Chapter 41
HENRI
Several months ago
Whistling swirled through the leafless branches, the tune jolly and light. It was an old mortal hymn, something about traitorous blood running in the streets. An odd theme for a song so cheery.
“Nice day for a mission,” Brant said, staring up at the cloudless blue sky.
“Unusually sunny for this time of year,” Vance agreed. “The Old Gods must be smiling on us.” The two men shared a look. Behind them, the whistler stopped to snicker.
Though the day was bright, my mood was dark. Every step we took down the secluded forest path, it got a little darker.
“Did you do what I told you, Brother Henri?” Vance asked.
I shoved my hands into my pockets and set my jaw. “Lana agreed to say I was with her, if anyone asks.”
Guilt chewed at me for bringing Lana into this.
I’d been pulling her closer when I should have been breaking things off.
I’d turned to her at a low point, when I’d been certain Diem was going to say no to my proposal.
I’d felt rejected and alone, and Lana was there for me in a way Diem wasn’t.
And sure, maybe I did want to make Diem a little jealous.
If I could show her that other women desired me, maybe she would, too.
I hadn’t counted on my feelings for Lana growing so strong.
I’d been in love with Diem all my life. Every future I’d ever imagined had her in it. She’d said she wanted to marry me, but what good was that when she treated me like I didn’t exist?
Then she’d betrayed me at the ball. She let me rot in a musty cell while she drank and danced with that fucking Prince, who was clearly in love with her. Could I compete with that? I wasn’t even sure I wanted to anymore.
“You’re thinking about that bitch again, aren’t you?” Brant asked. “You’ve got that stupid scowl on your face.”
“Don’t call her that,” I muttered.
“That’s what she is. Showed her true colors last night. Descended always pick their own over us.” He jabbed a finger in my shoulder. “Stop bein’ lovesick over a traitor.”
“Henri isn’t lovesick, Brother Brant,” Vance said. “He’s strategic. The girl is useful. Once he marries her and becomes King, we’ll have all the power.”
My teeth ground together. Of course I wanted the power to get back at the Descended, but that wasn’t why I was marrying Diem.
Was it?
“After today,” Vance said, “the girl will be back on our side.”
I frowned. “You really think we can talk Andrei into helping us convince her?”
Vance’s lips curled into a smirk. “When we’re done today, she’ll be more motivated to help us than ever.”
The men behind us shared another round of laughter.
I glanced back at them, my frown dragging deeper.
When Vance suggested we go talk to Diem’s father, I hadn’t expected him to bring anyone else, let alone nearly every strong male in the Lumnos cell.
There were more than fifty men in our group, and all of them seemed to know more about the plan than me.
“Do we need this many people?” I asked.
“You know, Brother Henri might be right.” Vance waved a hand at Francis, his third-in-command. “Why don’t you take the others through the forest? Keep an eye on those guards from afar.”
“I’d rather stay with you,” Francis said, looking uneasy. “I’m sure Brother Brant would be happy to go.”
“It wasn’t a request,” Vance clipped. “Set a good example to Brother Henri here, and don’t question orders.”
I bristled. That wasn’t how Auralie had run things. She always said anyone was free to question a plan or say no to any mission. That’s why the Guardians had grown so large under her leadership.
But Auralie wasn’t here.
Francis shot me a long look, then shook his head. “You all, come with me,” he mumbled, gesturing to the back half of the pack, who split off and followed him into the trees.
The path opened up to a grassy field with a small cottage not far from the water’s edge.
For as long as I could remember, this place had been my second home.
I’d made thousands of happy memories here.
Andrei Bellator was in the background of many—shouting feedback as Diem and I sparred, fishing from the shore while we swam, scolding us when we got caught sneaking sips from his whiskey.
He’d never really warmed to me—and frankly, neither had I to him, given his loyalty to the Crowns—but he’d always been kind.
“Halt,” a Descended guard yelled from the front door. He held up a hand, and a shimmering wall formed to block our path. “Who are you?”
Vance elbowed me forward. “Henri Albanon,” I called out. “I’m here to see Andrei Bellator.”
“And the rest of you?”
“Friends of the family,” Vance chimed in.
“He’s not expecting you.” The Descended’s condescending sneer as he looked us over took me right back to last night in the palace, when Diem’s guards had treated me like I was shit on their boot. My temper boiled at the reminder.
“It’s a surprise,” I gritted out.
The Descended narrowed his eyes.
