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Of what?
I never could figure it out, no matter how much I tried.
“We have a confirmed report King Asher took it,” he says in his usual expressionless tone.
“How? From whom?” I ask as a mix of hope and caution blooms in my chest.
I want to believe one of my guards made it out of Umbra and got a message back to us. Even if only one survived, it would lift a weight off my conscience. But I don’t trust my father, especially when I can’t see his hands to confirm he’s telling the truth.
“Don’t worry about that. Just know it is from a reliable source,” he replies.
Unease rolls through me. We don’t have any spies in Umbra or within King Asher’s crew, so where could he have received this information?
Before I can push him further on his source, he speaks, “But that isn’t what I asked you here for tonight.”
He leans forward in his chair, resting both hands in his lap under the table. Eyeing him, I raise an eyebrow in question.
“I have discussed our situation with King Leopold, and we have reached a deal,” he states.
Unease grows within me. Something tells me that whatever deal he has made with the king, I want no part of it.
“What kind of deal, father?” The words come out as a grumble I can’t fight back.
“Watch your tone, boy!”
He bares his teeth at me, but I don’t back down. I’m used to his discontent. I don’t take my eyes off him, and we are stuck for several moments in a heated staring contest. I have no plans to lose. If he is going to drag me into one of his poorly thought-out plans, then he is going to look me in the eye when he does it.
His audible sigh finally breaks the silence. “You’ll lead the next deployment of guards to Umbra,” he finally spits out.
This isn’t shocking news. I expected to be sent with my men, but I figured it wouldn’t be this soon.
“And?” I say with a wave of my hand, gesturing for him to continue.
The corner of his lip pulls up in disgust. I glare at him, squeezing my hands so hard my fingers turn white.
Through clenched teeth, he continues, “You’ll go to Umbra, retrieve the amulet, and return it to King Leopold. As a reward, you will marry Princess Juniper.”
Red, fiery rage surges through my veins as I shove back from the table so hard the chair flings to the floor behind me. The sound of wood splintering radiates through the quarters.
“What kind of deal is that?” my voice cracks as I yell down at my father.
He remains in his seat with the same look of disgust distorting his face.
“A damn good deal. You’ll become the King of Lux. You should thank me for this opportunity. Be grateful for my sacrifices that have provided this for you,” he says with self-satisfaction for a job well done.
“Thanking you? For what?” I scoff, “Sending me off to die and, if by some will of the gods, I survive, forcing me to marry my childhood friend? Oh, or should I be thanking you for making me a king when I have no desire to be one?”
He doesn’t answer, but the veins in his forehead pulsate.
“I won’t marry Princess Juniper,” I say as I slam my hands on the table, causing it to vibrate from the force.
My father launches out of the chair, grabs me by the front of my uniform, and slams me into the wall. A jolt of pain shoots up my neck as my back takes the full force of the impact. I grab his wrists to push him back, but he pulls me an inch from the wall before slamming me back into it. I wince in pain.
“You ungrateful little shit! All I have sacrificed for you.”
Slam.
“All the deals I’ve had to make.”
