“Timefor the princess to return to bed.”Theking’s tone was final, but fuck that.
“Whatthe hell is going on?Wasthat magic?”Avlyn’sgaze darted between me and the king.Heslowly nodded to them, and they stepped out of the room and closed the door behind them.Mymind was racing.Tryingto hold on to those memories, those pieces of himIhad seen.Itfelt invasive, butIcouldn’t stop myself from trying to cling to them. “Didyou see my memories as well?”
“Alwaysso many questions,Princess.”
“Alwaysso few answers,Abraxas.”Ithink it was the first timeIhad used his name.Ifelt him linger on it, then he let out a huge sigh.
“Walkback to your room with me, andI’llanswer whatIcan.”Heheld out his arm, andIslipped mine in without a second thought.
“Idon’t know what that was.Itcertainly felt like magic, but different somehow.Youare too young; magic had already almost completely left our world when you were born.ButIremember when it was ripe, the earth was saturated with it.Thatmoment was like a flash, a single bolt of lightning in a thunderstorm.Ahint of magic perhaps.”
Hepaused then, “Idid see your memories.Itwas only pieces.Isaw you very young, with your brother,Ithink.Youwere upset that he beat you at some board gameIhave never seen.”Hegave me a sideways glance with so much mirth,Iscrewed up my face.Icould see the small black and white pieces in my mind.Inever had the patience or long-term strategy for the game,Junalways beat me.Butthen the smile faded from his face, “Isaw you at court, how easily you manipulated the nobles, solved arguments.PerhapsIshould have you working as a courtier instead of a warrior or spy.”
Wehad reached my door.Thelook he gave me made me feel likeIneeded to defend my actions, “Itwas easy there.Noblesare simple, greedy things, andIcould always read them.Asquabble between two lords over where a wall should go, who had rights over the rain that fell to a shared stream, those sorts of things.”
Heraised an eyebrow, “Thoseare simple?”
“Peoplejust want to feel seen, feel they aren’t being taken advantage of.Youcan often find a solution where both parties feel like winners, or in a worst case, that their neighbor at least got equally fucked.”Helaughed then, and it encouraged me, “Nothinghere is as simple though.Ican’t read people here, discern their motives.”
“Youwill learn, just as you did there.Allmy soldiers are already disobeying orders for you.Hmm, perhapsIshould be more concerned about that.”Heopened the door to my room.Thiswas the mostIhad ever spoken with him, andIwasn’t ready for it to end.Besides,Iknew there was more to tonight than what he had told me.
“Ihaven’t been able to read you at all.”Ohgods,I’ddone it now.Hiseyes darkened into something dangerous.
“Ithought it was very obvious whatIwanted from you,Princess.”Heleaned in then, surrounding me.
Iblurted out, “Whatelse did you see?”
Hepulled back, “Nothing.”Butit was a lie.
“Whatdid you see?”
“Goodnight,Princess.”He’dseen something private, something he wouldn’t tell me from my own memories.Angerreplaced whateverIhad been feeling, andIlunged at him again, but he caught me easily this time. “Youneed to change your tactics, or an enemy will be able to predict your attacks,” he said.
“So, you are back to being my enemy then?”
“Ididn’t realize that had changed.”
Yes, he was right, once againIhad gotten complacent.Ihad gotten vulnerable with this male, who was nothing more than my captor.Keepingme fromJun.Weak,Ihad been so weak.
“Goodnight,YourMajesty.”Iclosed my door and dashed to the small notebookIhad kept from the library.Iadded whatIcould recall of the king’s memories before any more slipped away.
Chapter22
Abraxas
Ihad lied to her.Ihad seen more of her memories, and she knew it.Shesaid she couldn’t read me, butIhadn’t been able to slip a lie past her in quite some time.
ButIcouldn’t tell her whatIhad seen— whatIhad felt.Iplayed the memory again in my mind, anger rising within me.I, or ratherTori, stood before her father’s throne.Hermother sat to the other side, and a fae male stood beside her father.Ididn’t know the man, butToridid, andIcould feel her thoughts as if they were my own.Ayounger lord, but one who had been fighting for power in all the waysToridespised.Lies— deceiving his neighbors into bad deals to gain their land.He’dsent his soldiers to small towns to scare the villages into working longer hours in the fields.Nothingtoo grand, nothing he could be punished for, but it showed who he truly was.Butit seemed his greatest sin was attempting to becomeTori’sbetrothed.
Herfather spoke, “AmIto understand,LordQuen, that you believe my daughter has slept with your brother, and this nullifies your betrothal?”
“Notjust my brother, but my captain of the guard as well!”
“Andwhat proof do you have of this?”
“Proof?Idon’t need proof; she freely admits it!”KingRahul’shead turned toTorinow, his look withering.Butshe did not hesitate.
“LordQuen’sbrother is much better looking,” she shrugged her shoulders, “and from whatIhave experienced, a much better lover as well.”
