4. CHAPTER 4 #3
“I understand, Father. Thank you.” I bowed my head deeply to him once more in deference. “When will the Princess Morwenna be joining us?”
“The sooner the better.” Mavros coughed, the tissue he pulled from his mouth covered in deep, crimson blood. “We will send for her on the new moon. Once things have settled with Myros and we are sure there will be no retaliation for burning Majur.” His gaze was tight as it fell on Emrys once more.
“You are dismissed,” the queen said, rising from her throne. She pat Mavros gently on the back as he continued to cough, spittle coating the tissue he held tight in his grip.
My gaze met hers and she nodded tightly once. She would send for more tonic from the healer immediately.
I turned to join my brothers, and we exited the throne room, Valerian trailing behind with a bored expression. It was as if he hadn’t even been there. In body, sure, but not in mind. He needed to take his duties as a prince more seriously.
Emrys grasped my shoulder and pulled me against his side as the throne room doors closed heavily behind us with a reverberating clap.
“What is on the agenda tonight, boys? I say we celebrate!” Emrys raised a fake glass into the air in a mock toast.
Valerian turned toward us, his expression no longer bored. “The eldest prince of Blackwater is betrothed! We will certainly be filling our cups tonight. No excuses, Sorin.”
He winked at me as we turned down the main corridor of the palace, jabbing me in the side with his elbow as we made our way toward the main hall. I doubled over with a huff, the curse still pulsing tightly beneath my skin.
Emrys’s brow furrowed as I straightened. “It’s getting worse, isn’t it?”
I smiled tightly in return. “Don’t worry, Brother. If you have your way, there’s a chance you might claim the crown after all.”
“Don’t be salty, Sorin. You know I’m more concerned about your health.” He released the arm that had been grasping my shoulder as we passed a group of young ladies from court, and he slowed to ogle them.
“Sure, Emrys. Fat chance in the seven hells I believe that.” I did my best not to roll my eyes.
It was a fine line between jest and…not with Emrys. The truth is, he cared about my health and the crown. But he had Blackwater blood in his veins. If it came down to it…he would likely choose the most self-serving option.
“Now, now. None of that. Tonight, we celebrate Sorin being the first Blackwater prince to marry. And the first Blackwater prince to be chained to the same woman for the rest of his life!” Valerian said with a laugh.
“It’s a shame, really,” Emrys replied with false solemnity. “Gothryn has some of the most beautiful women in the entire realm.”
“And who’s to say he won’t take a mistress?” Valerian asked in response. “Or five?”
He threw his head back with a laugh, his sharpened fangs glinting beneath the warm torch light filling the corridor. His pale skin remained flushed from our earlier flight, his cheeks pink and his black hair a mess of tendrils atop his head.
“As long as you sire an heir, nothing else matters,” Emrys pointed out.
I gave a knowing huff. That much was true.
“My brothers, does this mean you’ll join me in Ravenwood tonight?” Valerian asked, pushing Emrys so that he very narrowly avoided colliding with a group of aristocrats that were traversing the corridor in the opposite direction.
“Hells yes!” Emrys replied, righting himself. “We will drink to Gothryn! To the future of the Blackwater line and our beloved Prince Sorin, who without me, would be the most boring sod this entire realm has ever seen.”
“I’m not boring,” I protested with a shake of my head. “I’m responsible. I know you don’t know this Emrys…but there is a difference.”
“Nonsense.” He laughed, running a hand through the black curls that framed his forehead.
“There is no difference to me. Just promise me you will save me that busty redhead tonight, Val. You know the one, with the amethyst gaze. I’ve had my eye on her for weeks, but every time we go out it is you she is after! ”
“Whatever you say, Brother. To Ravenwood then!” Valerian cheered as we entered the main hall and turned toward the entrance of the palace, spilling down the stairs to the courtyard beyond.
He allowed his copper wings to unfurl as we passed through the doorway, flapping languidly at his back.
He might not make a show of them for our father and his mother, but he never failed to show the women of Ravenwood what, exactly, being a Blackwater prince meant.
We were the strongest Vireth on the continent, and the strongest dragon shifter bloodline in the realm.
Blessed by the old gods. Revered for our wings, bestowed by the sky god—Sulis. Keepers of the crown in Gothryn. We were the most powerful princes in the entire realm.
I rolled my eyes at them, knowing full well I would be enjoying a few ales before slinking away to see the healer again. We needed to find a different cure for this curse, or the future of the realm might be Emrys’s responsibility after all.
If that was the case, we were all fucked.
“To Ravenwood!”