how much I loved her, like she was gauging my affection no matter how often I told her or how many gifts I lavished on her.
A spike of irritation ran through me, but I shoved it away, telling myself it was normal for her to want reassurances. That it wasn’t because she truly doubted the strength of my love for her, but that it was her own insecurities bubbling to the surface.
Even though I was an Ethereum lord and Rosaline was a commoner from a small village within my kingdom, I didn’t care a lick about our differences in station. The moment I’d laid eyes on her I was already half in love.
But even though I didn’t like it, I could understand how she might be worried I would get bored and throw her away. It was a common enough instance with nobility, but that wasn’t me. My love was steadfast, and I’d spent these last months convincing her of that.
It was wildly known that I didn’t love easy—I’d been let down by those closest to me and used too many times for my wealth to have a heart that readily opened—but when I did, it was deep and lasting.
Reaching for her again, she allowed me to capture her. I wrapped my arms around her waist and pulled her to me.“I love you with the strength of a thousand stars and to the depth of the deepest abyss.”
She smiled at me and stroked her finger down the side of my face. “Do you love me more than you love your riches?” she taunted playfully.
“My riches are nothing next to you,” I answered truthfully and her smile twisted into one of victory. Like she’d just bested an opponent and reveled in her triumph. But when my brows pulled together in confusion, the harsh twist of her lips softened, making me feel silly for reading that much into them.
Later I would look back and see the signs I missed, but as she rose and planted a sweet kiss against the corner of my mouth, the shadow of concern melted away and I fell into her and under her spell like I did every time.
I shook myself, nausea roiling in my gut at even the memory of Rosaline. Turning on a heel, I jogged down the stairs and out of the townhouse, only feeling like I could take a full breath of air once I was on the street.
No. I would not fall for a beautiful woman again only to be betrayed.
I headed toward the main street, taking a right when I reached it and looking for the tavern where I was to meet my men. I was in a foul mood as I stomped down the street and I’m sure my face showed it because fae skidded out of the way as I passed.
I shouldn’t be recognized here. I was wearing plain clothes and the chance of any of my brother’s subjects having met me before was low. However, blending in was never something my brothers or I did well.Our magic and size made it almost impossible. So it was best if I could get off the street quickly. I didn’t want my prey realizing I was here, at least not until they’d fallen into my trap. Then I would relish watching their faces as they discovered I’d caught them. Seeing fear fill their eyes when they realized what horrors awaited them. I’d worked hard to build up a reputation that struck terror into the hearts of those who opposed or defied me.
Yes, that would be satisfying indeed. These thieves had been plundering my mines and I’d wasted enough time and resources on trying to capture them. Time and resources that should have gone to my people instead of them, and for that they had to pay.
