Chapter 15 #2
After a drawn pause, he folded his arms. “Our magic doesn’t force us to live within the origin house.
Celine serves the House of Kings, though her ability to speak through the sea would be a voice from the House of Tides.
The houses are kinship as much as they are power.
Taxes and offerings are paid to the house of your voice.
Folk without a power of the sea pay and honor the House of Kings. ”
“So, blood families might be made of different magic?”
“Our voices are unique,” Erik said. “It is no different than the color of our hair or eyes. Every house is valuable, but the House of Kings rules all.” He rolled up his sleeve to the rune mark on his arm.
“The royal blood is the one that is branded—a mark of a king. As I said, to see it on a woman who is not born of the sea is bewildering.”
“That mark was branded into you?”
He gave me a quizzical glance. “At birth.”
“That’s barbaric. Wear a damn crown to mark you as king.”
“It’s heavy and uncomfortable.” Erik chuckled. “I find it amusing you think a simple burn is barbaric when you’ve threatened much gorier things.”
“Don’t make it out like I wallow in brutality. I’m not you, Bloodsinger.”
“But you could be.” Erik leaned over the table. My lashes fluttered when his lips drew near to my ear. “When I look at you, I do not see a whimpering captive. I see the schemes in that beautiful head that have not stopped spinning since you were brought here—”
“Use better words. I was taken.”
“I’m convinced you live to antagonize me.”
Under the table, my knee bounced. “Words are hardly a weapon against your blade and crew.”
I drew in a sharp breath when he pinched my chin between his thumb and finger. “Do not sell yourself short and think you are not the most formidable of foes. I’ve no doubt you have the power to destroy me.”
“I suppose time will tell.” I tilted back to be free of his hands. Any longer, and I might lose the strength to pull away. “So, these lords, are they part of a council, or do you ignore them?”
“Only in my dreams.” Annoyance pinched his mouth. “An unfortunate effect of crossing the Chasm is the lords would have felt it. I’ll likely need to meet with those pious bastards soon enough.”
“About me.” I held his gaze. I didn’t blink. “To discuss what they plan to do with me.”
Erik leaned over the table. “What I plan to do with you, Songbird. Not them.”
His voice was as dark as a violent storm. Threats wove through every word, and there was something horridly wrong with me. He was the most dangerous, he was the one with my life in his hands, and still I found some kind of wretched comfort in the possessiveness lining his voice.
“The way you’re staring at your hands, either they’ve done something to offend you, or your thoughts are telling you not to believe me.” Erik’s mouth curved into a grin when I peeled my gaze from my lap.
“It’s just what Sewell said. I’m already surrounded by fae who fought in the Great War and despise my people. Now I bear a mark that belongs to their king.”
“You’re not wrong, love. Many folk, including the lords of the houses, all fought for the Ever. They’re powerful and have loyalty to their purses and themselves. If I can help it, you won’t face them since they’ll see you as a ransom, not…”
I tilted my head when his voice trailed off. “Not as what?”
“Not as you.”
Erik Bloodsinger was a dangerous man. I’d expected it.
But he was unexpected in moments such as this.
I kept anticipating his brutality to fall over my head.
Yes, he’d taken me, but there was almost something desperate when he looked at me, like he didn’t truly want to bring me to harm, but he had schemes turning in his head and I was the key to them all.
“What are you thinking, love?” Erik shot one leg out and subtly rubbed the place near his hip. “I can’t tell if you’re going to war or tears are about to be shed. I’d prefer the first. I do love it when you fight me.”
The pressure in my chest felt like I might be doing both. “Sometimes I wish I’d listened to my people and never snuck out to those prison cells.”
He hesitated. “We share the same wish, no doubt for different reasons.”
The sudden ice in his voice fueled the fire in mine. “Want to know what I really think, Bloodsinger?”
“I’m sure you’re about to tell me.”
“You’re all bloodthirsty and power mad.”
“Agreed.” He grinned, but it twisted into more of a sneer.
“All you want is that damn gold disk of yours. Who cares who dies, right? Who cares if it begins a war?” I shook my head.
“And me, I’m a fool for all the moments I’ve wondered about you, about this world.
I even felt sympathy for the barriers of the Chasm being placed against you.
Now I realize I’m nothing but a godsdamned fool. ”
Bloodsinger let me speak, he studied me as though he listened to each word, and the weight of his focus turned my stomach backward.
“Are you done?” The king spoke, not with malice, more like he truly asked.
I blinked my gaze to my hands and nodded.
“You’re right. Partly.” Erik flipped the map around in front of me.
“The mantle does hold the power of the Ever. If it is won by another, a king cannot challenge the victor for ten turns. It’s true, your father is the one I must challenge.
Before I saw it on you, I was the only one with the mark of the House of Kings. ”
He pointed to a spot on the map. It was more a map of territories. Each position had a banner with runes and titles. Bloodsinger pointed to the largest of the territories.
“Why must you challenge him at all?” I slouched, exhausted. “Why can’t you come to some agreement? He is not a fiend and would want peace.”
“Would you let the man who killed your father go unchallenged?”
My stomach clenched. “I suppose if you ever succeed in your plan, then you will find out.”
His face sobered for a breath. Like Bloodsinger was only now realizing if he slaughtered my father like he planned, it would ultimately position us as eternal enemies.
The door opened abruptly and banged against the wall. Tait, dressed and armed with the strange curved swords the crew used, hurried into the room. “We’ve received a distress call from Skondell.”
Erik was on his feet in the next breath. “Has it spread?”
Tait shook his head. “They’re being raided. It’s Lucien again.”
A low rumbling laugh broke from deep in the king’s chest. He held out a hand for me.
“You want to paint me as bloodthirsty, Songbird,” he said, voice rough. “Today, I’ll give you the opportunity.”