Chapter 17
Chapter
Seventeen
Before we left at nightfall, I felt pretty confident about our plan. But the closer we got to Draemor, the more anxious I felt.
My job was to distract Beaumont. Jensen would keep watch to make sure things didn’t turn bad while I tried to buy everyone else some time.
Meanwhile, Sawyer would hopefully find the journal, and Kade would find Sebastian.
Everyone had their own job that we actually planned to stick to this time.
But how they wanted me to distract Beaumont… fucking hell.
“I don’t want to just throw myself at him.” I shuddered, looking over the head of my horse at Sawyer.
“No one is asking you to fuck the guy, Maeve. You just need to make it convincing. Bat your eyelashes. Show off a little cleavage. Whisper sweet nothings in his ear. Tell him you reconsidered his offer of marriage,” Sawyer answered.
Glancing down at my breasts, I winced at the thought of Beaumont’s hands touching my body. Vomit. “I don’t think he’ll fall for it. He’s not a total moron.”
Sawyer shrugged, pulling his reins to the right. “That’s up for debate.”
“He doesn’t need to fall for it. We just need you to distract him long enough for us to get in and out of the castle.
He'll be too busy trying to bargain with you to worry about anything else going on in his kingdom. He’s not a moron, but he is certainly selfish,” Kade joined in.
“And Sinclair is right. The cleavage will probably help. Not a moron, but also still a man.”
“What if he tries to kill me, like he implied?” Regret about agreeing to this idea started to take over me entirely. Not that I didn't want to help Sebastian, but panic and not entirely logical thoughts pulled at the nerve endings in my brain.
Sawyer pulled the reins, stopping his horse beside me. “I will not let that happen, I swear to you. I will protect your life as my own. Just do what we told you, and let us handle the rest.”
Swallowing acidic nausea, I nodded.
We set up camp right before dawn rolled in, though ended up only resting for a few hours before deciding it was safer to continue on. By the time we reached the River of Riesneim, the golden sun had set and rose upon another day.
We rode for another half a day, making the trip shorter than our previous, though I was certainly much more exhausted this time around. I wasn’t a person who did well with little sleep, but it seemed like I’d have to learn to be.
The heat of the morning sun was already blaring when we made it to the outskirts of Draemor. My legs shook as I jumped off my mare, accepting Sawyer’s hand to help steady myself as my boots hit dirt.
“Ready to fuck some shit up?” he asked, letting his grip go slack.
“Not exactly.” My neck cracked as I rolled it side to side. “I’m ready to help Seb, though. It's taken us longer than it should have. I hope he can forgive us.”
“Pft. You could burn the world down and he would forgive you. I hope he forgives me for bringing you here to help him. I have no doubt that he’s gonna try to kick my ass when he sees you here.”
I fought back a laugh. “I have no doubts about that, either.”
Sawyer and Kade went first, using their stolen Draemornian armor as a disguise to get into the grounds. Once they were out of view and in position, I took a deep breath and stepped forward, walking up a gray, cobblestone pathway until I stood at the front gates of the castle.
I glanced over my shoulder and noticed Jensen right where he said he’d be, which gave me some relief as I pulled the gloves off my arms, exposing myself as the marked one.
Not moving my gaze from the castle doors, I reached out and snagged the wrist of a guard. I turned just my neck to face him. “Go get King Beaumont. Tell him that Maeve Willawood is here to speak with him.”
Within ten minutes, none other than Cyprian Beaumont came strolling through the castle doors, stopping at the top of the steps to stare down at me with a deathly grin.
Though everything in my body fought against me doing so, I stepped forward to meet him at the bottom of the staircase.
“I knew you would come.” His hollow cheeks curved into something resembling a smile. He took another long stride for me, descending the staircase with his crimson robe fluttering behind him.
When he reached the bottom, I held a hand up, toeing a boot behind me in the event I had to make like the wind and jump back. “Stop. Do not come a step closer, or I won’t hesitate to do to you what I did to your army.”
Cyprian’s smile only deepened with my threat. “Just as feisty as I remember,” he purred with a ghastly wink.
I fought my eyes from rolling and got right to the matter at hand, not giving him a moment to start picking away at me.
“You have something I want,” I stated, clasping my hands behind my back.
“Are you referring to Hawthorne? There's not much of him left worth wanting, but I did promise your friend a deal should he bring you to me.”
Sweet mother of gods.
I forcefully chose not to think too hard about what that meant. I couldn't. Not now.
“He was alive last I checked, however.”
Refusing to clasp my hands around his neck and choke him like I really wanted to, I instead held onto my constraint and simply nodded. “I am here to fulfill the deal.”
Ignoring my words, Beaumont stretched his neck to look over me, scanning the grounds. “Speaking of your friend, where is he?”
“I came alone.”
“Maeve, you should know better than to lie to me,” Beaumont taunted, waving a scolding finger much too close to my face.
“I’m telling the truth. My friends did not agree with turning me over and knew Sebastian would kill them if they did, so I came without them knowing. Although, if I had a guess, they should be a few hours away by now. I’m more than sure that they came after me as soon as they realized I was gone.”
Cyprian crossed his arms under his robe. “Well, a deal is a deal I suppose.” He took a step for me, but I lunged backwards.
“Wait,” I demanded. “I’m aware of what you promised in regard to letting Sebastian go in return for me. But I’m also aware that you have some undisclosed plans for me.” I puckered my lips, beginning the part of my task that required me to do some acting.
I already fucking hated this.
Cyprian chuckled. “Ah yes. You heard of my little speech.”
“Please enlighten me on how you plan to handle me?” Nodding, I quoted his words.
