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She’s not hiding now. Every scar and jagged twist of her skin is on display in the dress she wears. Her back is open to prying eyes, and a slit reaches up to her thigh, allowing a peek at the dagger strapped around it. Her dress is sleeveless, but a small silver cuff bands around her upper arm. The color complements perfectly with the obsidian filling her eyes and veins. She stands tall, with her chin high as her black, vacant gaze stares at the empty space before her while everyone speaks around her. Why isn’t she fighting back to put an end to this bullshit?
“Father, let us be grateful he brought her back to me.” Aiden’s voice is rough as he grits his teeth. His words sound laced with venom as his arm roughly jerks Emma hard into his side. I take a step forward but pause when I see her turn to look at Aiden, and the anger filling his eyes seems to cower away for a fleeting moment.
Then, a growl vibrates in my chest, as I now see the resemblance of who created such a travesty of a male.
“Very well,” Aiden’s father speaks, a glare shot in Emma’s direction before looking back to Whiro. “I suppose she did do me a favor by taking out the prior king before I had to get my hands dirty. But if one Corrupted is spotted on my land, I will have them killed before you can stop me.”
Whiro folds his hands behind his back, walks towards Aiden’s father, and leans down to get closer to his face. “The Corrupted will remain with me, but don’t think I can’t unleash them with a single thought.”
“What’s in this deal for you?” Aiden’s father asks, causing his son to bristle with a slight widening of his eyes.
A demonic chuckle powers through the room. “If I tell you, Calloway, then where would the fun be? All that matters is that I don’t wish to remain in this realm longer than I already have. Therefore, my daughter will stay in my place. To keep things under control.”
Calloway’s face grows red. “If she stays, she has no control in my kingdom,” he spits.
I take a step closer towards Emma, wanting to be near her and still feeling the urge to protect her. Even though I can’t within this vision.
“Uh uh,” Whiro tsks. “It’s not your kingdom yet.”
“Father, don—”
Aiden gets cut off as his father bellows, spit flying from his mouth with the veins in his neck nearly bursting. “You dare accost me in my own court?!” He jabs a finger towards Whiro’s chest as he stands back to his full height. “She has no power here, just like before. The only weight she will hold is her blood being tied to yours. She has no control or influence on my kingdom.” Calloway is one dumb decision away from Whiro killing him.
Emma remains silent and unmoving. Whiro stands just as unnaturally still, until he waves his hand and a dozen Corrupted materialize behind him. Tattered clothing hangs off their bodies and black blood oozes from their eyes. The scent of rotten flesh fills my nose, causing the back of my throat to burn.
Calloway goes rigid, not uttering a sound.
“Emmerelda,” Whiro says as he keeps his eyes locked on the soon-to-be king, “I believe the Court of Asov needs a new ruler.”
Emmerelda? Is that her true name or one that he’s trying to give? It’s beautiful, but it doesn’t suit her. Not one fucking bit. She’s my little demon, not some trophy to flaunt around. Emma is the name that falls from my lips like a white-hot, soul-binding vow. It’s the name I groan in ecstasy. The sound that mixes with her moans and makes her cheeks heat to the prettiest shade of pink.
Calloway’s eyes bulge out of his head, raising both arms with shaking hands. “Wait, wait. No need for that. All is fine, just get rid of them.” His eyes dart to the wall of death waiting for a command.
If this male had a half a brain, he would realize the Corrupted aren’t the threat he should be concerned about. It’s the cold figure standing before him and the one standing beside his heir. I can’t feel her through the bond, but I can feel her power that’s stirring within. It seems to only be the surface of what she holds that she’s allowing to show.
A smirk plays on Whiro’s lips before he looks to Emma. “You can dispose of them for me, Daughter.”
A show of power is what he’s instilling. I watch Emma carefully as I creep a little closer. Her rose and honey scent is there, but the warmth in her eyes is not. She remains looking bored as her hands come out in front of her, weaving them in one smooth motion that sends shadows flying out to the Corrupted. I expect them to vanish. To be sent back to where they were summoned from, but no… Her power pierces straight through their chests. Their bodies drop one by one before disintegrating into a pile of ash.
She lowers her arms as Calloway starts blubbering unintelligible words. Aiden stares at her with his mouth hanging open, but he leaves his arm in place around her midsection. I watch Emma, deeply peering into her eyes in hopes that any sort of emotion will register. But still, nothing. She seems to not feel an ounce of anything, as if ending their lives was a boring task.
“Now, do we have a deal?” Whiro opens a portal of shadows beside him as he waits for Calloway to regain himself.
Calloway quickly clears his throat. Tearing his gaze away from the ash on the floor, he looks at Whiro. “Y-yes. We have a deal.” His eyes dart to Emma for the briefest moment, and if I wasn’t watching him, I wouldn’t have seen it. She instilled fear into him. Good. That’s my little demon.
“Remember what I told you, Emmerelda. Do not think lightly of me.” And with that, Whiro steps into his portal and is gone in an instant. Aiden breathes out a long breath as his father straightens the lapels on his coat.
“Take her to her room,” Calloway sneers. “I don’t want to see her until my coronation.” He walks towards a set of double doors lining the other side of the main room, before spinning around. “And someone clean this disgusting filth off my floors! I don’t want to see a speck left behind!” Then, he walks out with a huff.
Servants rush in to tackle the task of getting rid of the pile of ashes while Aiden and Emma remain standing in place.
I should leave, but the vision still has me caught in its grip. So, I take the final step to close the distance between Emma. Now, I stand less than an inch from her on the side free of Aiden. I slowly trail a finger over her skin without touching her. It follows the sharpness in her face, the slender curve of her neck, and all the way down her toned arms mapped out in black veins.
She remains fixated on where the Corrupted were standing, not a twitch in her body giving away to what she’s thinking. Aiden shifts towards her and his eyes trail down her body before lingering on her back. A frown pulls between his eyes and the hand wrapped around her waist lifts, inching it closer to touch the largest mangled scar that follows the length of her spine. One that my lips have kissed.
The moment the tip of his finger makes contact, she flinches and spins around to face him with his wrist already caught in her hand. I can tell her grip hurts with how his fingers are flexing and a sliver of panic fills his widening eyes.
“Don’t.” Her voice is harsh, cold.
