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His tone makes me feel ill. “You really are just as greedy as they say.”
“Greedy?” he spits.
“You don’t trust us at all and yet you would be happy to take our money in return for your daughters. What kind of father are you?”
“I am a king,” he snarls. “Kings must make sacrifices for their people.”
Castor snorts. “You wouldn’t sacrifice even a single penny for your people.”
“His daughters’ innocence on the other hand,” I sneer.
“Enough of this!” He throws his fists down. “Susan! I mean… ugh whatever your name is, make them bleed until they are ready to tell me where Camellia is or at least pay up,” he demands as he heads towards the door.
“Sol!” I roar. Both he and Susan flinch, even Castor turns to me, surprised. “There is one last thing I wish to say to you before you leave. Something important.”
“What is it?” he bites out, motioning for Susan to wait.
“Eden wants a big family, did you know that?” I say. “Even though she may be confused about her pregnancy right now, I know that from the moment that child takes their first breath, Eden will love them as I will too, just as much as I love their mother.” I lean forward against my bindings. “Because that’s what a good parent does.”
He rolls his eyes, but I continue anyway. “You claimed to have loved my mother, but then you abandoned her when she needed you most, when she left your child at your doorstep, and for that, I will hate you until you die.”
He scoffs.
“But luckily for you, I love your daughter more than I could ever hate such a pitiful excuse of a man. And even more luckily for you, my sweet-hearted Eden told me yesterday that she hates violence. Because of that, Your Majesty, I’m not going to kill you tonight.”
“Kill me?” he blurts.
“But I will say this.” My voice deepens. “One day your daughters will realise just how truly awful you are and they will also realise that nothing is more powerful than the bond between siblings.” I glance at Castor before glaring straight at the king. “And you have twelve fucking daughters.”
He pales slightly then shakes his head. “I don’t have to hear any of this.”
“You don’t.” I shrug. “But that won’t change what’s coming for you.”
“I’ve heard a pointe shoe to the head can be quite painful,” Castor chuckles darkly. “Imagine twelve of them all at once.”
“Damn you,” Sol hisses before jerking his chin at the guard. “Deal with them.”
Susan charges up to us, but not before I add, “When Eden has a son, I will be sure he knows just how awful his grandfather was.” Sol shoots me a seething look before slamming the door behind him.
“Fuck him,” Castor chuckles.
“Yes, fuck him,” I say before finding myself face to face with Susan. “Go easy,” I sigh as he swings, but his fist never collides with my face. Instead, I knee him in the chest before kicking him towards my brother.
Castor finishes him off swiftly, yanking his hands down fast enough that the chain holding his wrists up snaps.
I suppose the good thing about being stuck in a cell designed for misbehaving nobles is that most nobles don’t ever lift anything heavier than a wine goblet. Castor, on the other hand…
“Need some help?” He smirks at me.
“Hurry up,” I say while he easily breaks through the thin ropes binding his wrists.
“You know, if you spent less time with your cat and more time practising with weapons other than your magic, you might be able to help yourself right now,” he purrs as he deals with my wrists.
“Eden quite likes my cat,” I remind him.
“Eden quite likes my arms.”
“That’s all she likes about you,” I say as my wrists drop. Massaging them, I head towards the door. But before I reach it, a bruising hand on my shoulder holds me back.
