I glanced over my shoulder and noticed Jensen right where he said he’d be, which gave me some relief as I pulled the gloves off my arms, exposing myself as the marked one.
Not moving my gaze from the castle doors, I reached out and snagged the wrist of a guard. I turned just my neck to face him. “Go get King Beaumont. Tell him that Maeve Willawood is here to speak with him.”
Within ten minutes,none other than Cyprian Beaumont came strolling through the castle doors, stopping at the top of the steps to stare down at me with a deathly grin.
Though everything in my body fought against me doing so, I stepped forward to meet him at the bottom of the staircase.
“I knew you would come.” His hollow cheeks curved into something resembling a smile. He took another long stride for me, descending the staircase with his crimson robe fluttering behind him.
When he reached the bottom, I held a hand up, toeing a boot behind me in the event I had to make like the wind and jump back. “Stop. Do not come a step closer, or I won’t hesitate to do to you what I did to your army.”
Cyprian’s smile only deepened with my threat. “Just as feisty as I remember,” he purred with a ghastly wink.
I fought my eyes from rolling and got right to the matter at hand, not giving him a moment to start picking away at me.
“You have something I want,” I stated, clasping my hands behind my back.
“Are you referring to Hawthorne? There's not much of him left worth wanting, but I did promise your friend a deal should he bring you to me.”
Sweet mother of gods.
I forcefully chose not to think too hard about what that meant. I couldn't. Not now.
“He was alive last I checked, however.”
Refusing to clasp my hands around his neck and choke him like I really wanted to, I instead held onto my constraint and simply nodded. “I am here to fulfill the deal.”
Ignoring my words, Beaumont stretched his neck to look over me, scanning the grounds. “Speaking of your friend, where is he?”
“I came alone.”
“Maeve, you should know better than to lie to me,” Beaumont taunted, waving a scolding finger much too close to my face.
“I’m telling the truth. My friends did not agree with turning me over and knew Sebastian would kill them if they did, so I came without them knowing. Although, if I had a guess, they should be a few hours away by now. I’m more than sure that they came after me as soon as they realized I was gone.”
Cyprian crossed his arms under his robe. “Well, a deal is a deal I suppose.” He took a step for me, but I lunged backwards.
“Wait,” I demanded. “I’m aware of what you promised in regard to letting Sebastian go in return for me. But I’m also aware that you have someundisclosed plansfor me.” I puckeredmy lips, beginning the part of my task that required me to do some acting.
I already fucking hated this.
Cyprian chuckled. “Ah yes. You heard of my little speech.”
“Please enlighten me on how you plan tohandle me?” Nodding, I quoted his words.
“If the only way to control you is by your death, then that is what must be done. But we will cross that bridge if we get there.”
“Well that is disappointing to hear." I forced a pouted lip, nonchalantly twirling a strand of my hair. “For someone who asked for my hand in marriage just weeks ago, you can imagine my surprise to find that you now want me dead. Why should I just willingly turn myself over to someone who plans to kill me?”
Beaumont clicked his tongue. “I do notwantyou dead, but you must understand that my civilians fear you and your power.”
“If they fear me, it’s because of the falsities you have brainwashed them with. I am no hazard to those who do not threaten the ones I care about.”
A sleeve of his robe shimmied off his shoulder with his shrug. “I made a vow to my kingdom; should I be unable to control you, there will be consequences.”
“And if I do as you request of me? If I comply in every manner you ask? If you cancontrol meas youdesire?” I put a little spunk on the worddesire, adding a damn near visible glimmer in my eyes.
Fuck me. This was horrible. I might need Venay’s memory eraser after this.
