The Princess In A ‘Prince’ Disguise (Beasts of Wrath and Madness #1)

41. THE CRUEL, KIND LORD

Chapter forty-one

THE CRUEL, KIND LORD

"Please, my lord!" Aekeira cried out, drawing his attention. Her hands clasped together in a desperate plea. "Show mercy to my brother!"

"Mercy? Why? Are you going to offer yourself again, as you did in court?" Zaiper's voice was a mocking purr.

"Yes," Aekeira's answer came fast. Unwavering. “Yes, please, I’m willing to.”

Zaiper barked out a laugh, the sound devoid of warmth. "Such devotion, such dedication. Sadly, you are not the one I wish to bury myself inside tonight."

He turned his attention back to Emeriel, his hand raised and flexed. Claws, glinting, ready to shred his clothes.

"All hail His Majesty the Third! The third sovereign ruler of Urai and the sole leader of the western wings. All hail Grand Lord Vladya!" The booming announcement shattered the charged atmosphere.

Zaiper froze, his grip loosening. "Vladya's returned?"

The door swung open, and Grand Lord Vladya entered. His measured stride carried an air of cool detachment, yet hinting at a barely restrained power.

"Vladya, to what do I owe this unexpected visit?" Zaiper's voice was laced with a veneer of politeness that barely concealed his displeasure. He stepped away from Emeriel.

"The question is, what were you doing, Lord Zaiper?" Vladya countered, striding closer to the heart of the lavish chamber.

"Punishment," Zaiper said smoothly. "The boy trespassed into Greyrock uninvited."

"And what prompted this trespass?" Vladya's tone was sharp, challenging. "Let me guess. You had his sister detained. But what might I ask was her crime?"

Zaiper faltered. A plausible excuse eluded him.

Anger simmered beneath the surface, a muscle twitching in his jaw. "She's a human, Vladya. We don't require justification for disciplining their kind."

"Perhaps with any other slave, but not them." Vladya stated. "Ottai and I embarked on a specific mission to acquire them, and if they are to face punishment, there should at least be a valid cause. Do you not agree?"

"Since when do you concern yourself with such trivial matters?" Zaiper spat, his patience wearing thin. He closed the distance between them. "Since when do you advocate for humans?"

"I do not," Vladya said coolly. "But these two serve an important purpose—to fulfill the beast's sexual desires. Have you forgotten what happens when his desires go unmet? Do you want our people slaughtered?"

Zaiper seethed, but he held his tongue.

Vladya turned to face Aekeira and Emeriel. "Come with me, both of you."

They scrambled to their feet, and moved toward him.

"Do you truly believe you can just waltz in here and take them?" Zaiper's voice dripped with venom. "You overestimate yourself, Vladya."

Vladya paused, his gaze piercing. "What is the real issue here, Zaiper? If I didn't know any better, I'd say this is not about the girl at all, but the boy. You lured him here by abducting his sister, but why? Why all this elaborate theater?" His voice lowered, every word a weighted accusation. "If I were less informed, I might suspect you simply want the boy dead."

"That is preposterous!" Lord Zaiper blustered, his hand forming a fist.

"I am not accusing you of anything," Vladya continued calmly. "I am merely speculating what conclusions I might draw if I didn't know better. If I have misunderstood, then you would have no reason to object to me taking them, do you?"

A tense silence filled the room, each man holding the other's gaze.

Emeriel and Aekeira stood side by side, their shoulders brushing, fingers interlaced behind their backs, forming a united front.

"The beast requires its sustenance, Zaiper. Right now. He is already irritable. You and I both know what follows—an escape from its confines," Lord Vladya's voice remained steady, his composure unruffled. "One of them will proceed directly from here to the forbidden chambers to fulfill their duties. The sooner you release them, the sooner we can prevent disaster."

"Very well." Zaiper's concession was a grudging growl. "Take the boy. The girl stays. That's my final offer."

