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“Good. It is about time.”
“Hey! We agreed that we were going to break things to her slowly.”
“Yeah, I know. But I was beginning to wonder if you were planning on it at all. I have watched paint dry faster than you were moving.”
“I swear if you were not so good at your job…” I start, but know instantly that was the wrong thing to say.
“You’d what? Go ahead and finish that statement.” She stops and crosses her arms over her chest.
“Absolutely nothing. You are the best at what you do.” I try to cover my ass with a big smile. But she narrows her eyes, unaffected by my charm.
“That is what I thought you were going to say. Now come on, the King will have both of our heads if you are late.”
I shake my head and follow her into the conference room. It is already packed and my father is an imposing figure on his smaller throne, which he had built specifically for this room. He had to make sure that his head was always above everyone else’s.
“Finally, everyone is here.” His disapproving voice booms throughout the room. “There has been a sudden change in the vines. They seem restless and agitated. If anyone has any information on the sudden change, they better come forward immediately.” He stands from his seat and looks everyone in the eyes. “And if I find out that someone knew something and didn’t say a word, the punishment will be instant death.”
His boisterous words have zero effect on me. The pride in his lineage is too strong for him to attempt to kill me, even if he suspects I have something to do with it. But not everyone in this room has that kind of luxury. Most of them are only around because of how expendable they are.
The hum of voices picks up as they discuss the change. But I don’t interact. Instead, I watch, waiting for even the slightest nuance that may give away that someone knows something. There is a caster amongst us, and I just need to fish them out.
Ilook at myself in the mirror, barely able to remember the last time I saw myself with white hair. It was before…no, it was after my escape. My hair was so short after he cut it all off. I could see my scalp in some areas. I had sat in front of a broken mirror in someone’s attic for hours, looking at myself. It was at that moment, looking into the eyes of that fractured girl, that I had decided to become a beast that they would inevitably fear. The same beast that stares back at me now.
After everything I have been through, this castle is the last place where I expected to learn that evil is not as black and white as I initially thought. I used to believe all Keryth deserve death because they are unredeemable monsters. But I was wrong. Felix, Tia, and even Kaelin have repeatedly shown me that not everyone is out to get me and that I am not fighting this battle alone.
Which is precisely why I asked Tia to get me the compound to remove the dye. I ached to tell Felix everything while we sat in bed, but I knew if I showed him, then there wouldn’t be any doubt. I will have to dye it back immediately, so HE won’t be able to find me, and the King and Queen won’t know what family I come from. I still don’t understand how there is no record of me on the family tree. I should be thankful…but why would my father hide my existence?
The bedroom door opens and closes. I take in a steadying breath and straighten my spine for what is to come.
Please don’t let him hate me for who I really am. This may have been a mistake. Maybe it’s too soon. No! That’s not true. Felix cares for me. And I …I care for him. It’s not love by any means, but…I do care for him.
“Felix?” I walk into the bedroom and stop dead in my tracks.
It’s not Felix.
“I knew it was you hiding behind the Prince at the ball. Did you believe that changing your hair alone would keep me from recognizing you? Come on, Alina, you are smarter than that.” The male stalks forward, circling me like prey.
That name…Alina. It is my name. My true name. I haven’t heard it in years. After being tortured and denied being spoken to for even longer, I had forgotten what it was. I had picked a new one once I knew how to proceed with my life.
“Your smell alone gives you away,” he whispers against my neck. I was so distracted by hearing my name again that I allowed him to get close to me. Fucking rookie mistake!
“Maybe I wasn’t hiding from YOU, Dominic,” I say, finally finding my voice. “Maybe I was making you work for it.” Fucking hell, I need a dagger. If I had my weapons, I could end this in a few shift motions.
“Were you looking for me, Princess?” I suppress a flinch as his finger slides down the curve of my neck.
“Yes,” I offer truthfully. There is no reason to hide it.
“Does he know who you are?”
“No.”
“Good. Because we can’t have that; if he knows whose blood you carry, then he would ruin all of my plans.” He stands before me once more, and I finally get a good look at the male who tortured me for most of my life.
He is tall and lean. His hair is long and black with thick silver bands throughout it. He may have been handsome once and maybe still is to some. But I believe his evil heart twisted his appearance a long time ago. Or perhaps that is just the hate in my heart speaking.
“What plans?”
“Tsk. Tsk. You don’t really believe I would willingly share that with you, do you?” he laughs. And it grates on every nerve in my body.
