Chapter 49 #2
The crowd thinned as we reached the foot of the throne. Egath dropped to one knee without hesitation, no greeting offered. He tilted his head, exposing the side of his neck in a deliberate display of submission.
The king watched.
Silver hair fell straight and sleek over black fabric, strands catching the firelight like molten steel. A red necktie cut a vivid line down his chest, the only color daring to exist against his dark attire. His eyes held no warmth. Pale gray. Nearly colorless. They reflected nothing.
His face bordered on perfection. High cheekbones carved with precision. A long, straight nose. Brows arched with quiet calculation. Time left no mark I could read. The silver could have been age. Or his birthright.
A rough shove forced me down. Stone struck my knees with bruising force. My palms scraped the carpet as I caught myself. Fingers dug into my hair, wrenching my head sideways to display the collar. The metal bit deeper against my throat.
Tallon loomed above, weight shifted off his injured foot, a satisfied curve lifting his mouth.
“Quite daring, Prince Tallon,” the king mused, amusement threading through his tone. “Locking your prize up like that.” His gaze lingered on the keyhole on my collar. “All who enter Vellos bare their throats to me. Even her.”
“She’s mine.” Tallon’s eyes narrowed. His thumb brushed the key hanging against his chest. “She doesn’t belong to you.”
The king’s attention sharpened, lips stretching into a smile that revealed elongated, filed teeth. The gums had receded so far that the points looked exaggerated, razor-keen. Tiny cuts marked his lower lip, thin lines where enamel must have split skin.
Predator and monarch intertwined in one elegant, monstrous form.
“Come, child,” he ordered, though his eyes never left Tallon.
Tallon’s jaw tightened. “I brought her here–”
“I said, come.”
Pain ripped through my scalp as fingers fisted in my hair and yanked.
My breath fractured. Hands flew to the wrist dragging me forward, nails biting into skin as I fought the instinct to scream.
The sound swelled in my chest, trapped and burning.
My feet slipped against polished stone, scrambling for purchase.
Sheer fabric tangled around my calves, tugging askew as I stumbled.
The guard released me at the foot of the dais.
I fell hard to my knees, palms skidding over carpet. The scent of crushed spices and old wine clung to the red fibers. My nose hovered inches from gleaming black boots, polished to a merciless shine.
“Up here.”
My arms shook as I pushed upright, lifting my head until I met the Velli king’s pale gaze. He patted his thigh, smile warm enough to mock the gesture.
“Let me see this new guest.”
The room tilted. My pulse pounded in my ears, thick and relentless.
Tallon had leverage. He stood there not as a beggar but as something coveted. Egath could not challenge him. Servants would not risk speaking to him. Whatever Tallon was, it granted him footing even here.
Fear rolled through me like a dark tide. I gathered the edges of my will and crawled up the red-carpeted steps. Each movement measured. Each breath calculated. Kallias needed time. I would give it to him. I would learn what I could, wedge myself between Tallon and his ambition if I had to.
At the top, I forced myself to stand straight.
The king opened his legs slightly, black trousers swallowing the intricate embroidery stitched along the seams. One hand smoothed over his thigh as though preparing a seat.
The other rested on the throne’s arm, loose and unguarded.
No blade at his hip, nor dagger at his wrist. No weapon beyond his teeth.
With agonizing care, I perched on his leg. Disgust churned beneath my ribs, sour and thick.
I wasn’t his.
The thought of Kallias stepping through those doors to find me perched in the lap of the enemy king carved deep, chipping away at my soul
“And what is your name, pet?” he murmured, drawing me closer with surprising strength. His arm crossed my chest, tugging a slip of red fabric back into place over my breast. I hadn’t noticed the exposure.
A choice hung in the air. Helpless creature or calculated player. Was I a pitiful woman in need of protection, or an ally? I wasn’t a prisoner—I was Tallon’s guest.
“Nienna Draconis.” I leaned against him, spine straight, legs crossing with deliberate ease. “The Dragon’s Heart. Queen of Radaan.”