Vladya stiffened, his eyes flickering between the siblings. Emeriel's face was etched with dread, while Aekeira's eyes brimmed with terror.

A choice had to be made. He had come to rescue Emeriel. And he had succeeded in securing the boy. Vladya typically avoided confrontations like this. Zaiper was exceedingly skittish, believing everyone to be challenging his claim to the grand throne. Vladya had no desire for the throne and no intention of directly challenging Zaiper's rule. He cared little for whatever Zaiper did. Thus, he should accept the offer and depart.

However, the same gnawing unease that had gripped him two days ago when Zaiper spoke of Aekeira, resurfaced with renewed ferocity. It was a primal instinct, protective and vengeful.

No, he did not want Zaiper to have her just yet.

"What is your decision, Lord of Blackstone? You may depart with the boy, but..." Zaiper moved closer to Aekeira, positioning himself behind her, and roughly cupping her breast. "But the girl stays. Or you can take the girl while the boy remains. Either way works for me."

"No. I will depart with the boy," Vladya asserted firmly.

"And the girl?"

"I will take her as well. As I said, I am not finished with her. You can have your turn later," Vladya proclaimed with calm.

Aekeira's eyes flashed with anger and hurt, and tears filled them as she locked gazes with Vladya, who met her stare for a fleeting moment.

Unfazed, his expression remained stoic, his face devoid of emotion, as he shifted his attention to Zaiper. "She is still my whore. You can have my leftovers later."

"I've heard that before," Zaiper hissed, a cruel smile twisting his lips. "But my patience is not infinite. I look forward to sharing. The girl desires me, after all. Remember how eager she was to disrobe for me in court?"

Vladya's eyes darkened, but he offered no response. He turned on his heel and strode towards the exit. "Follow me, slaves," he commanded.

Emeriel and Aekeira hurried after him, the guards bowing as they passed, their eyes wide with a mix of awe and fear.

They proceeded in tense silence out of Greyrock, Lord Vladya's shoulders stiff, tension emanating from him in waves. Emeriel suddenly wished he could hide his vulnerable sister away where neither Lord Vladya nor Lord Zaiper could find her.

Even though Emeriel would readily choose Lord Vladya over the monstrous Lord Zaiper, both men posed a threat to Aekeira. And while Lord Zaiper was openly cruel and sadistic, Lord Vladya possessed a darkness within him that chilled Emeriel to the bone.

Emeriel was truly beginning to grasp the gravity of the grand lord's warning about the potential danger to his life.

Upon reaching the southern wing, Lord Vladya stopped and faced them.

His gaze bore into Emeriel's, fixing him with a stern look. "I expressly forbade you to leave Blackstone."

"For-forgive me, Your Majesty," Emeriel stammered. "My sister was in danger, and I—"

"Did you truly believe you could rescue her from Zaiper, Emeriel? When will you understand the reality of your existence in this land? This is Urai, not some human kingdom. You have no power to make anything possible here. You are nothing more than a slave. The lowest rung of the hierarchy. Less than dirt beneath our feet. Lower than a sewer rat."

Pain lanced Emeriel's heart. Yet he held his ground, refusing to let Lord Vladya witness the extent of his wounded emotions. He would not allow the grand lord to see how deeply his words cut.

"I like that fire in your eyes," Lord Vladya's voice was deceptively calm, the words like honey laced with poison. "Let it burn. Embrace it, for it will serve you well. It will stop you from making foolish decisions."

His gaze hardened. "Had I not finished my business and returned early, you would be dead. Your sister as well. Is that how you protect her? By leading you both to your deaths? When you see your sister engulfed in flames, throwing yourself into the fire won't save her. Nor will it save you."

Tears welled in Emeriel's eyes, cascading down his cheeks. He had not even realized he was crying.

Aekeira stepped forward, shielding her brother protectively from the wrath of the grand Lord. "Please," she whispered, her voice trembling but resolute. "Stop."

