Chapter 43
Ruling
Cedar
I watched, pushing my anxiety down, as she stood in the middle of the bare room. Dust and smoke embers from Heliot’s workshop filled the air. Her eyes were open, but unseeing. Staring off into the distance to a place I couldn’t see, unfocused and unclear.
“Come on, Princess,” I mumbled beneath my breath.
What felt like forever, but was more like mere moments, her eyes refocused and met my own.
“Okay, we have to be quick. Are you ready?” she asked as she let out a long breath.
I nodded. “For you? Always.”
She smiled, but it didn’t meet her eyes. “Let’s get this over with.”
She slipped two fingers between my cuffs, hooking a long chain to them, and pulled me from the house and into the darkness of the snow-covered street.
My feet followed closely behind, aching to reach up and comfort her.
Her comments about cleaning my scent from her skin still had me mentally raging.
She was right, we needed to get this over with and then there would be nothing to stop me from remarking her all over again.
We approached the gates, her confidence clear as she swaggered through.
I tried to keep my eyes low, as if I was truly disgruntled to be stuck behind this female.
Captured and repulsed by the turn of events.
Nothing could be further from the truth.
I’d follow her to the ends of the world and dive into the fiery pits of the Fates unknown afterlife if she asked.
The walls around Keres’s castle were decorated with at least twelve guards. Most of which were atop the wall itself, but a few stood along the gates welcoming in—or cutting down—anyone who wished to enter.
They’d all be dead by sunup.
One of the males stepped in front of her, cutting off her path. The Court of Ice sigil was prominent across his chest, a hand resting on the pommel of his broad sword as his eyes assessed us.
“Lady Cora.” The confusion was clear in his tone. “What are you doing? You—”
Cora’s voice gave away nothing as she spoke, interrupting whatever drivel was about to fall from his mouth. “Tell our master I’ve returned and have made my allegiance clear.”
The guard's eyes flicked back to me as I did my best to maintain an expression that spoke of hatred—it wasn’t hard when thinking about his master. He looked over to another male beside him and nodded, turning towards the castle to hopefully deliver our message.
It was only a brief silence, a silent ruffling of movements between the guards who’d spotted us, before he returned.
“Come with me,” he stated plainly.
Cora jerked against the chain, dragging me along behind her once more as we followed the guard into the castle.
Walking back into this castle had my raven screaming at the insanity of it all, but all I could do was stare at the back of Cora’s head. A subtle reminder to us both of why I was here. Who I was here for.
I couldn’t raise my daughter knowing this male was still out there.
The guard led us into the opulent golden-domed room. The statue of him was finally gone, melted if I had to guess. It shouldn’t bring me as much joy as it did, but I’d never claimed to be a kind male.
He was seated on his throne, but for the first time, he looked disheveled.
Leaned back, his chin on one hand, his legs outstretched.
His hair wasn’t slicked back, the dark strands hanging around his eyes, and his dark pants and a deep blue shirt were halfway unbuttoned.
A smudge of blood sat at the corner of his mouth.
“Cora,” he muttered, but nothing more came.
She stopped in front of him, her eyes rapt with attention as she took him in.
“Keres.”
Silence overtook everyone, including me. I hadn’t asked about her plan, but maybe I should have. It felt like it may be to piss him off thoroughly. Which I guess was an option.
His brows pulled together as her gaze stared on.
“What brings you back, little dove?”
Fists clenched and my teeth ground together as I bit my tongue to keep my comments to myself. Now wasn’t the time. Not yet.
“I brought you a show of loyalty, but it comes at a price.”
“Don’t all good things?”
All I wanted was to be able to read her mind right now. Know what her plans were. How she was feeling, but she was blocking it all.
“I want to rule by your side. Not as your whore, as your equal.”
My heart stopped as the words left her mouth and nothing came through the bond. A slow smile creeped over Keres’s face.
“And why would I allow this?”
She scoffed, jerking the chain until I was on my knees beside her. The cold floor soaking into my skin through my pants as I tried to bury any feelings I may have about this plan.
“If I’m being forced to birth your child, kill my only remaining family, and rid myself of a mate, the least you can do is place a crown upon my head. Correct?” The perfect inflection of boredom flowed through her voice and all I could do was glare at the golden floor.
It was all part of the plan. I knew that—my soul knew that.
But I couldn’t feel anything from her. Maybe it was the shadow stone around my wrists. Maybe it was her. It had to be her. I’d felt her before, right?
I glanced up as Keres stood slowly to his feet, a smile still plastered across his face.
“And what shall we do with him?” he asked.
Cora let go of the chain, the metal clinking to the floor as she strolled past him. He didn’t even notice as she plopped down onto his throne, resuming the same position he held. Her chin setting atop her fist, the look of arrogance he typically wore, she mimicked to a degree of perfection.
“What do I care? I have what I came for,” she replied back as she crossed her legs and stared at him expectantly.
“What do—” he began, but as he turned over his shoulder, he stared at her. “What are you doing?”
“Ruling.”