Page 76
Story: Kingdom of Stolen Crowns
Idris snorted. “Is that the best you can do? I confess I expected a little more seduction on your part before you attempted to manipulate secrets out of me. Looked forward to it, in fact.”
I pursed my lips, huffing a disgruntled sigh. “Well, I do despise you. I suppose I’m just not as good at faking my attraction as my sister.”
The false king grinned, flashing a neat row of perfectly white teeth. “And now you seek to enrage me. You should know I find your lack of subtlety quite amusing. What’s next, begging and tears?”
Honestly, my plan was simply to keep him off balance and see what he revealed. Though I worried I didn’t have the patience to pull it off. Espionage was far easier when I could rip those secrets right out an unsuspecting mind.
“Hardly,” I pouted, rolling out my bottom lip. “Pain and torture were next on the agenda.”
His bark of laughter raked my eardrums. “Pity. I would have enjoyed seeing you on your knees.”
Now, it was my turn to miss a step. Disgusting bastard. In his dreams.
We glided past my sister, who stood among a group of fawning women, her angry glare shooting venom at me.
Idris followed the direction of my stare. “Your dear sister. She is unwell.”
My head swiveled, detached from my body. If I was capable of such a feat, I imagined it would spin around on my shoulders. “And whose fault is that?” I snapped, failing to contain my temper.
His grip on my waist tightened. “You know she came withme willingly. Sees me as her hero, in fact. As she should. After all, I saved her from a life of mediocrity.”
The desire to draw blood bloomed across my senses, and my teeth sliced into my tongue. And so, I managed to say nothing while screaming inside.
In my silence, Idris continued, “I also wanted to save you that night. Except your mother’s portal spirited you away from me.”
Spirited me?My mother sacrificed herself to save me. Raelynn too. Only to have that gift stomped into the mud.
Immune to my turmoil, Idris asked, “You share your sister’s ability to create portals, no?”
“I don’t know.” Though I suspected that I’d inherited the same ability from our mother. In truth, I’d never tested the depths of my darkest magic since it required a blood offering. It was a side of my gift I’d refused to experiment with, especially after losing my mother. Until Custodis offered me a deal.
Idris dipped his deceitful mouth to my ear, much as Victor had, only with a far different effect. “I could be your hero as well.”
Was Raelynn unwell to the point he sought a replacement for her? Perhaps I was better at gathering information without my gift than I realized.
Despite my rolling emotions, I managed to keep my tone even. “At what price? Would you free my brothers?”
Instead of answering, he scoffed, his hot breath dusting my shoulder. “I noticed you didn’t include the vampire in your concerns. Dare I pray there is hope for you and me?”
Before I could vomit on his overpriced shoes, the song ended. My sister’s snarling visage swam in my vision. Wonderful. He’d managed to bring us directly to her.
“Look at the two of you together,” Idris taunted. “Just like old times.”
“Yes, old times.” I didn’t bother to hide my scowl.
Raelynn glared back at me. “Congratulations on surviving the trials.”
An image flashed through my memory. One of blood gushing down Momma’s dress and the portal open before us. My sister’s refusal to escape with me. Her abandonment. My failure.
“To you, too,” I choked out.
She canted her head. “How so? I certainly wasn’t among the criminals cast into the pit.”
I flicked a pointed glare at her blackened hands, the darkness spreading from forearm to shoulder. The price of her betrayal was displayed beneath her glittering ballgown. Her damaged flesh was proof she abused her power, taking more than the realm could bear to give—than her body could handle. Every time she aided Idris, she helped him to suck the life out of our world. How long would it be until it consumed her in return?
“Can you honestly look me in the eyes and claim not to have stolen that which doesn’t belong to you?” I asked. “What would Momma say if she could see you now?”
Tension grew like eager weeds between us, unwelcome, binding, twisting—choking.
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