AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“We’re done for today,” he said with his back facing me. I didn’t have to see his face to feel the disdain in his voice.
The words escaped my lips before I could even process what I was saying. “Why do you hate me so much?”
He turned and I couldn’t tell if he thought I was joking or if he was simply amused by the question, but either way, he huffed a laugh.
I tried to stand from the mud pit but the ground had solidified again, forcing me to tug my legs to release them from the earth. Not only was he a siphon, but apparently, he was also an earth wielder. I supposed I should’ve learned all of his strengths before I’d let my temper get the best of me.
“Don’t think I haven’t seen the way you look at me. Like I’m little more than vermin to be exterminated. The way you speak to me like I’m inferior to you. I haven’t done anything to you, so what is it?”
There were at least a dozen others training in the field with us, and each of them had turned to watch our spat. Ladon’s smile faltered when he noticed our audience, but he exited the training arena without so much as a word to me, only reinforcing the idea that I wasn’t worth his time.
I followed him into the hall, fully aware that my footsteps sounded like a toddler throwing a tantrum. I hated that he got under my skin so easily.
“Hey,” I shouted, grabbing the collar of his shirt without thinking.
In a flash, he spun and pushed me against the wall, my head slamming against the cool stone. Add it to the list of bruises and bumps I’d be covered in tomorrow.
“What did I say about touching me, princess?” he snarled. His nose was close enough to brush mine, and it sent a chill down my spine. The heat of his body pressed against every inch of me, and I didn’t know if I was frozen in place or melting into a puddle.
He terrified me.
But for some reason, I reveled in his hatred.
I licked my lips and raised my chin in defiance. “Queen.”
Ladon leaned back enough to look down at me, but I met his steely glare with a fire of my own, refusing to let him intimidate me. “I am your future queen.”
He might not like me, but he would respect me.
He scoffed before stepping back. His eyes turned to slits, and he tilted his head ever so slightly. “Courtesan.”
The vile insult was smooth as honey dripping from his tongue.
My jaw dropped. Had he just called me a whore? I was Lady of Dreslen and future Queen of Osavian. Not some peasant off the street, seducing the king to steal his riches and line her pockets.
I was too stunned to speak, and before I could return an insult of my own, Ladon turned on his heel, stalking down the hall and out of my sight.
Chapter Eight
Ladon
Sleep evaded me for the third time this week. A blur of onyx swirls and shimmering gold filled my vision as I stared up at the ornate ceiling of my bedroom. I wasn’t sure how long I’d been gazing toward the sky. Long enough to make my eyes burn. It didn’t matter how tired I was physically. My mind refused to succumb to the drowsiness I felt.
Giving up on sleep, I threw back the emerald green blanket that covered my bed and swung my legs to the side, rolling my neck before standing and walking to the corner of the room.
The servants knew to keep my drink cart stocked, and tonight was no exception. Crystal bottles of navy, maroon, and gold lined the top rack, all in varying degrees of opacity. A slender one with a faded black label called my name, and I filled my glass to the rim, swirling before bringing the fiery whisky to my lips.
I looked around the room, searching for something to distract myself with, maybe long enough to lull myself to sleep before daylight snuck up on me again. Bookshelves lined the wall on the other side of my bedroom. A collection of books that had grown over time, some tales of fiction and others of the more educational variety.
Surely there was one on these shelves that could bore me to sleep. Perhaps one of my father’s hand-me-down texts on war strategy. I searched the dusty tomes for the one I was thinking of, surprised by how neglected they all appeared. I hadn’t had much time for reading lately. The growing threat of Murvort had taken up most of my attention.
While Dreslen had a more subtle approach in their quest for power, Murvort was more interested in physical force. They were two sides of the same coin.
My thoughts returned to Emilie and our day of training. My blood boiled knowing that she was keeping me from my duties on the border. I’d have another chat with Cyrus about that. He had to know that my strength and leadership would be better utilized at Fort Malek.
I’d read the titles five times and still hadn’t found what I wanted. Sighing, I searched for some pants and a shirt to throw on so I could head to the library. I could’ve sworn the book was in my own collection, but every once in a while, I’d trade books out for new ones and I must’ve exchanged it without realizing. If it wasn’t in my room, then it was definitely in the library.
I was no stranger to the quiet of the castle halls in the middle of the night. After my father died, I’d had trouble sleeping then, too. Although my solo trips into the night at that age usually ended in the kitchens with a piece of pie or sorbet. Sometimes the governess would catch me, but she never told my mother.
