Chapter 29
Kassiel
“Kassiel,” Orlin hisses, shoving me against the wall. I stand there as he digs his forearm into my throat, his eyes tinged with hatred.
He found me immediately once I sauntered in through the kitchens into the castle. Ezmelir was bubbling and rich with the plans for tonight’s ball.
Orlin rolls his sharp bone into my throat again. “Where the fuck have you been? It’s been damn near a fortnite.”
He shoves off me, waiting for me to speak.
I cough as the air returns to my lungs with a scratchy inhale.
My fists ball next to my sides - I refuse to rub the column of my neck.
I crack my neck and roll my shoulders, the look on his face is enough to make my magic crawl under my skin, waiting to be unleashed on him.
If only I could pierce him with my shadows.
“Where I was is none of your business, Orlin. You do not lay command over me,” I growl out.
He sneers, his toothy expression making him look more canine than anything.
“I may not, but he does. And he thinks you’re the reason rebel troops are within Ezmelir.”
I don’t like where this is going.
“What troops?” It’s the best I can offer without sounding too interested and raising alarm within the selfish bastard.
He rolls his eyes at me, “What troops?” His mimicry edges under my skin sooner than it should.
I inhale, focusing on the image of Alora’s supple breasts bouncing underneath the moons-light. I would do this, become the beast for a night, to ensure that there would be many more such occasions.
“Orlin I don’t give a damn what you think.
After you basically left me for dead in Astoria, I had to walk my ass back here as I didn’t have a horse.
You burned nearly every godsdamn village down in the process, so the survivors assumed that I was there to do the same.
If the king blames me for your incompetence, then I will be sure to quickly assuage the situation.
Your carelessness caused me to waste my time without any way to get back sooner. ”
I shove past him, knocking into his shoulder, forcing him to spin.
“I didn’t burn every village!” he cries behind me.
With a bellow over my shoulder, I respond, “I said NEARLY.”
Some things never change, and Orlin’s need to see me thrown under a horse was no different. In fact, I was counting on it to get back in good graces with the king.
Quickening my paces, I slide out the side door of the large kitchen, eager to get in a less noticeable area. The door opens to an entry hallway with an even grander staircase. I hurriedly take the steps, one by one, and I’m nearly halfway up before Orlin slams the kitchen door open with his boot.
“Not so fast, Kassiel!” he shouts, but I just ignore him.
Instead, I find the landing and turn the corner despite him yelling at me the entire way up the white marbled staircase.
I already know the king’s displeasure grows with me, I can feel it roiling in my inked collar. If I’m to have any chance to be believable, I’ll need to throw myself to his whims immediately.
Racing down the hallway, I can only pray Rune is somehow also back from our meeting last night by firelight. With his collusion, we would likely be able to bring Euron onto our side.
If Orlin was there, he would throw a tantrum, eager to see me punished. Which was likely anyways, but I need to at least try.
The deep maroon rug woven with gold filigree makes for the longest walk leading to the library where Euron prefers to do business.
Finally shoving past another hallway, the great mahogany door grows as I get closer to the door that’s nearly two men in height. It’s gaudy—the exact preference of King Euron.
Grasping the brass knob that resembles an intricately carved sun, I twist it and push the door open.
Rune is there, standing next to the desk as King Euron chats with Ambassador Samek, son of the Kingdom of Niamh, the Red Mountains ruler. I’ve met him a handful of times, he’s the closest friend to the king of Naimh.
Samek, with his light-olive skin and dark hair, turns to me. He lifts a brow, his dark-brown eyes boring into me.
King Euron’s fingers tap along his desk, clearly irritated by the way he picks up his rhythm.
“Kassiel. Nice of you to join us,” Euron grates out.
Huffing comes from behind me, and I already know it’s Orlin by the way his wine-smelling breath puffs at the back of my neck.
I bow deeply, submitting to King Euron in front of his guest in hopes it’ll stroke his ego.
Samek turns back to the king and picks back up their conversation.
Rune’s eyes shift to mine and linger for a moment before flicking back to Euron.
I’m still mid bow as Orlin shoves past me and stumbles to Euron’s desk.
“Your Majesty.” Orlin kneels in front of the desk.
I straighten and begin to walk slowly to the group of men, knowing Orlin is about to make Euron more than unhappy given his history of always trying to force the king's displeasure on me.
