10. The Terrifying Illusion
10
The Terrifying Illusion
S ilas was a gentleman throughout the night. Every time Astoria woke up from a dream where he scooted closer to her, she found him still on his side of the bed, snoring gently. Almost like he hadn’t moved at all.
When she realized he intended to keep his word, she stomped down her paranoia and went back to sleep, only to wake up again in the morning to a distant feeling of something tugging at her hair.
Astoria turned to her side and tried to go back to sleep when Silas’ voice reached her ears.
“Good morning, sunshine.”
She groaned and pulled the covers over her head.
He chuckled. The feeling continued. “Last night, I wondered what your hair would feel like between my fingers. It’s soft, but I must say, not as soft as your lips.”
Astoria groaned loudly and turned over to face him with a glare. He was still in his place, but his fingers toyed with the end of her braid that was splayed across the bed towards him. She assumed it was his doing.
“Are we starting this again?”
“What? A new day?” he asked with an innocent raise of his eyebrow. “Of course, darling. We are starting our first day as husband and wife. Are you excited?”
“I meant, are we starting this again? The bickering?”
His lips twitched into a smirk, his eyes twinkling. “You love it, don’t you?”
“Oh, what have I gotten myself into!” She groaned and pulled the covers over her face again.
He chuckled but thankfully didn’t say anything more.
They stayed in bed, her with the blanket covering her head and him playing with her braid—she only allowed him to do so because it kept him distracted from annoying her—until breakfast arrived.
After breakfast, they got ready and left the chambers.
Astoria spotted Emmett leaving the royal family’s suite and called his name before hurrying towards him. The grim expression on his face softened and he squeezed her to him as she threw herself into his arms.
“Are you alright, little one? Are you hurt?” His question sounded like a growl.
“No, no.” She shook her head hastily. “He was such a gentleman. I just—I just don’t want to leave you.”
He stroked her hair. “You don’t have to. I’m accompanying the entourage on your journey. Did you really think I would send you away with a total stranger?”
Astoria slumped in relief. “Oh, Emmett. I love you so much.”
“I love you more.”
The door of the suite opened again. Astoria pulled away as her father stepped out, followed by Marcia and Silas, her brother. Her eyebrows rose absently. Were they in some sort of family meeting without her? Was that why Emmett looked grim?
“Ah, good morning, Astoria. Where is my son-in-law?”
“Your Majesty.” Silas stepped forward from where he stood, to give her privacy with her brother, and dipped his chin in greeting.
The king brightened and approached him. They talked in hushed voices. When Silas shook his head with a solemn expression and her father clenched his jaw, Astoria realized they were discussing the magnification.
Silas went on seriously, and the king nodded with a stiff jaw, seeming to agree with whatever he said. At last, the king placed a hand on Silas’ shoulder, patted it, and walked back to them. Silas followed, his gaze locking onto hers.
She arched an eyebrow. He winked.
At least he proved to be a good partner in crime.
“It’s time for you to leave,” the king said, refusing to meet Astoria’s eyes. “The carriages are ready, and your things have been loaded for your trip. I wish you both safe travels.”
“I’m accompanying them,” Emmett began, but the king interjected with an exasperated look.
“Emmett, we already talked about this. They will be back in a week. And, for goodness’ sake, this is their honeymoon. I’m sure your sister doesn’t want you to intrude on that.”
“I want Emmett to go with us,” Astoria interjected.
“Astoria—”
“If my wife wishes it, so be it,” Silas cut off the king’s words. He lifted his chin slightly when the king turned to look at him.
Her father looked like he wanted to protest, but after a glance at Silas’ determined gaze, he relented and sighed. “You may go, then,” he said to Emmett and left with Marcia, leaving the four of them in the hallway.
Astoria stared after her father in disbelief. Normally, he listened to no one.
Emmett glanced at Silas. “I don’t know what you did, but thank you.”
There wasn’t a trace of smugness on his face like Astoria expected. “It’s simply called power,” he said.
