Chapter 25 #2
“Someone get her out of my face and prepare her in my chambers,” King Helvig ordered, motioning to me. “Now, let me hear music! This is a joyous occasion!” The orchestra started to play again, the crowd carrying on as though their king didn’t just carve out someone’s eye.
“Come on, lille ravn.” A familiar deep voice spoke in my ear, Bj?rn’s large hands lifting me up. “I got you.”
Bj?rn helped me to my feet, my gaze locking on Brynden’s blue iris staring back at me from the floor. My father allowed Brynden to venture here, knowing he was imprudent, knowing what might happen to him. It was not by accident, nor was it Brynden’s sheer determination to save me.
The message was loud and clear.
No one was coming after me.
I was a pawn to start a war.
My will was broken, and I handed myself over to the influence of the moonflower and night jasmine, greedily falling into the haze of their scent, barely processing that my feet were shuffling forward, moving down hallways and upstairs.
“You really going to defy him? He wants her in his chambers.” Another figure walked on my right, the sconces along the wall flickering over his handsome features.
Renyx.
“He’ll be passed out in ten minutes.” Bj?rn snorted, gripping me more firmly. “We both know he won’t remember ever saying such a thing. Plus, I’d rather test him than the other one right now.”
Renyx huffed, shaking his head, his nose wrinkling when he peered down at me.
“What is the fuss about her?” Renyx wrinkled his nose. “Her pussy can’t be that fucking good.”
“You might want to ask your hersir,” I snipped, my brain no longer attached to my mouth. I had enough of being controlled and walked over tonight like I was nothing but an object. “He seemed to find my pussy much to fuss about tonight.”
Renyx’s mouth dropped.
“Damn, lille ravn.” Bj?rn’s choked laughter boomed in the corridor.
“I’ve taken on cannibals and murderers; I can certainly handle a pretty boy like you.” I leaned into Renyx, holding tightly to my last bits of my dignity and bravado, when I was nothing more than wet paper ready to rip into shreds.
“Huginn-Muninn. I think I’m in love with you now.” Bj?rn guffawed, guiding me toward my chamber. “Will you marry me?”
“Yes.” I nodded. “If you can get rid of my current husband.”
“Dangerous words, lille ravn.” Bj?rn’s thick eyebrow lifted, noticing Renyx had stopped a few feet away, his mouth open.
“No, tell me she’s lying.” Renyx glowered at me, his head wagging in disbelief.
Bj?rn laughed harder at Renyx’s bewilderment, wiping away tears.
“Seriously? The hersir? After all he went through with her kind? We lost my brother to them!” Renyx’s expression evolved to disgust. “I feel sick.” He twisted around, heading back. “I need a bath and a fucking drink.”
“What’s wrong, Ren?” Bj?rn called after him. “A little jealous it wasn’t you lapping at the cream of another certain hersir?”
“Fuck you!” Renyx held up his middle finger, stomping down the passage, Bj?rn’s snickers following him until he disappeared.
“He’s really in love with her?”
“Ever since we were teenagers,” the big guy replied. “He was the more reserved one, where Raelis went after her.”
“Did Raelis know his brother was in love with her?”
Bj?rn’s humor evaporated.
“Raelis wouldn’t have pursued her if he didn’t.”
“What?” I blinked. “He purposely went after Brynn because he knew his twin was in love with her? That seems so cruel. Why would he do that?”
“Brynn was the one thing Raelis could have over Renyx,” Bj?rn replied.
“Raelis was always in competition with his brother, always trying to outdo him. But Renyx was naturally better at things—he quietly observed, learned—while Raelis jumped in without thinking. It’s why he took the chance to go with Onyx to your realm, even though it was supposed to be Renyx. Raelis made sure the king picked him.”
“Another reason why Renyx feels guilty over his brother’s death,” I muttered. “It was supposed to be him there instead.”
“Yes,” Bj?rn agreed.
A sadness washed over me. “Did Raelis even love her?”
“I think he did.” Bj?rn sighed, bobbing his head. “Well, I guess as much as Brynn loved him back.”
“Right.” I bit down on my lip. “Onyx.”
There needed to be a line for those enraptured with Onyx.
“How long have you known him? Did you guys all grow up together?”
“Most of us grew up together. Onyx was the only one the king brought in.”
“Brought in?”
“He was orphaned as a child, homeless. The king saw potential in him and started training him at a young age with the rest of us to be shields.” Bj?rn rubbed at his beard in thought.
“He was treated as an outsider, until one day he stuck up for Brynn. He lost his temper and almost killed the kid bullying her. We saw a glimpse of how dark, powerful, and ruthless he was, and many of us realized then it was better to have him on our side than against us.” He laughed.
“He became a favorite of the king. He knew he had a weapon on his hands.”
“And the king’s feelings for Onyx now?” I couldn’t help but ask, my thoughts going back to how he kissed him earlier.
“That is more complicated.” Bj?rn’s mouth curved up, understanding my insinuation. He stopped us at my chamber door.
“I thought the king wanted me—”
“Like I said, he will be passed out soon and will forget he even has a wife.” Bj?rn opened the door, gesturing me to enter.
I stepped in and curved around.
“Why have you always been so nice to me?”
“Under the colors of our feathers we’re all just Ravens, right?” He shrugged.
“Yes.” Something in the simplicity of his words hit me hard. “But most don’t feel that way.”
“That’s the thing: I’m not like most, vennen.” Sweetheart. He smirked, clutching the door handle. “Good night, your majesty,” he teased, starting to close the door.
“It was you,” I blurted out. He stopped, peering at me with a curved eyebrow. “You made sure the king would be too drunk tonight. I saw you give his thrall coins to keep him intoxicated. You are protecting me.”
“I was just the messenger.” He winked, and with that he shut the door, leaving me to stew in his response.
Was it Onyx who ordered him to do that?
Aggravation at that man, the feel of his presence still between my thighs, rumbled up my throat. I swung back to the bed, ready to strip myself of the soiled gown and crawl under the covers to hide.
“Oh no.” I shut my eyes for a moment, hoping I didn’t see what I thought, but when I looked again, a heavy sigh escaped.
Half the blanket was gnawed into strips.
“Munch!”