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“Klaus found me. Thebe had ordered a search. I was to be brought to him alive to face a public execution. We soon realized we had no choice, so Klaus and I snuck into Thebe’s chambers and killed him. I took the bloody crown from his head and strode to the war council to declare myself king.”
I paused for a moment as old anger resurfaced with the memories. I reined it in. “In the years following,” I continued, “I took a harsh hand to my ruling. Those who defied me soon felt my wrath. I fought bitterly against rivals. But I never simply killed them. I always gave them a chance first; however, their loyalty to Thebe ran deep, and I couldn’t have his followers in my reign. And all this time, Opaline has been biding her time. Waiting to get her hands on the crown.”
Reilyn drew me close, pressing my face into her breast. I found myself shaking, and I didn’t know why.
“It’s alright,” Reilyn comforted me. “You did what you had to do. The kingdom has improved since your reign. I know it. I can see clearly now. And we will not allow Opaline to harm our people again.”
I clung to her, her sweet scent enveloping me. Ever since becoming king, I never gave myself the option to be weak, to doubt. Any sign of indecisiveness only brought forward more enemies. But here, in the arms of Reilyn, I felt… stronger, even in the face of my weakness as though the burden of the crown wasn’t quite so heavy.
After a moment passed, Reilyn curled her fingers into my hair. “Do you think Opaline could have enchanted the crown?”
“I’m not certain. Why couldn’t she cast such a spell again if she did?” I pulled away slightly. “Normally, my father wouldhave cast such enchantments for the king, given his place in court. He was a powerful warlock.”
“But if he opposed Thebe….”
I shook my head. “I didn’t know the crown was enchanted until I took hold of it. I never had a chance to ask him. But I can’t believe my father would have ever done something like that. Perhaps my mother if she was trying to protect us… but I doubt it.”
“Why? I don’t mean to challenge your mother’s integrity,” Reilyn said quickly, lifting her hands. “But if she shielded Thebe with her own body, why do you doubt she would perform such magic?”
“She loved the kingdom, our freedoms, too much. I always thought she planned to dethrone Thebe, and my father’s hastiness made her turn her back on it… trying to protect me.” I took a deep breath, trying to squash that all-too-familiar guilt. “But she wouldn’t ever perform dark magic like that.”
“If the crown was enchanted before Thebe got it,” Reilyn said slowly, “then he would have already had the kingdom under his thumb. Your father wouldn’t have risen against him because he would have been subjected to his will.”
I flinched. It was something I had thought of before. “The crown could very well have been enchanted the night my parents were killed. It’s possible that their deaths were what powered the spell.”
Reilyn’s expression was horrified. She hugged me again. “It must have been Opaline. I can’t think of anyone else who could have the power or would dare to use such dark magic.”
“It would explain why she wants to kill me so badly, so she can have her crown again and avenge her lover.”
“And she wanted to use me to kill you, to give the people a villain that she could then put down and earn their love, giving her time to break through your protective enchantments.” Reilyn trembled, her anger bleeding through our bond.
Not just anger, though. Hurt, too. Betrayal. I stroked her back, grateful for her presence. Together, I believed we could figure this out… somehow. The door burst open, causing us both to jump. When I saw Klaus stride inside, I clenched my jaw. My automatic assumption that he had interrupted us because he was worried about us getting too close was soon proven false. His face was ashen as he held a folded paper out to me. “There’s been another body left on the palace doorstep. Duke Reginald. This was pinned to his body.”
Sacrifice
Reilyn
The horrified look on Klaus’s face spoke volumes. I didn’t want to know what the letter said. The seal was unbroken. Klaus couldn’t know what the contents were. But for Opaline to drop a body right on the doorstep? She was sending a message.
Araki broke the seal and opened it.
“My dearest Reilyn,” he read aloud. His eyes flashed, but he continued. “I’ve heard that you survived my little prank on you the last time we met. You can’t imagine how disappointed I was. But I believe you’ve learned the truth by now, my dear. I’m certain you’re wondering why I chose you as my vessel to destroy Araki. Why I decided to plant those false memories in your mind.”
Araki paused to look at me. I felt sick to my stomach. Rage coursed through me. I was going to kill her. I nodded at Araki to continue.
“The truth of the matter is I never liked you. You were an annoying, whiney child, and if not for Briggs’s insistence that you would train to be a great assassin, especially with that talent of yours. I would have killed you the same month you were dropped off.”
I flinched at her words. Even though I already knew everything she had pretended to be was a lie, I couldn’t help but be hurt by the words. I still remembered the motherly, kind figure I’d loved.
“I decided that you would be a good choice to kill the king because you’d make for such a pretty sight, hanging in the gallows as—” Araki’s fingers clenched around the paper, wrinkling it.
“You don’t have to read it all out loud,” I mumbled, tears burning my eyes. “I think I can guess what picture she paints. It’s like I thought… she was going to have me kill you, and then she’d take over and kill me to ensure the loyalty of the people.”
Klaus carefully took the letter from Araki’s hands. Araki quickly moved to the couch, pulling me into his arms.
“She says she has a girl named Nala.”
My heart seized.
