CHAPTER TWENTY-SIX #4
At his order, a curious sensation came over her.
It was not unpleasant, but it was insistent.
She found she could not disobey his command.
As if in a trance, Daphne stepped behind Kronos.
His hand went to her waist, holding her behind him.
Caspenon watched their interaction with his brows furrowed. Then his eyes widened.
“I did not realize,” he whispered.
Caspenon stared at Daphne as if he were terrified of her. His expression made no sense; Daphne was the one who was terrified of him.
“You did not realize what?” Kronos snapped. Daphne flinched at his tone.
His hand was still on her waist, his grip uncomfortably tight. Daphne was deeply aware of how dangerous the situation was. Caspenon could hurt her—kill her—and her body would never be found. Kronos was the only thing standing between her and imminent danger.
“You crested her,” Caspenon whispered. “That is why she obeys. And it is why you were able to—”
“I have told you before, Drakon.” Kronos cut him off harshly. “What I do is none of your concern.”
“You would risk your future for her? You would tie yourself to a human?”
“I would.”
“Then you are a fool. Our people will not respect this partnership. You do not understand what you are sacrificing.”
“And you,” Kronos said firmly, “do not understand what I am gaining.”
Caspenon shook his head in disbelief. He took another step forward.
“Do not come any closer,” Kronos yelled.
Daphne had never heard him raise his voice before. It made her want to cry.
Caspen on stopped. “You are a danger to us all. You cannot normalize such a union—you cannot allow yourself this indulgence.”
“Daphne is not an indulgence,” Kronos snapped. “She is my future. And you bit me. I claim it is you who are the danger.”
But Caspenon only shook his head.
“I did what I had to do,” he said dully.
Perhaps Daphne was imagining it, but he seemed like he barely believed his own words.
“You made a mistake,” Kronos said. “And you will pay for it.”
Caspenon crossed his arms. “Is that a threat?”
“It is a fact. If not by my hand, then by your own. This will haunt you, Caspenon.”
Daphne tensed, preparing for retaliation. Instead devastation passed over Caspenon’s face. He looked so utterly defeated that she almost felt bad for him. Then it disappeared.
“You have taken this too far, Kronos.”
“I decide how far I take it.”
“You must be stopped.”
Without waiting for a response, Caspenon turned on his heel and disappeared. Daphne did not move, even when Kronos’s fingers tightened on her waist and he tried to pull her around. She remained in place, unable to budge even an inch. He turned to look at her.
“Daphne? What are you doing?”
“You told me to stand behind you,” she whispered.
Confusion, then realization swept over his face. “I am so sorry,” he said. “I did not mean to. I—”
Daphne shook her head. “Just tell me to move. Right now, Kronos.”
“Move, Daphne,” he said immediately. “Wherever you like.”
A weight lifted off her chest. She was once more free. Without hesitating Daphne stepped forward, burying herself in Kronos’s arms. He held her tightly, and she knew they both felt relief.
“I am so sorry,” he murmured again.
“I know.”
A moment passed. Then another.
“I will walk you home.”
Daphne frowned. She had hoped to spend the night.
“You…don’t want me to stay?” she whispered.
“I do,” Kronos said. “But it is not safe. I showed my hand.”
“What do you mean?”
“Caspenon knows I crested you. He understands exactly how much you mean to me. He may seek to exploit it.”
“How would he do that?”
Kronos shrugged. “The Drakons always find a way.”
Daphne knew there was no point in arguing.
Instead she followed Kronos through the passageway to his chambers, where she retrieved her dress before heading out to the trail.
They walked in silence all the way back to her cottage.
When they reached it, Kronos placed a single, soft kiss on her cheek before disappearing into the night.
Daphne stared after him, trying to process the events of the evening.
Later, as she lay awake alone in her bed, Daphne thought about what Caspenon had said: You must be stopped.
He was afraid of Kronos. And people did desperate things when they were afraid.
Daphne wanted to protect Kronos—had to protect Kronos.
She was not intimidating like Caspenon nor was she capable of violence like him either.
But that did not mean she was powerless.
There was one thing she could do to ensure that Kronos retained his rank—to give him the best chance at becoming Serpent King. Daphne would fight in her own way to protect the person she cared about.
She would not allow the Drakons to start a war with the humans; she would not allow Caspenon to come after Kronos again.
She would wield her power in her own way; she would play a game of her own.
Daphne would do whatever it took to be sure she was still held favor with the prince—she needed him to go through with their arrangement now more than ever.