Chapter 17
Leaf
While I dressed for dinner, I contemplated Bakhur’s offer to attend his little party.
Although an evening of criticizing Arrow sounded tempting, scowling at my golden nemesis across a dining table would be an infinitely more satisfying experience than listening to Bakhur whine about him for hours on end.
So, certain I’d made the correct choice, at the bottom of the stairs that connected my tower to the rest of the palace, I turned left, making my way to the Great Hall instead of seeking out the Fire Prince and his spiteful friends.
During dinner, as usual, chaos reigned in the hall. The atmosphere was smoky and dark, the food spicy, and the music and laughter loud. The heat blasting from countless braziers and an enormous fireplace on a side wall raised constant beads of sweat on my brow. The fire courtiers liked things hot.
With Bakhur and his aunt, Marcella, absent, I sat at the high table between Estella and Azarn, Arrow on the Fire King’s right, and Ruhh hovering by his side.
If the ghost princess hated Arrow as much as she claimed to, why did she address him in that sickly sweet voice and run her cold fingers through his hair so frequently? Grinding my teeth, I vowed not to look at them so I could enjoy my dinner without losing it.
As I ate my clay-pot stew of spiced root vegetables and apricots, I sipped wine and peppered the queen with questions about the Crystal Realm, her birthplace, doing my best to block out Ruhh and Arrow’s conversation.
Estella answered my questions in a guarded manner, relaying very little useful information about her land, powers, or how she might help me escape. As she spoke, her expression was wary, as if she suspected I might suddenly announce what she had done in the Arena of Ashen Souls. And tell her husband who she really was—a queen who possessed more power than he could ever dream of having.
A queen who I hoped was still my ally.
After dinner, the king rose and strutted across the front of the dais to address his courtiers. “Tonight, a particularly pleasing event will take place,” he told them. “For your entertainment, a traitorous orc will dance over a fire for as long as he is able to stay conscious.”
I choked on a mouthful of wine.
Orion—it had to be.
My heart pounded erratically as my dinner curdled in my stomach and three guards entered the hall. Chains jangled as they dragged a hooded prisoner to the middle of the floor, where a small pyre was being erected. Melaya glided forward and worked fire magic into a rope that he used to tie Orion to a large pole above the fire.
“Don’t worry, Zali,” said Azarn. “This won’t be the death of your friend. We have more… interesting plans for the orc.”
I nodded at the Fire King as if I didn’t give a shit about a one-eyed sailor who had recently risked his life to help me escape from the Light Realm. But nothing could have been further from the truth. I would spare no effort to find out where they held Orion captive. After tonight, I would do anything to see him released from his bonds.
Clearing my throat, I gently placed my wine cup on the table, knowing I couldn’t witness Orion’s torture without losing my stomach contents. I had to get out of the hall fast.
“May I be excused, Estella?” I asked. “I’m so tired and still haven’t recovered from yesterday’s fight with Arrowyn. Don’t think I’m quite ready to view another entertainment yet.” I put finger quotes around the word entertainment, and the queen smiled, pity simmering in her blue eyes.
“Of course, Zali. We must speak soon. I will call for you at an appropriate time.”
As musicians played cheerful music, reminiscent of a jig, I kept my head down and left the hall, unable to bear the sight of Orion’s suffering. All because of me .
Under the full moon’s glow, I took the route that wound past the fire moat, desperate to calm the turmoil of emotions tumbling through me. Near the sea cliffs, a fresh breeze blew off the ocean, chasing Taln’s sulfurous-sweet air toward the forest.
Crossing my arms, I took a deep breath. I’d often wondered what became of Orion after Captain Loligos and his men sold me to the Earth Realm soldiers. Now I knew. And I really wished I didn’t.
When I’d met Orion briefly in the Port of Tears, back then, I’d been vulnerable, with no memories, no idea who I was, and he had treated me with such kindness and risked his life to help me.