Emmett nodded and looked down at Astoria, who still clung to him. “I will go and ask my horse to be ready, then.”
Astoria stepped back from him and turned to her middle brother as Emmett walked away.
“Well,” Silas, her brother, began, planting his hands in the pockets of his slim pants. “The power magnification was a myth after all, wasn’t it?”
Astoria wrung her hands. “It was.”
Silas nodded thoughtfully and turned to look at her husband, his gaze suddenly fierce. “If you treat her in any unfair way—”
“I swear on my life,” her husband cut him off, lifting his chin.
“Good for you, then,” Silas said and turned back to Astoria. “This isn’t goodbye.”
Astoria’s lips twitched at the change in his demeanor. “Of course not. I will be back to torment you in a week.”
Silas smiled, the dimple on his left cheek flashing at her for the first time. “I will see you in the foyer.” He patted her head and walked away. And just like every other surreal moment with him, Astoria embedded this in her memory.
Her husband raised an eyebrow at her giddy smile. She tried to get a hold of herself and shrugged.
“Ready to go to my kingdom, then? I dreamed about making you my queen.”
Astoria fought the urge to roll her eyes at his silliness. She turned to the door of the royal suite. “Yes, but there’s someone I need to get first.”
* * *
Skylar sat opposite Astoria and Silas in the open carriage, his eyes narrowed on Silas as they rolled towards the castle gates. The king was insistent on them parading through the streets on their way out of the capital.
Guards flanked them on all sides, and Emmett rode behind the carriage. When they reached the marketplace, the people of the capital crowded on either side of the cobblestone road. They cheered upon seeing Astoria.
Astoria grinned and waved at them. Some threw flowers and petals in their path. Children giggled from adults’ shoulders and called her name. When she turned her attention to them, they all squealed with joy.
Astoria chuckled in delight. She loved this. Surrounded by these people, she always felt so full of energy. She had always looked forward to it in each of her tournaments.
Tournaments.
Oh, she would rather not think about them anymore. Though she and Silas weren’t at each other’s throats right now, she would never get used to this arrangement. She would, in fact, give anything to get back to dueling her suitors until there was no Mage left in the human realm to make a suitable match for her.
You can only wish, Skylar said.
Suddenly, Astoria’s gaze latched onto a particular figure by one of the stalls, partially obscured by the throngs of people. Her demeanor dropped the moment their eyes locked.
Jasper.
Her heart lurched. What was he doing here?
Jasper wore the most unreadable expression Astoria had ever seen on him. He had his arms crossed over his chest, a part of his dark cloak draped over one arm.
Astoria’s mind raced with questions. How dare he show up for her parade after what he did to her?
As though he heard her thoughts, something shifted in Jasper’s expression. He looked wounded.
Astoria barely held back from commanding the driver to stop so she could stomp towards him and demand the reason for his wounded expression. It wasn’t like she turned her back on him .
He was the one who did it. He was the one who let her down.
Why on earth was he making wounded faces at her?
“I don’t like the way he’s looking at you.”
Astoria started and turned to Silas with a pasted-on smile for the onlookers. “Then stop looking, so you don’t have to see it.”
He brushed a lock of hair behind her ear and stared into her eyes.
Astoria stiffened. “What are you doing?”
“It’s my duty as your husband to make sure no one looks at you that way.”
“What way?” she asked, glancing over her shoulder at Jasper as the carriage moved past him. His facial expression shifted from wounded to fierce as he glared at the back of Silas’ head. When he met her gaze, she looked away.
Whatever was wrong with him?
Silas’ fingers brushed beneath her chin, making her look at him. She nearly snapped at him to stop being so familiar with her but lost track of her thoughts as her eyes locked with his suddenly intense ones. They bored into hers.
“The way I look at you,” he replied.
Astoria fought against the daze that threatened to overtake her senses and clenched her jaw. “And how do you look at me, may I ask?”
The onlookers—if they were dumb enough to assume their princess would fall for the man who defeated her in her duel and made her storm away—were probably thinking she and Silas were whispering sweet nothings to each other.
