Chapter 7
Istep across the threshold of the throne room, stunned by the lengths my father went to for the announcement he’s been hinting at.
Fresh red flowers drip from the chandeliers and lavish banners hang from the windows, whipping in the chilled breeze.
The moonlight casts diamonds on the stone floor, shimmering like stars in the night sky.
Various meats, loaves of bread, and pastries of all sizes line the tables covered in black cloth.
I strut through the crowded room, my black dress adorned with gold flecks that resemble snakeskin, one of my favorites. The back section has the townsfolk gasping at how low it tapers down my spine, nearly revealing my behind. My black hair is styled, swaying back and forth as I walk past.
I weave my way through the whispering crowd of townspeople and castle staff, anticipation weighing heavily on us all.
My brother stands beside our father on the throne.
The crown atop the King’s head makes it even more evident who he is.
I catch a glimpse of my crown in the chair farthest from him.
I haven’t worn it in years and don’t plan to begin tonight.
“Hello, family,” I mock.
Barely acknowledging my presence, he responds, “Nice of you to show up tonight. Briar, my daughter, tonight is important—I’m doing this for the betterment of the kingdom. Please know that as I move forward with this announcement.”
My brother only nods.
I scan the crowd for Maines, desperate for a friendly face, only to find Thatcher. Holding back the urge to gag, I revert my eyes back to my brother, a small bruise painting his cheek blue.
That wasn’t there earlier.
“Barlowe,” I lean closer, trying to break the awkward silence, “Maybe if you and Maines hadn’t been rolling around on the roof earlier, you wouldn’t have a black eye.”
His head slowly travels in my direction. I smirk, expecting a sarcastic remark, but I’m met with a stare that leaves me feeling hollow. A muscle in his jaw twitches. “I’m so sorry I was gone for so long. You never deserved to be left here alone…” he trails off.
The King of Daramveer steps forward and a hush falls over the crows. He gestures for Barlowe to join him. My lower lip starts to tremble as I’m left standing behind them.
“Thank you all for gathering here on this magnificent evening. We have many things to celebrate tonight—Barlowe has returned from up north, his training is complete, and will now take the role of Daramveer’s War Commander!” The crowd claps in a thunderous boom.
“We are the strongest for thousands of miles, and those who are against us should fear us.” He points to Barlowe, who remains calm, with no smile.
“But we need to expand our allies. Briar is a few months away from celebrating her twenty-seventh birthday, and as a duty to this kingdom and it’s time she steps up as so many of us have over the years. ”
He turns to me, grinning. “No more will you hide in the shadows, Briar Blackbyrne. This kingdom will be forgotten no longer. We will join forces with another and rebuild this shattered city.” I step back, needing to feel space between myself and the crowd.
“A competition will soon begin to win my daughter’s hand in matrimony.
The winner of these trials will marry Briar—our kingdoms will be linked as one, ruling across the realms. We will host different kingdoms as they travel here in three days’ time.
Once again, this kingdom will thrive—we will bring back riches like never before. ”
The crowd erupts into a roaring explosion of excitement and applause that rattles my core. I stumble backward, barely able to keep upright. My vision blurs as Barlowe turns. I refuse to let the tears fall down my face in front of this crowd.
He’s pawning me off.
He’s using me to get what he’s always wanted.
I spot Thatcher in the crowd, laughing wildly.
My father steps back, allowing the crowd to continue their celebrations. “Are you thrilled, Princess? Now you can do something useful with your life instead of wasting away in this castle.”
Before I can respond, he spins around to the crowd, basking in their applause. Barlowe drags me to the back of the room behind my father’s large throne. “Briar! Blink, move, say something,” he demands.
“I’m going to kill him,” The shadows deep inside me bubble up, nearly breaking through the surface.
He embraces me. “You aren’t going to kill him, Briar. We will find a way to get you out of this, I promise. I’m not going to let this happen.”
Those words mean nothing to me now. I am numb. I push against his hug as he staggers back, confused at the unnatural strength I just showed.
My eyes turn black amidst my tears.
“I have to get out of here.” I shield my face as I sprint through the back doors of the room.
Someone shouts from behind me, a familiar voice but different from the one that screams my name in my nightmares. I listen this time, and what I hear pushes me faster than I’ve ever run before.
“Run, Briar!” Maines screams from the distance, doing her best to hold off the guards.