And now, he would pay a terrible price for his bravery, simply because Ari had asked a favor of him.
I had to find a way to get Orion out of Taln, even if it meant I might never be free myself. I couldn’t expect others to help me while I sat back basking in comfort. That would be unjust. Unfair. And I strove always to set an example for my people.
Friendship and loyalty were worth risking our lives over.
First, it was crucial I discovered where the fire fae kept their prisoners. Then I’d need help to form a plan from someone that knew Taln well. Ruhh would assist if I offered her something worthy in return, but since I’d failed to kill Arrow, I doubted she’d trust me again, which left Estella as my only option.
I was beginning to think the ghost girl wanted me dead instead of the Storm King so that nothing stood in the way of getting her bony hands on his impressive, but traitorous muscles. Hadn’t she realized I was mostly over him?
As I climbed the stairs to the tower room, I checked my inner pocket, feeling the soft cloth that contained the orchid petals. I had seven left, and for me, their effect seemed to last about an hour, not nearly long enough to break an orc free from prison and get him safely out of the Fire Kingdom. I wondered if using two petals would increase the duration of invisibility.
Fueled by fury about Orion’s plight, I performed my nightly exercises until my muscles shook and sweat coated my skin, then I took a bath, contemplating what Bakhur had told me about the mergelyn anklet.
Was it true Melaya could hear my conversations at times? Or was Bakhur trying to dissuade me from hatching plans with Zaret? And if Melaya could eavesdrop, was there a way to tell when he was listening?
Even subtle magic was detectable if you paid attention to the right cues. So from now on, I’d be on high alert for the signs, such as the sudden tingling of extremities, ringing in my ears, crackling of my hair, or unexplained nausea.
I desperately needed to speak to Zaret again. He could explain everything that had happened in Coridon since I’d left. Fill me in on the details of how Arrow had supposedly reformed the city’s slave trade, while betraying every fond memory I had of him and allowing the Sun Realm to capture me.
How had I ever let myself fall in love with a two-faced monster? A callous fae who thought nothing of tearing my heart to shreds?
I cleaned my teeth and brushed the long side of my hair, finger-combing the clipped side that grew longer every day, the whole time praying Melaya hadn’t let Orion suffer too long in the hall.
Yawning as I peeled back the bedcovers, three loud raps sounded on the other side of the door, followed by a male’s voice. Arrow’s deep voice. “Princess, open up.”
Dust. He had warned me he would visit tonight, but naively, I’d taken his words as a threat, an attempt to frighten me, nothing more.
“Wait a moment,” I said, slipping on a robe, the silk cool against my bare arms and legs. As I opened the door, my jaw dropped.
Flanked by two burly Fire Court guards, Arrow held an unraveled parchment between two fingers, jostling it in front of me. I flicked a sneer at the scroll, and then an eyebrow up at him.
He flapped it under my nose. “It’s a signed order from Azarn. You must read it.”
“I’m not in the mood.” I feigned another yawn and pushed against the door, but Arrow’s boot shot out, keeping it open.
“Oh, should I come back at a more convenient time?” he asked in a sarcastic tone.
“Yes, please. And let me think when that might be...” I stroked my chin, as though considering my non-existent schedule. “How about never ?”
One of the guards took charge of the parchment as the small party hustled inside my chamber, and Arrow stared at me as the bearded fae began to read out loud.
“By the order of King Azarn Thrusheel, Arrowyn Ramiel, ruler of the Light Realm, has been given leave to take life-sustaining blood from the veins of his marked Aldara, twice daily if he so wishes, until the king withdraws his permission.”
With a broken shout, I leaped at Arrow, my fists swinging.
“Don’t touch her,” Arrow barked as the guards’ weapons clattered behind us.
He caught me in his arms, tossed me on the bed, then used his bodyweight to hold me down.
I struggled like a wolf in a trap, but it was no use. He was too strong. Too ruthless.
