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“Godsdamn it, I told them emergencies only,” he growled, shaking his head as he approached his door. Wind from the force of him tugging it open fanned me where I stood. A guard in a blue uniform relaxed and then tensed all over again as he took in Dace’s scowl. “You have a visitor.”
“Tell them to come another day.”
“We’ve tried,” he said, glancing over his shoulder at the other guards. “He brought…a gift that he is adamant he needs to give to Ryker. He is waiting in your throne room.”
“Me?” I blushed as his gaze shifted my way and then promptly was averted. I crossed my arms over my breasts, hoping to hide them.
“Who the fuck is it?” Dace balked.
“He says his name is Daethian. Told us you would know who he is.”
My stomach lurched and my heart felt like it fell completely to the floor. I darted to the wardrobe, plucking out some simple clothes, anything to cover up.Daethian is here. Daethian is here. Daethian is alive.
“Tell him we are coming. Post guards outside of the room,” I snapped at the guard.
Dace closed the door as the guard scuttled off and moved to put his own clothing on. We both dressed with haste, not caring that our hair was untamed or that the clothes didn’t particularly match. As we darted out the door and through the halls I wanted to scream. To call out to him and let him know I was coming, that he wasn’t alone. The doors to the throne room came into view fast enough though. With both hands, Dace and I flung them open, staggering into the room.
All the thrones had been removed except for Dace’s. A single sculpted chair that shone like ice. And propped up on it, with his legs dangling over an arm, Daethian smiled. Black tendrils curled off of him in large clouds that dissolved into the air. His hair was clean again, styled like I remember him wearing it so many times before. My attention dropped from his black eyes to the half token strung around his neck and then farther to his hands, intertwined in black hair. I squinted, trying to process what I saw. Dace’s hand was already on his belt, gripping a dagger, when I realized what he held.
Pale and lifeless, King Ganglin’s head rested between Daethian’s palms. His eyes and mouth were open and Daethian had his face tilted up to him as if Dace and I had interrupted their conversation. Horror was mixed with happiness, the feelings stirring inside of me with the power of a tornado. My palms were clammy at my sides.
“I thought I would find you both here. Though it took quite a while for you to greet me. I’m disappointed,“ Daethian pouted.
“Are you okay?” I breathed, holding my hands up in surrender as I inched forward.
“Ryker,” Dace warned under his breath.
“I’m peachy keen, jelly bean,” Daethian spat. “I brought you a gift.” He held up King Ganglin’s head. King Ganglin’s eyes stared through me as Daethian bounced the head by his hair. “Say hello, you sadistic prick.” He gripped King Ganglin’s lips, moving his mouth as he spoke. “‘Hello,’” The corpse mouthed with Daethian’s voice.
My stomach turned, threatening to bring up all of its contents. I stepped forward anyway. “Thank you,” I said hoarsely.
Daethian chucked the head in the air and it hit the ground at my feet with a wet slap. Clotted blood dotted my shins. Underneath me, my knees buckled. My back warmed as Dace slipped a hand against it. With his foot, he nudged King Ganglin’s expressionless face away.
“Daethian, I just want to help you,” Dace said, calmly. More calmly than I felt I could be at the moment.
“Oh, shut up,” Daethian moaned, dragging his feet off the throne. He stood, crimson blood from King Ganglin’s head staining the dark gray of his shirt. “Stop with the heroics; really it’s annoying at this point. I’m here for Ryker. I’m giving her one last choice.”
Daethian’s eyes ate away the light, sucking it into the depths of his onyx gaze as it slid to me. “You can choose to come with me, or you can wait till I get the other half of this thing King Ganglin was convinced would give him ultimate powers. Then you won't have a choice.”
“She won't come with you,” Dace bit out. Veins along his forearms bulged as he fisted his hands.
“Let her speak, would you?” Daethian said with a half-smile. Slowly, he began his descent from the dais. He took his time and strolled through the blood to stand only inches away. “What will it be?”
“I, uh,” I glanced from him to Dace, then looked around the room, wishing there was an answer written on the walls, something that could solve everything. All that was in the room were several empty suits of armor propped up with long swords, spears, and other various weapons, and the throne. “Where would we go? I have responsibilities here.”
“You have to stop thinking about your responsibilities!” Daethian hissed. “Start thinking about us.”
“There isn’t an us,” I said softly. “Daethian, you could stay here. We could get you hel—” My head snapped to the side, my cheek burning from the impact of Daethian’s backhand.
“Stupid bitch,” he screeched.
Dace was already in motion, lunging to get between us. The men collided briefly before Daethian shoved Dace back with surprising force, sending him skidding across the room. Metal banged loudly as Dace’s body smacked into one of the many propped-up suits of armor, bending it at an odd angle and tilting the spear down to point at us.
Dace’s boots squeaked against the floor as he quickly returned to his feet. He pointed his finger at Daethian. “Don’t you dare touch her again. I don’t want to fucking hurt you.”
Daethian ignored Dace, gripping both my arms. I could feel the pressure he put on me, enough for me to know that he could hurt me, but he wasn’t, yet. “He isn’t even man enough to protect you.”
I took in a ragged breath, his grip the only thing keeping me from crashing into a heap on the floor. I couldn’t lose either of them. I didn’t want to lose either of them. Yanking out of Daethian’s grip, I stumbled backward, edging toward Dace. Daethian stalked me like I was prey, every step stomping loudly against the ground.
