Reaching out to move some hair off his face, I pulled back before my hand reached his pale and soft skin. He looked so
delicate, almost innocent. I knew underneath that mysterious mask was a demon in disguise. He’d fooled me into believing I
meant anything to him, to marry him, all for his own personal gain.
I would have gladly, easily fallen for him. There wouldn’t have even been a question or doubt when I did. After that day in
his office, I could no longer trust him. I didn’t know who he was anymore. If I ever had.
Who was he? A king? Nicholas? My stable boy? The shadow man in the woods? Lord Cole?
He told me before he was all of those things, mixed into one body and mind, but which one controlled him the most? Which
mask was in charge? The more I thought about it, the more I realised it was the king in him. The one who showed no mercy and
enjoyed hurting people was most likely the one in control.
Nicholas was the man I met the night before our wedding. That was someone, I think, he wished to be or at least pretending
to be. He needed to win me over, to claim me.
The shadow man was my protector and seducer when it suited him.
Lord Cole—that mask was someone I thought of as a flirtatious friend.
And finally, my stable boy. That was him before his parents were murdered and his innocence was stolen.
Without moving his arm, I slipped out slowly and pulled my dress robe over my shoulders. I checked he was soundly
asleep before heading behind the changing screen to pull on my riding clothes.
Morgana mentioned we’d have breakfast in her room then head down to the stables. I tried desperately not to make a sound
as I dressed. Throwing my hair into a braid, I stepped out from the screen to find Nicholas no longer on my bed. My eyes
darted around as the bedroom door shut, only catching a glimpse of him as he stepped out.
A sigh escaped my lips, feeling awful we’d not spoken a word since his study and for waking him. Perhaps if I stayed put,
Morg wouldn’t have cared if we rain checked on our plans. I could have tried to make amends with him.
Shaking my head, I told my inner voice off for evening thinking to make amends. He was willing to kill me to get back at my
parents. I wasn’t sure if I could forgive that, even if he denied it afterwards.
Chapter 44
NICHOLAS
“I want Ornella in the training rooms by the end of the day. I cannot have a queen who does not know how to wield a sword
or fight,” I snapped orders at Nora.
She waited in my study, ready for our briefing of the last few days. I was hopeful that Ornella’s family had retreated. I
was exhausted from the power I’d been using to send nightmares and shadow demons to their army’s camps.
“Yes, sire, I will train her myself.”