Vance let out a hearty laugh and slapped me on the shoulder. “What Henri means is that we’ve come to congratulate our dear friend Andrei on his daughter’s betrothal.”
“Her Majesty isn’t betrothed,” the guard said.
“Yes, she is,” I said. “To me.”
He visibly recoiled. “You? A mortal?” He looked around at the other guards scattered over the clearing, who shared the same disgusted look.
Was this how they all would react? Maybe that was the real reason Diem uninvited me from her ball. She was ashamed of me. She wanted these worthless Descended scum to respect her, and with me on her arm, they never would.
Well, I was no one’s shameful secret.
“That’s right, I’m going to be your King.” I slammed my fist on the glittering shield. “So do as you’re told and let me in that house.”
The front door cracked open, and a head popped out. “What’s going on out h—Henri, is that you?”
“Andrei,” Vance called out. “Just the man we’ve come to see.”
Andrei’s gaze drifted over our group, then Vance, then me. I fought an urge to shrink away like I was doing something wrong. I’d always felt that way around Diem’s father, like he could see right through every scheme and half-truth. Only with Diem did he seem to look the other way.
I used to think she was his weak spot out of fondness. Now I wondered if he knew somehow she’d become a Crown, and he was submitting to her just like he knelt to all the others.
My fists balled tighter. “This guard won’t let us through. I thought they were supposed to protect you, not decide who you can and can’t see.”
Andrei slipped outside and exchanged words with the guard. The longer they talked, the angrier I got. What was there to discuss? Since when did I need permission to enter the Bellator home?
Finally, Andrei beckoned us forward. The guard beside him leveled us with a nasty glare before lowering his shield. As we filed in the house, I heard Andrei thank him for his vigilance, offering to bring out a tray of hot tea once we left.
Foolish old man, I thought bitterly. If your daughter wasn’t Queen, these guards would kill you without a second thought.
“That’s enough,” Andrei said when half of our group had packed inside. “The rest of you can wait out here.”
To my surprise, no one objected. The others made themselves at home on the porch, sprawling out on the stairs or leaning against the railings. The guard raised a shield around himself, and one of the Guardians snorted.
“Look, boys, this Descended is scared of us. He’s shakin’ in his fancy boots. Guess their magic ain’t as strong as they want us to think.” He nudged the Guardian next to him. “Good to know, eh?”
“Lucky me,” the other said. He squinted at the glittering wall. “Always wanted to study one of these things up close.”
The guard scowled, and his shield disappeared.
“What brings you boys all the way out here?” Andrei asked as he followed us inside. He left the door ajar, though Brant quickly closed it.
Vance strolled around the large central room, picking up objects at random and turning them over in his hands. “Do old friends need a reason to talk?”
Andrei’s jaw twitched as he watched him. “I wasn’t aware you and I were ‘old friends.’ Last time we spoke, you called me a traitor.”
“Well, those were different times, weren’t they? A different ass sat on the throne.” He tore a paper from the wall—a child’s sketch of a little girl holding a sword. “The one that’s there now . . .”
Andrei snatched the drawing from his hand. “Watch your mouth,” he warned, pinning it back in place. “I’ve ignored your slander for years, Vance. I’ll not do the same when it comes to my daughter.”
Vance chuckled. “I wouldn’t dream of it. Great things will come from her reign. Especially with young Henri at her side.”
Andrei’s expression hardened as it shifted to me. “If you’ve come because you want me to tell Diem to accept your proposal, you’re wasting your time. I made that mistake already, and she didn’t speak to me for days.”
I was stunned to hear that Diem’s father had urged her to say yes. Was that the only reason she did?
Vance’s eyebrows shot up. “So you don’t know, then . . . I guess Her Majesty wanted to keep the happy news all to herself.”
Vance glanced at me, and there was so much pity in it—like my engagement was a sham, and I was the last man in Emarion to see it.
Andrei glanced between us. “Diem said yes?”
“Henri’s going to be your new son,” Vance said, hauling me into his side. “And our new King.”
“King Consort,” Andrei corrected.
“She didn’t tell you?” I asked.
He hesitated. “She’s been very busy. She has a realm to run now. She and I . . . we’ve hardly spoken.”
“Is that so?” Vance asked. “Because I hear you were just at the palace this morning for a meeting with House Benette.” Vance glanced at me. “Strange that she didn’t invite you.”
“How do you know that?” Andrei demanded. “Those meetings are private.”
Vance shrugged. “Guardians have sources everywhere. Now that Auralie’s gone, those sources are mine.”