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“You had the choice to cooperate and do as you were told, but you decided against that. So I’m afraid that privilege has been revoked.”
“You never loved my mother, did you?” I knew the answer, but this tiny part of me clung to the hope that somewhere in him was somethinggood. My hands trembled, white knuckled. My stare was hard and unforgiving as I surveyed the man in front of me. The man who had promised us the world. The man who had promised to protect my mother, the woman now expending all of her energy in search of leechthorn.
For a long moment he stared at me, his face unreadable. As much as I wanted to shrivel up and fade away, I refused to cower under his gaze. His lips pursed ever so slightly, as if words were fighting to be spoken. Finally, without a word, he reached for my wrist, but jumped back when he was met with the flames I’d let burn through my skin.
I knew I wasn’t a person who would take shit from Miles Landgrave. And I sure as hell wasn’t a person who would take shit from Evarius Castemont. The pain on his face, the way he cradled his now-blistered palm… Saints, it felt good. Flames still dancing across my fingers, I raised my hand, watching the glare in Castemont’s eyes. I had little control over my powers, I knew that. But I also knew that meant I could level this side of the castle in a single breath. “I could kill you where you stand.”
He straightened suddenly, his scorched hand flexing at his side. “You could. But you won’t like the results.”
I stepped forward. “You don’t scare me.”
“Maybe not,” he replied in a mocking tone. “But if you kill me, you’ll lose everyone you love. Kill me, and everyone in that dungeon dies. Everyone who, I imagine, must be patiently waiting for you to rescue them.” He clicked his tongue and exhaled. “So go ahead, but if I don’t return to the dungeons after your wedding, the guards have orders to execute all the prisoners.”
“You’re bluffing,” I spat.
“I could be, but you won’t risk it.” He took a step toward the door and offered his good hand. “Now come along. We’re going to be late.”
Fuck. No, I wouldn’t risk it. With the knowledge that the candle was tucked into my dress, I took his hand, nausea and anger intertwining into the desperate need for vengeance. As he led me through the door, I turned to look at the guards standing outside my room, each of them with a right fist over their chests, silently nodding as if to say, “We see you. We see you, Daughter of Katia.”
Chapter 3
I wondered if Castemont had my dagger on him now. The sound of the bastard Lord’s heavy boots hitting the stone floor echoed through the corridors as we took turn after turn. I wanted to drop my gaze, avoid everyone who stared, but I didn’t. That’s what I would have done in the past. Not anymore. I kept my eyes forward and tried to block out the soldiers and handmaidens and stewards who bowed. I didn’t want to know how many snuck a fist over their chests, and I definitely didn’t want to know how many didn’t.
I began to recognize the antechamber outside the throne room when Castemont turned to hold both my hands, cringing when my fingers ran across his blistered palm. “Look at me,” he said quietly, an attempt at fatherly love softening his voice. “Petra, darling, look at me.” My face was set in stone, looking past him to the small window, to the light that poured into the dusty antechamber. The blue flames from my dreams burned in my head, the combination of both tremendous power and utter helplessness like a thorn in my side. “It’s your wedding day. Smile.”
My gaze flashed to him, his face blanching ever so slightly at whatever he saw in my eyes. “Do not tell me to smile. Do not tell me to do anything.”
He ignored my command. “Cheer up. I’m delighted I get to witness your marriage.”
“And I’ll be delighted when I hear your dying screams as I burn you alive.”
My words had no effect on him, his sickening smile still etched across his face. “You’ll be married under the watch of the Saints, just like when I married your mother.” He squeezed my hands, and it took everything in me not to pull his fingers backwards, not to claw at his face. “She’s here, you know.” I blinked, willing my eyes not to show the surprise I felt. “Your mother is in the throne room. She’s waiting to watch her daughter get married.”
Longing flooded through me, longing for the mother I’d never have again. Maybe it was longing for the mother I’d never had in the first place. But deep down, I knew her body may very well be sitting in that throne room, but the woman who raised me was gone. Long gone.
I needed to get through the wedding and then I could light the candle in the window.I can do this.Though the thought wasn’t far from my mind that I was once again in a situation not because of my own actions, but because I had no other choice but to face the consequences of the actions of others.
A small handmaiden scurried into the chamber holding an oversized bouquet of ivory roses. She curtsied, thrusting the flowers in my direction. I took it begrudgingly, my grip crushing the delicate stems.
Castemont straightened, reaching over my shoulders to pull the veil over the diadem, letting the tulle fall over my face. I let him, grinding my teeth to keep from gouging his eyes out. “Just beautiful,” he whispered, his hands clasped in front of him. “I believe it’s time.”
The Lord’s shallow nod signaled the guards to open the doors, the throne room stretching before me like the maw of a wolfhound as they swung open. Hundreds of people were packed shoulder to shoulder, each of them rising and turning to face me. My stomach lurched as I swallowed back vomit. Kauvras stood at the end of the aisle, the gold stitching on his pitch black surcoat glinting in the dim light from the chandelier. His face erupted in childish glee once again as he met my eyes.
Not a lick of music, not a ruffle of fabric, not a breath could be heard. The smell of smoke suddenly hit my nose, and a crackling sound disrupted the silence. I looked down and realized — the bouquet I held was beginning to burn in my grasp. Fire licked its way from the stems to the petals as looks of shock and horror and awe surrounded me.
Castemont paused, his eyes fixed on the flaming bouquet. Smoldering petals fell to the floor around us, and I let the wind pick up to keep them from igniting my gown. He was unsure of what to do, I could tell. I tried to pull him along, because the sooner this wedding was over, the sooner I could light the candle. His feet stayed steady as he stared at the fire.
“I thought you were delighted to witness my wedding,” I whispered, cocking a brow in challenge. His jaw flexed, nostrils flaring as he faced the altar and began walking once again.
My eyes fell on Kauvras, waiting expectantly for me, face alight as he watched his veiled bride approach him with fire in her hands. It raged now, the flames climbing as high as my chin, the pain my motivation to keep going. But I almost stopped in the middle of the aisle as I beheld who stood next to him. Wrapped in chains from neck to ankles was Calomyr —Belin,standing like a weathered statue next to his father.Another chain ran through his mouth as a gag, his sapphire and emerald eyes bloodshot and swollen and pleading. Dried blood crusted his face from a gash on his forehead. I was thankful for the veil as my eyes fell on the bruises that marred the bits of skin I could see.Saints.I wanted to run to him, to free him, to–
No,I told myself.He lied to you. He’s one of the reasons you’re here. Let him rot.
The petals and buds had all burned away, a smoldering trail left behind me as we neared the altar. Kauvras’ smile deepened as he watched the last of the stems crumble to ash.
A priest wrapped in crimson robes waited with Kauvras. He opened his mouth, presumably to ask who gave this woman to this man, but whatever look he saw on my face caused the words to die in his throat. Castemont squeezed my arm almost painfully then wordlessly found his seat at the front of the crowd.
I couldn’t lie to myself and say I felt strong. Not all the way to my core. The panic was there. The dread was there. The doubt, fear, apprehension… It was all there. But Ihadto do this for those I loved, and so I stood a little straighter, steeled my gut for what was to come.
