Enchanted Beings and the Sorcery Behind Them.
Swords, Shields, and Soldiers.
A Detailed Guide to the Gods and Their Gems.
And another that looked oddly familiar…
Impossible.
“Here's the deal. One of you is going to stay with me, and the other one is going home.” Beaumont paused to cackle. “Oh, right, I forgot. Your home has been destroyed. Well, one of youcan go back to your kingdom of ruins, but the other will have the pleasure of staying in Draemor. Now talk amongst yourselves and decide who gets to stay.”
“What?” I was unabashedly taken aback.Why would he let one of us leave?
Cyprian sighed, shaking his head. He had grown an auburn stubble since I’d seen him last, and the overall rundown appearance of his face made me question if he was truly in as good of health as he claimed. Nonetheless, he was still breathing. Unfortunately.
“I should have known you would want more of an explanation,” Beaumont muttered under his breath, “just like your damn father. One of you will stay here as an insurance policy, while the other returns to wherever the hell you are staying, and brings Maeve back to Draemor. Once she's here, we will do a trade. A life for a life.”
I burst out in actual laughter, receiving a dark scowl from the king in response. “You really think if she were alive, that we would just hand Maeve over to you? Fuck, have you not learned anything over the past year? You really don’t know when to give up, do you?”
He ignored me entirely. “I’ll be sending one of my men back with you to ensure that you follow through. Now, who is staying here with me?”
“Neither of us are staying here. Maeve is dead,” I deadpanned, nearly choking on the horrific words as they left my lips. Despite knowing they weren't true, saying the phrase out loud destroyed a piece of me.
“If that is true, then why did you come here?” Beaumont folded his fists upon a stack of open books on his desk.
“Just wanted to see with my own eyes that you were actually gone. And I was curious who replaced you, since you don't havea wife, or any offspring. Or anyone that cares about you, for that matter,” I provoked the man.
“I don’t have a wife yet, but maybe I will soon. Remember, your sweet Maeve considered my offer. I’m sure if I have one of you as a little incentive, it will be enough of a push to get her to cave.”
“She would never, if she were still here,” Kohen spurted from behind me, undoubtedly catching the almost unrecognizable crack in my voice the last time I claimed her as gone.
“Then bring me her ashes. Or her skull, if you didn't have the heart to burn her yet.” Beaumont sneered, flashing his sharp, white teeth. “Dig her rotting corpse out of the dirt if you have to. I don't care. Alive or dead. Bring. Her. To. Me.”
Gods, I wanted to vomit.
“One of you stays, and if you do not decide in the next thirty seconds, I will choose for you.” His boot rhythmically tapped under the desk while he waited.
Considering our current situation, we weren’t in a position to try and barter. I got us into this mess, and I’d be damned if I let Kohen take the fall for my fuck up.
“I’ll stay,” I volunteered, not even giving him a chance to try and offer himself instead. “Now let him go.”
“Seb…” Kohen growled in a tone lower than I’d ever heard from him. His eyebrows deepened more by the second when my vision found his tightened jaw.
I gave him a singular nod. “I’ll be fine. Go. Don’t come back for me if it risks your lives.”Do not come back here with her. Promise me, I mouthed the last part, and he nodded once back.
Alarm risked invading me, but I had faith that Kohen would do the honorable thing and keep Maeve safe. I had faith thatallof our friends would keep her safe. That they’d protect her life over mine and they wouldn't bring her back here. That much I was sure of. At least that is what I assured myself. I neededto believe that was the truth—that they would do everything in their power to ensure her protection. Becauseheron the other hand…She could be reckless.
Chapter
Eleven
MAEVE
Something was wrong…I knew it deep within my bones. They were back much too soon.
Pia and I sat watching from the front steps of the palace as their horses broke through the edge of the evergreen forest and trotted towards the stables. A horse without a rider ran alongside Kade’s steed, the reins attached to its saddle horn.
I held my breath as I scanned for a limp body draped over one of the horses, but there wasn’t one.