I blast through the castle doors leading me toward the north gate. The shadows of the night dance off each column of the castle as I enter the courtyard.
You’re almost there.
Keep moving.
My lungs bark in protest as I violently strain to keep up the speed at which I move through the grass, like a deer through the forest. If I make it, I can disappear. I don’t know where, but I’ll figure that out later.
“Going somewhere, Princess?” I smash into a hard body, the impact making my teeth ache. Thatcher had shifted in front of me, stopping me from making my exit.
“Move the fuck out of my way, Thatcher,” I spit, my lungs filled with fire. “This has nothing to do with you.”
“Actually, this does have something to do with me. I have big plans for my future, and one of those plans involves winning your hand in marriage during these trials,” he cackles wickedly.
“Bringing you back to your father right now will show him how wonderful of a husband I’ll be to his daughter, don’t you think? ”
He lunges to grab me, but I dodge his hands.
Before I can regain my composure, he shifts again, wrapping his arms around my waist. A scream leaves my throat that isn’t all mine.
Squeezing me tight enough to crack my ribs, he shifts us into the castle, the blurred night passing us by as we return to my father’s study.
The impact from the shift leaves the room spinning as we land with a thud. Breaking free, I spin, throwing my entire body into my swinging fist that lands directly on his nose.
“You fucking bitch,” he howls. “I’ll make you regret that once you’re mine, Princess.”
I stare at his face—hints of bruising still pepper his jaw from my brother’s beating.
It probably took the healers hours to fix the damage he caused.
I move to throw another punch when the door swings open, shadows pouring in like a fog entering the room.
My father steps over the threshold, his eyes blazing with hatred toward me.
“That’s enough, you two.”
Stepping forward, Thatcher rubs his nose. “My king, I caught her escaping near the gates. I stopped her at the last second and brought her back.” He bows in his direction.
I roll my eyes as my father dismisses him to the corner.
“How dare you embarrass me like that in front of our kingdom. This marriage is for your own good, you ungrateful shit. You will go through with this and let these men compete. You will do this with grace and dignity, and you will not act like an animal, or the people you love will pay.”
I stare back with an intensity that could light the world aflame.
He doesn’t back down, “This kingdom needs allies, and you’re my ticket to get them. Isn’t that right, Barlowe?”
My brother enters the study, refusing to make eye contact with me. I rush in his direction, my nails digging into my closed fists. “You knew about this and didn’t tell me? You lied to me again!”
“Why did you truly think he came home, Briar? He’s also been helping me recruit only the best and strongest men to compete for your hand in marriage. He’s known for weeks,” the King of Daramveer cuts in as I stand there, flabbergasted.
“Briar,” Barlowe whispers, “I never wanted this to hurt you. Father said this was for the betterment of the kingdom, and as head of this army, I must think of the people.” He cuts his eyes in our father’s direction. “Trust me.”
“Trust you? Think of the people?” I scream. “What about what’s best for me? You’re going to force me to marry someone who doesn’t see me as an equal but as a link to the kingdom? I’ll never go through with this. You both are dead to me.”
Barlowe turns to our father and says, “I agreed to help, but not like this. She didn’t deserve to be publicly humiliated with zero warning.”
“You know how I like to do things, son. Don’t think for a second, I don’t know what you’ve been up to. Are you questioning how I run my kingdom?”
Barlowe turns to me again, a flicker of hurt showing in his sharp eyes. “I told you to trust me, Briar, so please trust me.”
The thought of trusting him ever again makes me laugh. “Trust you? You are as insane as father. He must be casting illusions in your mind for you to believe the shit that comes out of his mouth.”
Thatcher shifts across the room, slamming my back into the stone wall. “Don’t you dare talk about my King in that manner.”
I glare into his piercing eyes. “Watch out, Thatcher. You wouldn’t want another hit to your face. I fear it’s making you uglier each time.”
He growls in my face.
“That’s enough!” my father snaps. “Briar has had a lot thrown at her tonight. Let her return to her room—undisturbed. Guards will be outside your door should you think of running again.”
Pushing past my father and Barlowe, I curse under my breath.
Before my hand reaches the door, my father cautions, “And Briar, please be in the throne room at a decent time tomorrow morning. We have many things to discuss before the trials begin. You will help this kingdom accomplish many things.”