Chapter 32 Ryder
RYDER
Entertaining a dozen guests after a ruined dinner was a task I shouldn’t have needed to deal with.
If Audryn thought she could throw a fit over a piece of fish and make a scene so large without consequences—she would see just how bad things could get.
I would have Draven prepare her fish for breakfast, lunch, and dinner for the rest of her life until she learned her lesson.
I threw open the kitchen door to see exactly what was taking so long.
My eyes narrowed on the healer and the chef huddled in the corner.
One should’ve been tending to my future betrothed while the other finished preparing our new meal.
Instead, they were likely flirting. They might’ve thought their relationship was held in secret; but the entire castle knew of the affair.
“Your Highness.” Draven jolted, his face marked with concern. “The chicken will be out soon.”
“Perhaps Mirael is slowing the progress and is the cause of my hungry guests?” I lifted an eyebrow in her direction. “Do you not have tasks to tend to?”
“Your Highness, I was retrieving tea for Audryn.” She selected a nearby mug and lifted the kettle from the fire.
“What’s her prognosis?” I asked, knowing her behavior was nothing but theatrics.
Mirael placed mint leaves in the mug for steeping and poured the steaming water over them. “She was ill earlier today, but did not want to disappoint you by missing dinner. So, the lady pushed herself. And, well, you saw the consequences which followed.”
“Legitimately ill?” I couldn't hide the surprise in my voice.
“Yes, I felt the ache in her stomach.” Mirael’s voice wobbled, and if I hadn’t known her as well as I did, I wouldn’t have caught the lie. “Perhaps the heat of the day was too much, or maybe sickness from busying herself more than she is used to.”
“Pregnancy?” I asked, forgetting we were in the midst of a full kitchen.
“I felt no babe.” Mirael looked around and leaned in. “Though perhaps it is too soon to know for certain.”
I hummed to myself as I considered. Would it be such a bad thing if she were to become pregnant before we married?
“Your Highness?” The healer interrupted my thoughts. “Are there questions plaguing you?”
“No,” I replied flatly. I didn’t need to know the specifics of Audryn’s illness.
Mirael nodded. “Very well. You should know, I have ordered her to quarantine in her room for a few days to recover.”
I waved a dismissive hand and went to leave.
“Dinner will be served in five minutes,” Draven called out as he tossed sliced carrots in oil and herbs. “Apologies for the delay.”
“Make it four minutes,” I demanded, as I pushed open the door.
I moved down the wide corridor with my guards walking close behind. Even though I’d forced Fisher to change his uniform before he returned to my service, the smell of vomit wafted off of him.
After the disaster in the regular dining hall, we were forced to move our gathering into the grand ballroom. The accommodation looked ridiculous. All tables, except for one, sat empty.
“Welcome back.” My sister offered a tight smile. “Any word on your beloved?”
“Are you feigning concern for my sake? Because if so—there’s no need,” I bit back.
One minute she’d hated the woman, and the next she acted as if she were one of her closest friends.
It was especially appalling that Leanna had provided Audryn with a gown that exposed so much skin, when she knew better.
“You force me to be kind to her and then you’re angry when I am?” Leanna’s brows pulled together. “Will you ever be happy, or will you resign yourself to leading a miserable life like our father?”
Grave chuckled from my right.
I turned my glare to him. “And you! Do you have so little respect that you don’t allow me to care for my betrothed?”
“Not your betrothed.” Grave sat lazily. “Only someone you are courting. And by the looks of it, it doesn’t appear you’ve done much of a decent job.”
Anger seared the back of my throat. The night was a complete failure, and the last thing I needed was to engage in a verbal battle with the king, especially when the dispute would be better handled in the fighting ring.
“Do not insult me in my home.” My magic trembled, practically escaping my grip.
Grave pursed his lips. “Shall we step outside? Action would be far more enjoyable than these boyish exchanges. I do miss the old days when you’d try to outdo me in the ring, only to end up with a boot on your chest.”
My eyes darted to Amalee, expecting her to cage her rabid beast of a brother, but she sat with a raised eyebrow, offering a daring invitation. “Maybe it is you who wants to battle?”
Though uncommon, it wasn’t completely out of the norm for a male to take on a female for a round or two. It wasn’t as if she were a fae woman—she was more a creature.
