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Caelia sneered at Rhazien. “Perhaps if you spent less time torturing your subjects and more time governing, you’d have more to show for your loyalty.”
“And higher production,” Raenisa muttered.
Rhazien turned to Caelia, his eyes narrowing. “I’ll have you know that my governance is just fine,” he said, his voice laced with venom. “But it’s easy for someone like you to criticize from the sidelines, isn’t it? Not much to do in Athain compared to Adraedor.”
“Or on the front,” Theodas put in, sharing a look with Rhazien, who grimaced at him.
I tuned out the rest of their bickering, my attention drawn to Xadrian, who was hovering near Kael once again. A surge of jealousy went through me as I saw him lean close, whispering something to her. She didn’t seem to notice him. Her gaze locked on me, but it did little to ease the anger burning within me.
Varzorn cleared his throat, and I turned back to face him. “I’ve heard enough,” he said, eyeing me with interest. “Theron has proven his loyalty and can be an asset to our realm.” He looked at Rhazien, whose expression soured, and Theodas with a knowing grin. “Perhaps on the battlefield once more.”
Rhazien smirked but said nothing further while Theodas’ expression fell. Varzorn couldn’t mean...? He held my gaze for a long moment before returning his attention to Nyana.
Caelia stepped beside me without turning her back on Rhazien, or Theodas as they hurried after the emperor.
“Make him pay,” she whispered, her voice hard as she stared after them.
I nodded once. My eyes locked on Xadrian as he leaned close to Kael again and my anger surged inside me once more. Why wasn’t Zerek or Herrath blocking him? Aracel Sarro, known as the ‘Sweet Sarro,’ rested her hand on Zerek’s arm, her expression lively as they chatted.
I stepped forward, ready to pull Kael to my side, when I was intercepted by Raura, the empress. My heart sank as I recognized her fiery auburn hair cascading down her back. She was beautiful, of course. But it wasn’t beauty that gave me joy. It was twisted, like a rose with poison thorns. The sight of her always made me feel sick to my stomach. Her eyes sparkled an unnatural shade of silver, and her lips curled in a cruel smirk. She wore a deep burgundy gown that clung to her perfect body like a second skin, and she moved with grace and confidence as she stepped between me and Kael with one arm outstretched, blocking my path.
“Prince Theron,” she said in a silky voice that sounded more like purring than words. “We didn’t have a chance to talk last time.”
I swallowed hard and forced myself to meet her gaze without flinching. “I have nothing to say to you.” That was a lie. I had a chest full of things I wanted to scream at her, but I didn’t have the time.
Her eyes narrowed, but she didn’t press the issue. “Very well, but come find me later, won’t you?” she said, trailing her fingertips down my arm before walking away. “I have an offer for you.”
An eerie chill crawled up my spine as the warmth of her touch lingered where her fingers had been. I stumbled back, barely glimpsing Kael before I ran into Tannethe. She was draped in a shimmery gown that caught the light and exposed her curves, and she had a watchful glint in her eyes. Her voice was deep and sultry as she purred, “Theron, there you are. You didn’t stay after the show last night for the party. I missed you.”
She pretended to pout, and I stifled a wince. Atar help me, I couldn’t stand any of this. The court, the games they played, and the way they used each other--I only wanted Kael, and to get back to our suite, where we could be alone.
“Rhazien can keep you company,” I said, sidestepping around her. “Now, if you’ll excuse me, I have to go.”
I turned and finally reached Kael, pulling her to my side. “We’re leaving,” I growled, anger still simmering inside me as I glared at Xadrian who lifted a brow at my expression. Raenisa and the other Harvestmen made to follow me, but I waved them off. I wanted to be alone. Well, almost alone.
The only sound between us on the ride back to the palace was the soft rustling of the vanira’s legs. Kael’s rage radiated off of her like heat from the noonday sand. But I couldn’t tell if it was because of what I’d just done or if it was because of what happened the night before.
When we arrived back at my suite, I dismissed Mirijana, not wanting a witness to my rage.
Kael remained quiet, her dark eyes filled with a mix of emotions that I had no desire to decipher as I paced around the room, my restless anger and self-loathing flowing off of me like smoke in a foundry. Kael glowered at me, her brows drawn together until I snapped and turned on her.
“What?” I demanded, my voice harsh as it cut through the air between us.
Kael wasted no time in unleashing her wrath on me. “How could you?”
I took a step towards her. “Do you think it’s easy for me?” My hands balled into fists as I stared down at her. She didn’t move away or say anything, she just stood there silently watching me with that same strange expression on her face. “Do you think this is what I want?” I spat, gesturing to the desert. “To kill innocent people, just so Rhazien can prove that I’m on his leash?”
“You could have done something.” She cried, jabbing an accusing finger into my chest.
“Could I? What then? What could I have done?” I caged her in with my body, my hands against the wall. She lifted her chin but didn’t speak, unable to find an answer, because we both knew the truth.
“I had no choice,” I breathed. “You know how this court works.”
“They’re dead now because of you,” Kael’s voice was barely above a whisper, her voice shaking with rage. “You killed them.”
“Yes!” I shouted. “Because if it wasn’t their lives, it would have been yours! Or Raenisa or Zerek, or anyone else I might care about. That’s how Varzorn works. He takes anything you love and uses it against you.”
Kael didn’t flinch in the face of my outburst, instead standing tall and staring straight back at me with resolve in her eyes. “Coward.”
