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The only thing that got me through my father’s speech was watching Daisy try to keep it together as she came. I’m tempted to slip my hand beneath her dress to see just how wet she is. That might be pushing it. My mother might be oblivious now, but she’d definitely notice that. Instead, I focus all my attention on making her feel good through the bond.
Daisy sips her wine carefully, side-eyeing me like I’ll do something to make her choke again. The simple green dress she changed into clings to her body. My cock aches to be inside of her. I don’t know what she was thinking, agreeing to wear that hideous contraption. Her lack of self-care rankles me beyond belief. I’ve never met someone so willing to let themselves be deprived of oxygen only to make another person happy.
Worse than her terminal sarcasm is her terminal desire to please everyone.
We’ve gotten to know every part of one another as we are, but we’ve yet to discover the things we keep hidden from everyone else. What about her past? What made her so selfless?
“Gods above, you’d think I announced your death with the way you’re brooding over there,” my father interrupts my thoughts.
His wine sloshes over the side of his goblet and dribbles onto the pristine tablecloth. My gaze shoots to the centaur in charge of the nightly meals, and I catch the visible wince. Wine isn’t an easy stain to remove. How much scrubbing does it take? Or are they forced to find new tablecloths night after night?
If anyone were the exact opposite of my mate, it would be my father. Daisy would fall all over herself to make things right. My father, on the other hand, doesn’t even notice what he’s done. Some of that comes from a lifetime of having people clean up after you, and some of it comes from his generalfuck if I careattitude.
He leans toward me, breath bitter from the drink. “I thought you wanted to be king.”
“What I want is to stop the madness you started.”
“Madness?” He barks out a laugh. “I’m leaving you a legacy. Our family has never been richer. We’ve never been more feared by our own people. We’ve never been to war. You’ll be the first king to win one. You should be thanking me.”
“Thank you for ruining a kingdom?”
He scoffs. “Ruining? I brought our family glory. What did you do hiding in that cave besides finding a pretty little hole for your—”
My hand is around his throat, squeezing hard enough to make his eyes bulge. “Say another word and I’ll rip your head off.”
“Orcus!” my mother screeches.
“He insulted Daisy,” I snarl.
Guards move toward us, and I glare at them, daring them to come closer. The room is silent, all eyes on us. Orlena stands up, to stop me or to help me, I’m not sure. My father’s lips curl into a demented grin.
“There’s the ruthless king I created,” he wheezes.
His words jam into my spine like a hot iron, and I release him, dropping back into my seat, seething at having given him the reaction he wanted.
Father splutters and gathers his breath. I glance at Daisy, wondering what she thinks of her monster now. Her eyebrows are slammed together, and she’s eviscerating the king with her glare. My mother’s lips are pressed together. She learned long ago not to intervene. I don’t expect her to defend me. While I suspect she doesn’t have a ton of love for my father, she’s still the queen. I don’t want to see her humiliated in front of the court. I look away before she can see exactly how much his words rattled me.
Ruthless.
Exactly what he is.
Exactly what I am.
“Shall we have a royal fight then?” My father’s question roars through the room, inciting scattered cheers from the otherwise silent crowd. He arches his eyebrow at me and gestures toward where people are clearing away the tables and chairs from the middle of the room.
Royal fights aren’t uncommon, but the difference between this one and all the others is I’ve embarrassed him in front of his people. It’s either submit to this or end up in prison for attacking him. I refuse to leave Daisy alone, but, of course, agreeing to spar is exactly what he wants. He wants me to fight. He wants me to show the world how vicious I can be. He wants us both covered in blood and cuts. He wants me to realize we’re the same. I must take too long to answer because he scowls and leans to whisper in my ear. “Fight me or I find a way to break yourlittle flower.”
“Touch her and you’ll wish you were dead,” I hiss under my breath for only him to hear.
He laughs and claps his hand on my back. “Fifth blood wins,” he shouts to everyone, and they clap in approval.
“Orcus?” My chest constricts at the way she says my name, softly and full of concern.
“It’ll be okay, li—” I cut off before I say the nickname. It’s tainted now. “I’ll be fine. Royal fights are a way of celebrating.”
She frowns. “You don’t seem like you’re celebrating.”
“I will be once this is over.” I seductively stroke the bond. “Whatever you do, don’t look away.”
