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Cyrus gave me another apologetic smile, a plea to understand his demanding position as king. But when I looked at Ladon and his scowl, I wondered if Cyrus might reconsider.
I could probably figure out the layout on my own. “It’s okay. I don’t need a—”
“I’m not your errand boy, Brother,” Ladon interrupted.
“No, but you are my family and Emilie’s future family. Don’t you want to get to know your future sister-in-law?”
Ladon looked at me, and my bones turned to ice. I could sense a dark contempt within him and shuddered to think what he might do if we were alone. He slowly grinned, and I found no comfort in it. “It would be my greatest pleasure.”
I already regretted the drinks I’d had at breakfast. As soon as Cyrus left the table, Ladon wanted to get the tour over with, but I insisted on changing into something more practical for walking around the castle’s massive grounds.
We were silent the entire way back to my room, and he waited for me in the hall. My head pounded, and I chugged a glass of water from the pitcher Marjorie had left on the nightstand. I quickly applied some fresh powder to my face and some kohl to brighten my eyes. The mirror in the bathroom was cruel and told me just how tired I appeared. Yesterday had been a long day and every fiber of my body would’ve rather rested in bed than parade around the castle with the angry brute.
I kept my top but changed into the first pair of fitted trousers I could find in my mess of luggage. I swore to myself I’d unpack later if I managed to survive my private tour. I found a pair of gray boots and laced them up over the top of my white cotton stockings. Lastly, I wrapped a light piece of fabric around my shoulders and headed out the door to find Ladon leaning against the wall with a surly frown.
He looked me over and I crossed my arms in front of my chest, feeling defensive for no reason whatsoever. I swore a cool hatred radiated from him that I couldn’t figure out. But rather than running from it, I only became more curious.
“Ready?” he asked, as if the five minutes I took to change was the biggest inconvenience he’d face all day.
“I suppose so.”
Chapter Four
Ladon
There were so many other things I could’ve been doing with my day other than leading the princess—sorry, future Queen of Osavian—around the castle. Unfortunately, my brother knew that it was impossible for me to tell him no and he used that knowledge against me any chance he got.
“So…” Emilie started.
She was already a little out of breath, but I didn’t slow down. We were on our way to the furthest wing of the castle and I was determined to get this tour done in record time. It wasn’t my fault she had short legs and apparently had never done trained a day in her life.
“So,” I echoed. The question was right on the tip of her tongue. I knew she wanted to talk about last night. To clear the air. But watching her squirm was more fun.
“What’s in this room?” she asked, and I didn’t bother to check which door she was waving toward.
“That’s what you want to say?”
“No. I guess not. I…could you slow down?” she huffed, but I kept moving. I had told my brother I would give her a tour. I hadn’t promised it would be a good one.
“Ladon,” she said my name, and I froze, turning on my heel and her body slammed straight into my chest. Her cheeks turned pink, and she brushed the loose brown curls from her face. Because of the nearly one-foot height difference, she had to step back and tilt her head up to meet my gaze.
“Yes?” I asked with feigned interest. The only thing I was really interested in was making her as uncomfortable in Renoa as possible. I knew she and her family were a bunch of leeches, desperate for any crumb of power they could get their hands on. They didn’t belong here. My brother refused to see it, so if I needed to be the one to get rid of her, then so be it.
Her shoulders lifted and then settled again after a long exhale. “I’m sorry for listening in on your conversation last night. It was wrong and I shouldn’t have done that.”
“Okay,” I said with as much indifference as I could muster, and then I began to walk again.
“What?” she practically shrieked.
“I said ‘okay.’”
“You’re supposed to say ‘apology accepted’ or something like that.”
“Am I?”
“Yes.” She raced after me and wrapped her hand around my forearm.
I moved faster than lightning. Before she could even blink, I had her pinned against the wall. Her once flushed cheeks rapidly drained of color. “Touch me again, princess, and it’ll be the last thing you do with those pretty little fingers.”