“With my eyes, I believe?” His lips twitched slightly at the corner.
Astoria freed her chin from his fingers without making it look so obvious. “Oh, so you are saying you cannot stand any man but yourself looking at me?”
“I am pleased to see you catching up, Little Dragon. Yes, I cannot stand that.”
The smugness in his voice grated on her. “You are absurd.”
“Factually, I am serious.”
“Serious as in locking me up for the rest of the journey?” She arched an eyebrow.
“If your brother wasn’t accompanying us, I really would have.”
“And I would’ve loved to see you try.” She snorted. “You heard my brother—Silas. You can only imagine what my brothers would do to you if they caught wind of you treating me unfairly .”
His eyes danced with amusement and something else. “You are something else entirely, Astoria Yovella Seraphina,” he said with a subtle shake of his head and turned to look at the crowd that vied for their attention.
Astoria stared at him, struck by his words, wondering what they meant.
The carriage moved too slowly for her liking. She could feel the heat of Jasper’s gaze burning a hole in the back of her head. She wanted to get out of the square and out of his sight as soon as possible. But alas, it was impossible to move any faster with the crowd trying to fight their way towards the royal couple. The guards on foot struggled to keep them in line.
When they finally made it to the main streets of the city, the carriage moved faster. Astoria relaxed in her seat even as she continued to wave at the people who came out of their houses and shops to see her and her husband.
Something shifted inside her; like she was leaving her past behind the further the carriage rolled forward. Like her life was at its new beginning.
Was she ready to embrace the new beginning?
Once they passed the main streets and neared the Husk Woods, Astoria and Silas disembarked from the carriage so the guards could set up its cover. Astoria moved to Emmett’s side to ask him if he would like to join them in the carriage when Silas said, “If you are trying to be free of me for a moment, I will take your brother’s horse, and he can travel with you in the carriage.” Almost like he read her mind.
Astoria looked at Emmett. He didn’t trust his stallion with anyone other than himself, his siblings, and the stable hand. But when Silas assured him that Rustrier would be in good hands and that horses usually loved him, Emmett sighed and dismounted, mumbling something under his breath.
Astoria made herself comfortable at her brother’s side in the carriage, and they continued the journey, discussing Jasper’s strange behavior at the marketplace. Emmett was as confused as she was.
Before they had gone any longer into the woods, suddenly, the occasional jolt of the carriage stopped with a violent jerk. Emmett’s head nearly hit the top.
“What’s wrong?” he asked, poking his head out of the window.
“The wheel got stuck in the mud,” Silas called back, stopping next to the carriage.
Astoria looked out her window and glanced up at him. “Well, you can fix it, can’t you, high and mighty?”
Silas swayed back in surprise. “High and mighty? Oh, darling, you flatter me.”
She rolled her eyes. “Perhaps if you save the day, I might consider flattering you more.”
He grinned roguishly. “Save the day? With pleasure. Flattery? Nah, I prefer compliments, dearest.”
“Just do it already, or should I?”
He smirked. “Come on now, what kind of gentleman would I be if I let my wife do it when I am present?”
“Can you two please stop flirting?” Emmett asked irritably, now standing outside the carriage.
Silas flicked his wrist. Lavender-grey threads burst from his fingers and flew towards the carriage. Rustrier neighed and jumped away at the sight. Emmett reached his side in no time and grabbed the reins as Silas dismounted.
He focused on the carriage. Astoria felt the carriage hover slightly off the ground and land softly. Emmett calmed his stallion down, and Silas got in the carriage with her.
“I am afraid you are stuck with me now. Rustrier needs his master. And I’m ready for the compliments you promised.” He relaxed in his seat and folded his arms behind his head.
Astoria ignored the last bit. “Fine. I will ride with Emmett then.”
“Oh, you cannot.” He launched himself at the door, blocking her path. “My hometown is on the other side of the woods, and we are almost there because we are taking a shortcut. I don’t want my townspeople to see my new wife riding with her brother rather than with me in the carriage.”