“Oh my, a queen!” Laughter rumbled through his chest. He adjusted beneath me, settling me more securely on his thigh. His gaze drifted to Tallon, amused and indulgent. “Has our dear prince given you my name?”
“He’s been otherwise occupied,” I replied, embracing the cocky bravado I didn’t feel. “He required healers. A toe ache, I believe.”
The king barked another laugh, head tipping back. The sound rang bright and sharp across the chamber. I glanced toward Tallon with a smile, and his glare sliced hot enough to cauterize.
“Such flat teeth, yet you speak with the bite of a dragon.” The king’s lips curved. “My name is Deimos Daggerteeth.”
“It’s a pleasure to meet you,” I said, the lie smooth as silk.
His eyes dropped to my mouth, a curious tilt of his head accompanying the motion. “I would claim the pleasure as mine, but it appears Tallon shares in it. You are his guest.” His attention shifted. “Even so, remember, boy, you seek shelter in my palace.”
“I seek shelter now,” Tallon answered, voice a tight hiss, “but I offer the promise of much more.”
“So much,” Deimos agreed. His lips brushed my shoulder. “Fret not—I will hold to the terms of our bargain.”
Muscles locked along my spine; my skin ignited with disgust as his nose traced upward, inhaling. He would have sensed the tremor. I could not conceal it.
“What bargain?” The question tore from me before caution could catch it. “A queen holds more value than a displaced prince.”
A hum vibrated against my collarbone. His teeth grazed my arm, the blunt front edges scraping close enough to threaten.
“There is no escape from this arrangement, I’m afraid.
Tallon is the piece we require. He named his terms. I may not taste you, though you carry the scent of ash and beautiful ruin.
You will fulfill the role you were born for. And he will fulfill his.”
My role? I was born a princess, my only duty to secure a marriage and ensure a treaty with an heir.
An heir.
His hand slid along the inside of my thigh, and I snapped my knees together at once. A chuckle ghosted across my skin as his fingers shifted, resting just below my navel.
“Yes. That is why you sit here. Tallon requires a womb.”
My nails bit into my palms to keep my composure intact. “There are countless women who would gladly bear his child.”
“No. You are special.” His hand curved around my side, thumb pressing into my abdomen with slow insistence.
The babe was too small. He wouldn’t feel it.
“So much power in such a pretty package—such a delicate vessel.” His eyes gleamed. “Do you understand why Tallon is rare?”
“He was the prince of Radaan.”
“Was.” Deimos laughed, easing his grip. “He is a Fortune. Centuries may pass without one, yet here he stands. See how my court keeps its distance? They’re too cautious. They sense it.”
My gaze flicked to Tallon. Impatience burned through him like banked fire.
“Why does that make him so extraordinary?” I asked.
“He carries both Ichor and Cruor.” Deimos’ voice lowered, reverent.
“With blood, he moves swifter than any Velli and also controls them. Two gifts within one body. A halfbreed should not hold such power, yet there he stands.” His fingers tapped lightly against my stomach.
“A child forged between him and the Dragon’s Heart?
The continent would only be the beginning.
We could venture to the island nations and far beyond.
Nothing would stand between Vellos and complete domination. ”
“Surprised, Nienna?” Tallon called from below. “You thought me insignificant, a worthless boy. And now you’re mine.”
My stomach knotted. “Why do all this?” I pressed. “Why allow me to leave Radaan if you wanted me here? What–”
“So many questions.” Deimos slid me off his lap without warning.
My feet hit the steps in an awkward stumble. I caught myself before tumbling.
“Ask your prince,” he said. “If you’ve been a good pet, he may indulge you.”
At the base of the dais, Tallon waited, a sneer tainting his face. “Come, Nienna.”
He called me to heel—like a dog.
Rage flared hot in my chest. Words crowded my tongue, barbed and furious. But none escaped. Instead, I stepped into place beside him and slid my hand into the crook of his arm.
I had a game to play.
Now I only hoped I was on the winning side.