“This isn’t fair,” I said, the closest I’d ever been to giving up as I thumped his chest armor with my fist. Swallowing a sob, I caught my breath. “I’m sick of being a pawn in the stupid games males play.”
“Agreed,” he said, his lips barely moving as confusion shuddered through me.
What did he mean by agreed ?
He frowned down at me as our ragged breaths combined, our faces too close for comfort. The feather glyphs on his skin turned from dark crimson to gold. My pulse skyrocketed, the Aldara mark burning my flesh, and my bones melted like summer honey. Damn. I hated how his nearness affected me.
I turned my head, hoping he wouldn’t notice my blown pupils, the tell-tale signs of desire blushing over my skin.
“Look at me,” he rasped.
I shifted my head, but kept my gaze fixed on the erratic pulse at his throat.
“Leaf.”
“That’s not my name.”
“ Zali, then . Stop fighting. Why make this harder than it needs to be?”
“An easy question for an oppressor to ask. For the one subdued, the answer is clear—there is no other option than making things harder .”
Silence hummed through the air, our rasped breathing the only sound in the room. What in the hells were the guards doing right now? Standing by, watching, and grinning? The humiliation was unbearable.
Arrow’s thumb stroked down my neck, while his hardness pressed into my stomach. I heard him swallow, practically drooling while he prepared to bite me.
“Don’t do this,” I whispered. “Please.”
“I’ve no choice,” he growled softly as his fangs sank into my flesh, lips suckling the long muscle in my neck.
As he drew slowly on my vein, a cry of pain and ecstasy tore from my throat. “ Relax, little Leaf. I won’t hurt you. Never hurt you . Promise .”
What the fuck? I thought, as my body jerked in shock. Had he somehow spoken in my mind?
“ I can hear you, reckless one. Guard your thoughts if you have any secrets you wish to keep from me. Concentrate on the blood flowing between us and focus only on what you wish me to hear. ”
“ Which would be nothing . Why didn’t you tell me we could do this ?”
He groaned against my neck and gripped my chin roughly. “ It mostly only works during feeding. But I knew you’d hate it—the invasion. And because I care about you… I suppressed it .”
“ That’s rich, claiming to care about me now. ”
“ I’ve never stopped . You, Zali, are my precious gem, my light, my fire, my earth, and ice. ”
He drew deeper on my vein, and I gasped, my hips bucking against his hard length.
“Hold still, human,” he said out loud, “or your throat will be shredded.”
The guards laughed, sounding thoroughly entertained.
My fingers twisted in Arrow’s hair at the base of his neck, as though I would tug him away. But I didn’t. I held him in place as if my life depended on it.
Closer.
Tighter.
Forever.
“ You sold me to Taln,” I thought carefully, focusing on each word so he would understand . “You said you’d always come for me. You told me that more than once, Arrow. But you didn’t come .”
“ Shh , I’m here now ,” he soothed. “ No more words. The ruse must be acted out. I have so much I wish to say to you and no time. No time at all. ”
“ Tell me one thing ,” I thought as he took a last sip, then licked my wound. “ Does your power work in Taln ?”
He gripped my neck tighter, as if he would strangle me, his fingers digging into my muscles. “No, I’m afraid not. Your blood gives me strength. The small amount I took from you in the forest allowed me to use a very light glamour on Azarn to ensure he would agree to let me visit you. But no amount of blood will help me access storm magic through Melaya’s block. But don’t worry. I have a few ideas about how to get you out of Taln .”
“ And they are ?”
“ A conversation for another day. Now get up and act like you hate me .”
“ That shouldn’t be difficult ,” I said as he pushed off the bed, leaving me shivering in his absence.
For the guards’ benefit, I said aloud, “I’ll always hate you for this, Arrowyn Ramiel.”
Ignoring his grimace and the wave of dizziness that rushed over me, I slid off the bed, staggered to the closet, and pulled out my cloak. No, not my cloak. It was his cloak.