He continues, “Are we really going to let him walk in here like—”
A hard smack ceases the sentence as King Euron’s palm strikes Orlin’s cheek.
“Can you not see I’m with someone right now? Are you blind or just dumb?” Euron practically spits.
Samek looks from Orlin back to me, and a small grin forms.
I keep my face stone, even if it thrills me to see Orlin embarrassed.
“Excuse me, Ambassador Samek,” the king begins, “I need just a moment with my men.”
The ambassador nods and excuses himself, brushing past me in a cloud of rich, aromatic musk.
Once the door is quietly shut, Euron unleashes his fury.
“I will be with you in a moment,” he snaps in my direction. “For now, Orlin, you dishonor me greatly when you enter here like a child demanding me to whip a sibling. Do you know how that makes me look, you cuck?!” He practically roars while Orlin still kneels with his head hung low.
Euron spins, pushing from the desk, and grabs a thin cane switch.I’ve seen this punishment hundreds of times, been under the switch myself nearly the same amount.
Euron lifts his chin. “Stand, you clemantra.” You person lower than dirt.
The king’s favorite insult is followed by a lash across the back of Orlin as he stands.
The crack of the cane slaps down again and again. Orlin just takes it, not even a groan escaping his lips. We’ve all learned that any hint of weakness, even when meant to, will only land us in more pain.
When the king decides he’s done with his punishment, he turns and points the cane at me. “You have one chance to explain where in Haldir you’ve been. If I don’t believe you, I will send you to my dungeons where you’ll stay until I say.”
I can feel Rune’s gaze land on mine. We’d planned this, come to expect that this would very likely happen. Our rehearsed answer threads from my lips easily.
“When The Hidden attacked in Astoria, I was separated in the chaos. I was knocked unconscious and when I awoke, I’d discovered that Rune and Orlin were nowhere to be found.”
King Euron’s eyes snap to Rune, who simply nods.
“Why did you not send a raven? Anything? I summoned you, or did you forget that when the Nasc Gal burned?”
He slits his eyes at me, studying my face to detect any lie. I mentally utter a prayer to the goddess when Rune begins to speak.
“Your Highness, when the explosives began lighting, Kassiel went to ensure that the rebel commander would still face her execution, as you’d commanded.
Rion, we believe, was trying to free her and got in the way of Kassiel getting her in time.
Orlin merely was caught up in the fight, before running off to gods knows where.
The last moment I had seen Kassiel was when an explosion sent him flying, and I, concerned for your safety, ran to your aid. ”
Smooth deliverance, Rune.
He’s always been the most trusted of Euron, has been for years, and Rune had accepted his position. Until things changed. Rune found something he cared about almost as much as I cared for Alora. His reason for staying close to Euron was that of a desire to be closer to the witch in the tower.
He’d willingly do whatever was needed to keep in proximity to her.
Knowing he is also sacrificing himself if we are discovered is a great display of trust in me.
Euron looks back at me, and then again to Rune.
“If you say it is so, then I trust it’s the truth.”
Orlin looks up from his yielding pose, not enough for King Euron to notice him, but locks eyes with me. His blue orbs smolder with burning fury.
I match his stare, wondering if he’ll dare speak out against what we both know to be inconsistencies with what happened in Astoria.
“But even so,” the king turns back to me, “you took your time in heeding my call, boy. For your disobedience, you’ll also need to atone.”
I begin to unbutton my shirt, knowing where this is going, as King Euron turns to grab something from behind him. He prefers to mar my skin with different methods than the cane. I look to where the braided leather switch lies in the corner of the room.
Though my skin eventually heals, and I’m thankful that this is the form of punishment rather than the time he put weights on my genitals, my skin still smarts with the thought of being flogged.
But I’ll endure it, I’ll accept these final chastisements if it means I’ll be with Alora.
The king spins, smiling, and his hands carrying an ivory square of parchment.
Surprise raises my eyebrows slightly.
“You will go find these deceivers. You will bring them to me. And you will sever their souls at tonight’s festivities to remind these rebel traitors what happens when you disobey my will.”
He hands me the note that appears to be scrawled with messy handwriting depicting where members of The Hidden are believed to be.
I grasp the note and clench it in my fist and nod.
Smugness rolls off the king’s expression, the glint in his eye unmistakable. He knows how much this kills me.
I make quick work of doing my buttons up and bow before turning to leave.