The grand lord blinked slowly. "What did you just say to me?"

"No, Aekeira, don’t. He is right." Emeriel attempted to step forward, but Aekeira stood her ground. Clearly, she still harbored fear of the grand lord, but her need to protect Emeriel eclipsed that fear.

"He is not right," Aekeira countered, fixing Lord Vladya with a determined look." Yes, we are powerless in this kingdom. Yes, we are slaves. We have no free will, and our lives could end at any given moment. But we have each other. We may lack the power to defend ourselves against powerful men like you, who treat our lives as worthless, but we have each other. And we protect one another the only way we can. By being there. By doing everything within our power, even when it seems we can do nothing at all. We do everything within our means. Everything ."

"Aekeira, please!" Emeriel hissed, his fear for her well-being a tangible thing. No one spoke back to these lords. By the lights, they were doomed.

But Aekeira didn't waver. Her tear-filled eyes remained on the grand lord. "Even when we fight a losing battle, we keep fighting. Because we are each other's strength. What's so wrong with that, Your Highness?" Her voice cracked. "What is so wrong with doing everything you can, even when you can do so little?"

A heavy silence descended.

Grand Lord Vladya stared penetratingly at the human princess. A flicker of something unexpected, admiration perhaps, stirred within him. The girl was undeniably terrified of him, yet she stood her ground and voiced her thoughts.

Normally, he would be enraged that she dared to defy him in such a manner, eager to crush the fragile wings she thought she had, to break her spirit beyond repair for her audacity. To show her no one spoke to him that way without consequence.

But he wasn't enraged. He was... intrigued.

And though he would never admit it aloud, everything the girl said was true. The boy's actions reminded him of himself.

His own relentless fight to save Daemonikai, even when his best friend's situation was beyond hopeless. The way he clung to hope, refusing to let go, even when there was nothing left to hold onto.

Because even if he fought a losing battle, he was not ready to stop fighting. What is so wrong with doing everything you can, even when you can do so little.

"Oh, Aekeira..." Emeriel whispered to his sister's ear, his voice thick with worry. "You should have held it in."

Then, Emeriel remembered that Urekai possessed heightened hearing. The flush of embarrassment crept up his neck as he took a step back.

The rush of adrenaline drained from Aekeira, leaving behind a stark realization of her recklessness. She had talked back to a grand lord, a grave offense. By the skies... Why hadn't she held back?

Emeriel and Aekeira lowered their heads, bracing for Lord Vladya's wrath. Aekeira didn't regret her words, but what if Emeriel got hurt because she had mouthed off to a grand Lord?

Lord Vladya turned away. "Pack your things, Aekeira. You are moving to Blackstone."

The words hung in the air. That…was not what she expected to hear. Far from it.

"Huh?" Aekeira and Emeriel exchanged wide-eyed glances.

Instinctively, they both dropped to their knees. Emeriel began, "We beg your forgiveness, Your Majesty. Please reconsider—"

"Rise." Vladya's voice brooked no argument.

They obeyed, their movements hesitant.

"Go to your chambers, gather your belongings, and move to Blackstone," he repeated. "You are clearly your brother's weakness, and since I need him alive, I must ensure your safety as well. The maids will prepare a room next to his. You cannot remain in the southern wing. For now, you reside in my territory, where I can keep a close eye on you. You both will work the gardens until your duties are determined."

She could hardly believe her ears. Disbelief gave way to elation. Was it possible?

"We are deeply grateful, Your Highness," they chorused, relief flooding through them.

"I checked on the beast upon my return. It was my first order of business before I heard about your... situation. The beast is showing signs of restlessness due to Sexlust, but it's manageable for now. I said what I did to appease Zaiper and secure your release. However, in a few days, Emeriel, you will be required to serve him. Prepare yourself." With that, Grand Lord Vladya turned and walked away.