Chapter 8
Chapter
Eight
EVIE
“ G ood, because running is no longer an option,” Adara muttered, barely moving her lips.
The king and queen stared straight at us. At least they’d won some battles in their lifetimes, if they were allowed inside the Arena.
One of Eldryan’s mighty brows rose. Like father, like infuriating son.
“You came,” he said, sounding stunned even in that elegant royal lilt the entire Rohenstorm family had perfected.
“I did.” I tilted my chin up, trying to focus on Eldryan’s perfectly chiseled face instead of the thousands of eyes glued to the stage overlooking the entire Arena.
A massive dragon’s head jutted out the end of the stage, its mouth snarling, fierce ruby gaze trained on the basin awaiting underneath. When the light hit it just right, its eyes shone as if they blazed, ready to incinerate anyone waiting below.
Gods, give me strength.
“So good of you to join us.” Zavoya placed a graceful hand on Eldryan’s shoulder. She was the embodiment of gentle strength. She held her head tilted at just the right angle so that her crown–a gorgeous fusion of gold, silver, and copper flowers and thorns–caught the sun’s rays so that she reflected light all around her.
Instead of a ceremonial robe, she wore a tight leather armor with a reddish tinge, and a bloodred cape that flowed from one shoulder.
For a second, I saw a spark of reassurance radiating in her eyes.
“Our little Blue Queen is a fighter,” she said. Perfectly polite, perfectly patronizing. “I told you she’d be here.”
Eldryan tilted his head to the side, his formidable gaze scrutinizing me. “Yes, you did.”
“And, look, no weapon aimed at our necks.”
“At least not a weapon we can see.”
“ And no murderous glint in her gaze.”
Eldryan huffed a laugh. “No need to gloat, my love, I might win yet and claim my prize.”
Was everything a game to them?
I saw red. “You bet on whether or not I’d come to the ritual?”
I felt Adara drawing closer, as if in warning.
Zavoya gave a perfectly crystalline laugh. “Oh, no, nothing so vulgar, dear.”
“We bet on whether or not you’d use this opportunity to try and kill our son.”
“Emphasis on try . Nobody can actually kill him.” Zavoya shared a sweet smile with her husband.
So the parents didn’t know about the oath, if they were so cluelessly optimistic about their son’s power. No mortal was infinite.
“We did a fine job raising a true warrior,” Eldryan went on, kissing the back of Zavoya’s hand. “He might get my crown sooner than we planned.”
Adara inhaled sharply and tried to cover it with a cough. She seemed to like this conversation even less than I did. At least Eldryan seemed proud of the son he raised and protected–so fine that he got attacked by his tutor as a child.
“A great leader, yes.” Zavoya’s gaze pivoted to me once more. “Hopefully, a great husband, as well. Like his father.”
I stared at them incredulously. “Your husband surprised you with a double wedding too, then?”
Zavoya gave a surprised laugh, while Eldryan frowned.
“I wouldn’t worry,” Zavoya said, leaning toward me like we were sharing some grand secret. Her smile had shifted; no longer warm, almost foreboding. “Divorce is an option in the Blood Brotherhood Clan. Very rare in the royal family and only accepted in case of exceptional motive, but it does happen.”
Divorce.
The word hit me like a spear, startling the bond between me and him . It wailed at the mere mention of separating, rattling me so hard and fast, I swayed on the spot.
“We have a contract,” I managed to say as dark spots danced in my vision. “A magical contract.”
As members of our Clans, we’d sealed it with our word and family names. There was nothing more binding–except a blasted blood oath.
Did they want to warn me he might have found a loophole that allowed him to divorce me ?
Whatever the case, it was a horrible thing to say when I was already quaking in my boots because of the ritual.
“We know, we signed your unbreakable contract as well.” Zavoya shook her head, as if trying to dislodge a particularly nasty thought. “I’d love to chat more about it over tea one day. I keep telling your lady-in-waiting you have an open invitation to visit the court, but you haven’t visited yet.”
The absolute last thing I wanted after the wedding was to have tea with my new mother-in-law in the Blood Brotherhood palace. No wonder Leesa hadn’t told me. I did wonder why Zavoya had kept insisting, though.
Gods help me, but I understood why he didn’t trust his parents to lead.
“You must be very fortunate,” I said. “To be able to think about bets, divorces, and tea while your Clan is facing a war. A war your son has to fight in.”
Zavoya’s eyes sparked. “Our Clan, dear.”
“My son will defend us,” Eldryan said. “He hasn’t lost a battle yet. And he won’t. A true warrior would rather die defending his Clan than come home defeated.”
Ignoring Adara tensing behind me, I opened my mouth to ask just how many battles the king had won, when a sudden flutter erupted in my chest. A shiver raced up my spine, settling at the base of my skull.
He was coming.