Amalee simply fucking smirked, and when she went to reply, Grave beat her to it. “You seem to enjoy putting your hands on women. But let me assure you, tiny prince,” he said, pausing to drink from his glass, “a fight with my sister is one you will not walk away from.”
The doors opened, forcing me to retreat from my verbal skirmish.
I’d expected to see our meal being brought in by staff, but found Commander Tashe and Captain Vexley waiting in the doorway.
An unplanned visit from one of them meant trouble had arisen; seeing the two of them together meant catastrophe.
“Entertain our guests, Sister.” I left the table and crossed the ballroom swiftly. “What is it?” I looked between the two men.
“We should speak elsewhere.” Vexley’s green eyes were rimmed with red. As a man of such high rank, his days started in the early hours of the morning, which sent him to bed early in the evenings. He'd likely just fallen asleep before receiving word of whatever had led him to me.
The table behind me had quieted, and it appeared even Grave was attempting to overhear the conversation. It wasn’t ideal to leave my guests again, but it was worse to say anything of significance in front of them. I exited and headed out into the corridor.
“There was an attack this evening.” Tashe looked at the guards standing sentry and lowered his voice. “The entire month’s supply of crude has been destroyed.”
The walls closed in around me. My chest tightened, and my head spun. I’d prioritized what little supply we had for the castle repairs, and our reserves were empty. The month’s supply was designated for the nobles and, with our own needs, there’d be nothing available for purchase for the people.
“What happened?” I unbuttoned the top of my shirt—the material was strangling me.
“Our ship arrived this evening with the month’s crude. And just as they went to dock, dozens ambushed them.” Tashe blew out a breath. “Barrels were thrown into the sea. Each and every one of them was destroyed.”
“Who?” My breathing became rapid as the reality of the situation continued to pummel me.
“It was the resistance, Your Highness.” Vexley held my gaze as he made the final blow.
“How the fuck did a shanty group of misfits overtake one of our ships? Not a boat rowed by two men. Not a trade boat. But a Divine fucking warship!” The two men shifted on their feet, offering no words. “Not only did they gain access, but then they overtook the men and women on board?”
Vexley went to speak, but I threw my hand up and looked to Commander Tashe for answers.
“It is the same way the witches attacked the trade routes,” he started. “With the magic ban in place—”
“There are no excuses!” My voice echoed through the hall just as the chef turned the corner and approached. “Not right fucking now, Draven.” To his credit, he promptly turned on his heels, and his staff followed suit, retreating to the kitchen.
The door to the grand ballroom swung open, and none other than King Grave stood at the threshold. He eyed me before one corner of his mouth lifted and a crevice formed in his cheek.
“And what do you want?” I barked in his direction.
He lifted a shoulder. “I’m feeling ill and retiring for the evening. Perhaps I’ve caught Miss Audryn’s sickness, seeing as I was the only one who stayed at her side as she retched.”
Remaining at the table would have been acceptable, but acting as he had was outright scandalous. I hoped that she had shared whatever she was sick with. If I were lucky, he’d die before leaving the walls of my castle. Rarely did my hopes come to fruition, so I settled for what was at my fingertips.
“Your kind has attacked our resources,” I sneered. “Tonight, dozens of witches stormed one of our ships. Perhaps they are your cousins, and you ordered them to do so knowing we requested more crude. Instead, you destroyed our month’s supply because of your own hatred for the people of Rivale.”
Though his face remained plain, I could see his mind turning.
“Lanterns will go dark, boats will fill with water, houses will …” I considered how else the general population used the oil. Unfortunately, I couldn’t think of anything more, leaving the grand speech falling flat.
“Oh, please don’t say you’re finished so soon.” Grave’s dark eyes delighted in my failure. “Though, I’m sure you hear that a lot from the women you bed.”
I wanted to scream at the asshole, but I needed more than my satisfaction—I needed crude. “That’s not what Audryn said the other night. In fact, I recall her begging me to stop.”
“I’m sure she did,” Grave said, chuckling. “Though probably not for the reason you imply.”
“Brother?” Leanna popped her head out from behind the door, stealing my attention. “Your guests are hungry and growing tired.”
Not wanting Grave to have the last word, I turned to send an insult his way, but he’d already left.