“If the only way to control you is by your death, then that is what must be done. But we will cross that bridge if we get there.”
“Well that is disappointing to hear." I forced a pouted lip, nonchalantly twirling a strand of my hair.
“For someone who asked for my hand in marriage just weeks ago, you can imagine my surprise to find that you now want me dead. Why should I just willingly turn myself over to someone who plans to kill me?”
Beaumont clicked his tongue. “I do not want you dead, but you must understand that my civilians fear you and your power.”
“If they fear me, it’s because of the falsities you have brainwashed them with. I am no hazard to those who do not threaten the ones I care about.”
A sleeve of his robe shimmied off his shoulder with his shrug. “I made a vow to my kingdom; should I be unable to control you, there will be consequences.”
“And if I do as you request of me? If I comply in every manner you ask? If you can control me as you desire?” I put a little spunk on the word desire, adding a damn near visible glimmer in my eyes.
Fuck me. This was horrible. I might need Venay’s memory eraser after this.
“Then you shall live, unless there becomes another reason for you not to. I mean, Maeve…surely you understand at least the basics of what those markings mean.” His eyes gestured to my arms, a hint of spite in his voice. “Don’t you?”
“I don’t,” I answered, knowing that he would elaborate and buy my friends more time, but also wondering what exactly he knew that I didn’t.
“No one seems to know anything about them, aside from you. I’ve been dying to do some research, but alas, the archives where I come from have been destroyed.”
Beaumont ran a hand over his auburn hair while fighting back a thrilled grin.
“Well, I have been able to do some digging on the subject, and though I shouldn’t bother telling you, I suppose it won’t hurt—seeing as I highly doubt you have the means to comply with every request I make, and therefore will be dead soon anyway. ”
Another soulless shrug.
I wasn’t a violent person by nature—mouthy and stubborn, yes. But not violent. This man however…This man made me want to experiment with every possible form of murder.
My teeth dug into my cheek but I forced words to spill from the seal of my lips. “Please, Cyprian,” I hummed, crossing my arms over my chest, subsequently pushing my breasts up. “Please enlighten me on what my markings mean.”
Beaumont didn’t even try to hide his wandering eyes.
They scanned the top of my shirt, his pupils dilating before they forcefully rose to my lips so he could begin his elaboration.
“Those with a mark can wield stronger, more complex power—even greater magic than those with just a jewel.” His vision unashamedly found my cleavage again.
“Which you very well know, seeing as you used that power to kill a good portion of my army.”
I audibly scoffed. “That’s just stating the obvious.”
Cyprian chuckled. “Some manuscripts go as far as to say that those granted markings are some kind of gods themselves. Though I don’t know precisely what that entails—and clearly you don’t, either—but I’m working on it.
With that theory, I decided to take the chance and keep Hawthorne here when I found him.
I mean, what did I have to lose? I knew you would show up if my assumption about your life was correct, and alas, here you are. ”
I took half a step for him, close enough to trail a finger down his upper arm. It was surprisingly firm, though the proximity of his body made me want to vomit.
“Well, if I’m as special as you say, surely you will grant me mercy for turning myself over to your reign.” I chewed my bottom lip and batted my eyelashes.
Beaumont scooped my hand in his, dragging me into his side. My body forced against his, he leant down into my ear. “Maeve, darling. I don’t grant anyone mercy. Especially not those who try to kill me.” His whisper turned into a snarl, then he shoved me away.
I steadied my footing like I had never even lost it. “That’s too bad. Because if I recall correctly, you said a life for a life. That's what you told Kohen and Sebastian, right?” I countered, clicking my tongue.
“Correct,” he hissed, his empty eyes glaring at me.
My arms folded. “That sounds a whole lot like mercy if you ask me.”
Beaumont only scowled.
“I’m here, just like you wanted. So let Sebastian go, and I’ll stay here with you.
I hope you will allow me to stay as your wife, like you have previously offered, but regardless, I will give myself over to you to save my friend.
” I batted my eyes once more. “And if you choose to kill me, then so be it.”
“And why should I believe you?” he spat, crossing his own arms, his ruby shining in the morning sun.
“What other choice do you have? You can either hold me in your dungeon and let me wither away, or you can take advantage of my offer.” I winked, and it damn near killed me.
“How do I know that you won't attempt to murder me the moment you get a chance?"
“Because someone once told me that you make sacrifices for the people you love,” I answered simply.
“Aw, Maeve. Darling. Love is not always the answer. You should know that, shouldn’t you?”
What the fuck does that mean?
Choosing to ignore his claim, I carried on spewing my own form of imaginary bullshit.
“And, I’m completely unarmed.” I lifted the bottom of my jacket, showing him my empty belt and sheaths.
“I just want to keep my friends alive and safe, and if the only way to do that is by giving myself to you, then so be it. What you choose to do to me afterwards, is completely up to you. I surrender. Fully and completely, I give myself over to Draemor.” I held my wrists out for him to take, shackle, or break.
“Prove it.”
“Prove what?”
“Prove that I can believe you.” His tone was nothing short of seductive.
I leaned forward, lowering my voice to a tone that was much too close to my bedroom voice.
“Let Sebastian go, then I’ll give you two choices.
Number one—call a kingdom wide meeting right here, right now.
You can publicly announce our marriage arrangement should you accept it.
Or, number two—show me to your bedchambers and I’ll show you this cool trick I can do with my tongue. ”
Vomit. Vomit. Vomit.
By the light flickering in his gaze, I swore Beaumont was imagining all the perks of taking my hand in marriage. But before his response could be voiced, all hell broke loose.