It had never truly been mine.
I dangled it from my finger as if it was a filthy rag. A broken promise. A withered heart.
“Take it,” I said. “I never want to feel it on my skin again.”
He blanched. “But it’s yours.” He stepped closer and dropped his voice to an urgent whisper. “Please.”
“Take it, Storm King, or I’ll throw it in the fire.” He stared at the cloak, and I released my grip and let it drop on the floor.
The guards hissed in audible breaths. Purple flames crackled in the hearth. Outside, the rhythmic chirping of nearby crickets could be heard over the gentle crash of waves against the cliffs.
With a soft sigh, Arrow picked up the cloak and hung it on a hook by the door. Then his gaze flicked to the guards, indicating that what he was about to do was for them alone. By the time he looked back at me, his expression had turned to stone.
Storming forward, he backed me against the wall next to the window, the same way he’d done last night in his room. But this time, our rapt audience shifted their weight, weapons clinking in anticipation of violence.
Everyone in the realms had heard tales of the Storm King’s ruthless nature, but I was finally beginning to grasp that the stories were wildly exaggerated.
“Talk to me like that again, human, and I’ll show you exactly who’s in control. Want me to fuck you in front of them?”
“You wouldn’t dare,” I spat out.
“Azarn gave me leave to do whatever I wanted with you. It would be no crime,” he snarled back.
Was this still an act? It felt so real. The cruel prod of his body against mine. The furious steel flashing in his eyes. Only moments ago, he had declared his devotion, and now, he threatened violence and humiliation. Confusion spun through my mind. Could I trust him?
Without warning, warm lips crashed against mine, swallowing my muffled cry as he kissed me more cruelly than he’d ever done before. Instead of fear, hot flames engulfed me, licking at my core.
His teeth scraped, tongue stroked, and his fingers dug so firmly into my flesh I thought I’d pass out or spread my legs and beg him to plow into me and end the torment. Take me on that long, blissful ride to oblivion.
The kind of oblivion only he could give me.
Right now, the entire Fire Court could’ve been watching, and I would’ve willingly let him have me.
“Learn to behave,” he growled, breaking the kiss and thudding my head against the wall, his fingers braced behind my skull to take the impact. “ I love you ,” he mouthed, then pushed off the window frame and strode out of my room without a word.
Another shock of cold air rushed over me, and I swayed, dizzy and disoriented. What the fuck had just happened?
The guards smirked at me before following Arrow, slamming the door so hard the windowpanes shook from the force.
I slid down the wall until I hit the floor, covering my Aldara mark with my palm. The place where Arrow had bitten me pulsed with each beat of my heart—a slow, soothing rhythm, a stark contrast to the chaos whirling inside my mind.
I tried to sort through my racing thoughts, desperate to make sense of what had occurred.
Arrow had said… he said he loved me.
Or had I imagined that part?
I wracked my brain, wondering if he’d ever said those words to me before, part of me longing to believe it was true. Wanting to trust that he had always cared for me, had never stopped, just as he claimed.
I shook my head, dipping my face into the cradle of my hands. It would be a death sentence to believe him. To nurture hope, like a fledgling in a nest, waiting for its family to return before a wild storm set in.
Arrowyn Ramiel was a compulsive liar.
And life had taught me that, eventually, everyone betrayed me.
Arrow’s attempt to regain my trust was nothing more than a part of his plan to maintain power over the gold, destroying me in the process—a future queen of the race he so despised.
Or was it?
When the guards’ vision had been obscured, he’d touched me so tenderly, looked at me with such sweet longing that I’d believed him.
But now, I hardly knew what to think.
One thing I did know was that I’d wasted the opportunity to ask him where the Fire Court was likely to be holding Orion.
Tomorrow, I would find out for myself.
And in the meantime, I would try to make sense of every wonderful word that Arrow had said tonight—both aloud and through our bond.