46. Prince Cole
Chapter 46
Prince Cole
“The devil made me do it.”
— Flip Wilson
L orelda and I reach the edge of the forest where the trees thin. Nathaniel’s castle looms ahead, a dark silhouette against the foggy sky. His soldiers patrol the courtyard, their armor clinking in the evening air.
She stands beside me, her presence as commanding as it is menacing. Her long black hair flows like a river of darkness down her back, and she grins, her eyes gleaming with a dangerous excitement while she observes.
I sigh. “Let’s just get it over with.”
“Take out the guards,” she orders. “Make it quick and quiet. We do not want to alert the whole castle.”
Nodding curtly, I move low and silent, the hilt of my sword feeling cold and heavy in my hand.
There are seven guards, and the first one is an easy target.
His back is turned as he’s distracted by the Shadows Lorelda conjured to disorient him. I creep up behind him, my breath shallow, and before he can react, I plunge the sword into his back.
He crumples silently to the ground, his life extinguished in an instant. He could’ve been someone’s husband—or worse, father—but there is no time for remorse when there’s a glimmer of hope that Lorelda might release my sister.
One by one, I take out the guards, each kill a little easier than the last, my mind numb to the horror of what I’m doing.
Lorelda watches from the edge of the forest, her eyes never leaving the mine.
I clench my jaw. She forces me to do this for her damn entertainment , not because she couldn’t handle them herself. She could cripple them all with a flick of her wrist.
Finally, the last guard falls.
I return to Lorelda’s side, my hands stained with blood.
She gives me a curt nod, her expression unreadable.
“It’s done,” I tell her. “Now what?”
“Now we wait,” she replies, her gaze fixed on the castle. “Nathaniel will come out to investigate. When he does, we strike.”
We crouch down, waiting. The minutes stretch into what feels like hours, and my mind races, second-guessing every decision that led me here.
Was this the right choice?
I want Nathaniel dead—this much is clear. Hell, I want him to drown in his own blood for what he did to Davina.
But she would hate me for it.
She thinks Lorelda is going to kill him. But what if it’s not?
What if it’s me who will end up doing it?
Suddenly, the castle gates creak open, and a group of soldiers emerge. Nathaniel is behind them, and he looks every bit the asshole he is and steps quickly back inside.
“Remember,” Lorelda snaps, her voice bitter. “You do this for me, and I might give you Aurora back.”
I nod, gripping the hilt of my sword tighter.
I just want this to be over. Davina is probably waiting for me to finally return since I wanted us to fight together.
As we slowly approach the castle gates, I see Nathaniel’s soldiers patrolling the perimeter, their armor glinting faintly in the moonlight.
Lorelda nudges me forward, her expression leaving no room for argument. “Go,” she hisses.
“Careful,” I grind out, “or I’ll think you’re too scared to do it yourself.”
Taking a deep breath, I step into the open.
The soldiers notice me almost immediately, their hands moving to their weapons. The first one charges at me, his sword raised high, but I parry his strike and counter with a swift slash to his side.
It’s too easy.
I’ve been training for moments like this since I was a little boy.
He falls with a grunt, and another takes his place.
The night erupts into chaos of clashing steel and the cries of a battle. I move fast, driven by purpose and the instinct to survive. Each fallen soldier is one step closer to drawing Nathaniel out of his castle.
Lorelda watches from behind, a twisted smile playing on her lips. She revels in the violence of it.
I keep fighting, sweat mingling with blood, each swing of my sword calculated to end this.
Finally, as the last one falls, the castle doors creak open again. Nathaniel steps out, his expression a mix of anger and disbelief, his eyes narrowing as he takes in the scene before him.
“What the hell?” His trembling voice echoes in the night.
Lorelda strides forward. “Nathaniel,” she purrs. “Miss me?”
His body locks in place as he takes in her presence. His gaze shifts to me, recognition dawning in his eyes. “You,” he spits. “You’re her lackey?”