Astoria glared at him before huffing and sitting back in her seat. “If I am going to tolerate your presence for the rest of this ride at all, I would appreciate complete silence from your end.”
“As you wish, my Little Dragon.” His eyes twinkled. Would anything she said ever insult this man?
Little Dragon? Skylar exploded.
Astoria groaned inwardly. Please, don’t ask .
The carriage moved forward. Astoria stared out her window, reveling in the silence from her husband. Suddenly, so suddenly that she couldn’t believe it happened, the scenery changed.
All she did was blink, and the green of the forest was replaced with a greyish stone wall.
Her first thought was that Silas had cast an illusion to annoy her. But could he also make the crunch of dry leaves fade from the air and smooth the carriage’s pace as though it was rolling through a cobblestone path?
Just as she was about to ask him what he was doing, the carriage stopped.
“Here we are,” Silas announced, with an energetic gesture of his hand towards the door.
She arched an eyebrow. “Already?”
Before he could answer, the door opened and revealed a footman.
Only, he was not her footman.
“Who is that ?”
“Why don’t you see for yourself?” Silas winked and stepped out of the carriage before turning and offering his hand.
Skylar hopped onto her lap. Is this some kind of trap?
Of course not. Emmett is right behind us . Astoria scooped him up and moved to the door, narrowing her eyes at her husband as she accepted his hand.
He helped her out. And the moment she looked up, she froze.
“Welcome home, Little Dragon,” Silas whispered in her ear, smugness dripping from his voice.
Before her stood the most magnificent palace she had ever seen. Dark in beauty and great in size, it was also the most intimidating structure she had seen.
Skylar squirmed in her arms. I don’t like this feeling, Princess. This is a trap. I will bet on anything!
The massive black doors of the palace opened, and a man in regal black clothes stepped out. He looked slightly younger than Silas—tall, lean, dark-haired, and good-looking. He smirked as he spotted them and descended the stairs gracefully.
“My, my, look who is back!”
Oh, no. Oh, heavens, this isn’t happening! Skylar exclaimed, sounding alarmed.
What? What are you talking about?
Astoria, the Emperor! That man is Emperor Cyrus!
Astoria stared down at her friend incredulously, her heart thudding violently. You are crazy!
Skylar’s eyes flashed in response. Look to your right if you don’t believe me. It is the Draken empire’s flag!
Astoria followed his gaze and found the towering flagpole in the center of the courtyard and the enormous flag fluttering against the wind—a lavender-grey dragon against the backdrop of black.
Silas’ words surged to the forefront of her mind. “Do you know that the colour of your eyes matches the dragon emblem in the Draken empire’s flag?”
Her blood ran cold.
“You did it!” Emperor Cyrus reached them, his twinkling eyes bouncing between her and Silas. The two men shared a brotherly embrace and clapped each other on the back.
Fear clawed at her. What was he talking about? Did he know about her? The prophecy?
More importantly, where was Emmett? Why were none of her guards around?
What was happening?
“What did you do?” Astoria exploded, rounding on her husband with a glare. Power tingled at her fingertips as she armed herself against the two men.
Silas turned to her from the Emperor. For a brief moment, he looked surprised. Then he smirked. A strange light entered his eyes, making him look less like the man she had been bickering with a moment ago.
Her instincts screamed at her to run away. But she held her ground.
“I brought you to my home, of course, like I promised.” He spread his arms wide, gesturing to their surroundings.
“I asked, what did you do?”
Emperor Cyrus transformed his laugh into a cough and bumped his shoulder with Silas’. “This is interesting. I don’t think she has any idea yet.”
Silas held her gaze, the light in his eyes taking her back to the day he had stood over her in all his victorious glory after the duel and said, “I told you, Princess, you will be mine once this duel is over. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”
“Welcome to Draken, Astoria. My empire, and now yours.”
It took a moment to process his words, and when it did, Astoria staggered back in shock.
Skylar was wrong. The man in black wasn’t the Emperor.
Her husband was.