“Call it whatever you like.”
He draws his sword. “Then I suppose we’ll finish this now.”
“Oh, Nathaniel.” Lorelda tsks. “That is not how this works.”
In the blink of an eye, his sword dissipates into nothingness, a wisp of dust lingering in the air.
“We should have a little conversation.”
He glares at her, disgust written all over his face. “I’d rather lick the blood off the ground than have a chat with you.”
“Such hostility,” she coos, her eyes flashing with dark amusement.
“I am not afraid of you,” he sneers.
Her laugh is a harsh, disbelieving sound. “No? Why is that?”
“What could you possibly do that you haven’t already done?”
A predatory grin spreads across her face. “Oh, I can think of a few things.”
“Just tell me what you want,” he demands.
“Ah, yes.” She cracks her neck, cracking her knuckles with a pop. “Where is your lovely, precious daughter?”
His eyes glaze over, the mind control taking hold. “She’s buried.”
Lorelda lets out a tense breath before running her tongue across her teeth. “Are you lying to me, Nathaniel? Because I have all the time in the world to make you wish you were dead before you tell me the truth.”
“She’s buried,” he repeats, his voice flat and devoid of emotion.
“Cole, what do you say? Should we believe him?”
I shake my head.
“It’s your turn to get the truth out of him. Do what you must.”
I grip his hand tightly and sever one of his fingers.
His scream is a gut-wrenching sound that pierces the air. “I said she’s buried!”
Another finger.
“She’s buried!”
Another finger goes, his body convulsing with each cut.
“She’s buried!” His voice is a desperate cry now, raw and defeated. “ Get fucked .”
Two fingers left, and I hold him still as I sever them.
Lorelda tilts her head, her expression one of contemplative cruelty. “I do like the idea of you joining your daughter. Where can I find her grave?”
His jaw clenches tight, his eyes burning with resistance. “She’s buried.”
Lorelda sighs, a sound of deep frustration. “This is becoming tiresome. I preferred it when you used your hands to persuade rather than your words.”
I bite back my disgust at the thought of them being intimate. The image of Nathaniel in Lorelda’s arms is enough to make my skin crawl, a sickening vision that churns my stomach.
Just as I wrestle with that revolting image, she unleashes her power with a flash that leaves me momentarily stunned. Nathaniel’s scream is deafening as he crumples to the ground, lifeless.
Lorelda turns to me, her laughter a chilling sound. I don’t return the gesture, my face a mask of cold indifference.
“Do not look at me like that,” she hisses. “I did not kill him. He is merely asleep, and I will be taking him with me.”
Relief washes over me as I realize I’m spared the horror of telling Davina her father died. But the relief is fleeting, quickly crushed under the weight of what comes next.
Nathaniel isn’t dead, but he’s hers now. And whatever she has planned for him will probably be worse than death itself.
“Look at you,” she sneers, “all soft and sensitive.” Her eyes narrow, brimming with contempt. “You’ve proven yourself useful, I suppose. But I still do not have the answer to where Davina is.”
With a flick of her wrist, my sword is in her hand, the blade glowing with dark energy. Without hesitation, she swings it, cutting across my chest with brutal precision. The force of the strike knocks the breath from my lungs, leaving me staggering and gasping for air that won’t come. Pain explodes through me, white-hot and blinding as blood spills from the wounds and soaks my clothes.
I grit my teeth, fighting through the searing agony.
Her gaze is remorseless as she looks at me, her lips twisted in a cruel, merciless smile. “I have been patient with you for long enough. Find out where Davina is, or I promise you, this will only be the beginning.”
I manage a stiff nod in response.
“Oh,” she adds as she saunters away, “Aurora stays with me a little longer.”
I clench my fists and suppress a curse. Rage simmers beneath my skin, but I shove it down and make my way back to the palace.
I head straight for Davina’s room, only to find her already asleep.