Page 127
Story: Princes of Chaos
My fingers tighten around the railing. “I’m sorry, sir.”
Ashby gives a bland hum. “I’m aware that the circumstances weren’t exactly ideal. If anyone’s apologizing, it should be me–for failing to give you Princes who understand the way to a woman’s womb. They weren’t bred for Royalty, you see.” He meets my gaze, a shiver of disgust rolling down my spine at the gleam in his eyes. “It’s divine irony that creation is a young man’s game. The same youth responsible for their virility also makes them ill-equipped to wield it. I’ll be more present this go around. Make sure that my boys are doing their part.”
The thought makes me recoil in such a primal, fundamental way that I have to clench down the urge to physically shudder. There’s no way to read those words that doesn’t invoke repulsion.
“That won’t be necessary,” I rush out, surging with a shocking flare of defensiveness. Not for myself, but for them. “My Princes and I are going to make it work.”
“I hope you’re right,” he says, not looking very assured. “Am I to understand that the creation schedule will resume soon?”
Recognizing this as a roundabout way of asking whether or not I’m done bleeding, I shift uncomfortably. “Er… yes, sir.”
My period stopped last night.
I haven’t told anyone yet.
“Excellent.” There’s an odd shift to his eyes. “It hasn’t escaped my notice that you’ve been spending time in the solarium during your… break.”
I freeze, the tickle of panic stealing my breath. I force out, “I have. I hope that’s not a problem. Danner said—”
He waves his hand. “It’s not a problem at all. On the contrary, I think it’s delightful to have a Princess breathing life back into such a barren place.” Despite the encouragement, there’s a tightness to his grin that makes me nervous. “If there’s anything you need–tools, seeds, labor–call on Danner to use my accounts.”
I nod. “Thank you. I’ll do that.”
Then, startlingly, he reaches out to press the back of his hand against my cheek. I go stock still, breath trapped in my lungs as he rests it there for a suspended moment. “You’re such a good girl, Verity. So poised and obedient. I knew you were the right choice.”
The words fall from my lips like bile. “I’m here to serve.” His eyebrow rises and I make the addendum. “I’m here to create.”
“There’s no better child than one born from duty.” His smile is unnerving as he pushes a curl behind my ear, gaze falling to my belly.
“Then I should do mine,” I say, springing back with wide, panicked eyes. “I’m going to go wish my Prince luck in his fight.”
Luckily, Ashby just chuckles. “I suppose it’s one of the better aspects of this tradition,” he says, nodding toward the ring. “Go on, then. Give my boy something worth fighting for. A win tonight would be fortuitous to us all, don’t you think?”
I can’t escape fast enough, my heart hammering as I jog down the rickety steps. There’s been this fear in my mind–more like a calculation–that Rufus Ashby may be the type of King who takes liberties with his house girls. Up until now, I haven’t felt it from him. If anything, Ashby has treated me a little like a well-groomed Pomeranian.
But perhaps he’s getting impatient. Perhaps–I allow the shudder to roll over me now–he’s willing to take matters into his own hands.
His praise prickles in my ear like thorns.
Poised.
Obedient.
Good.
I don’t stop, pushing through the crowds at the concessions stand, gliding past couples making out against the walls, ducking around people not-so-discreetly dealing Scratch in the corners. I finally make it to the back hallway where Danner stands ever silent and stoic.
“Princess,” he greets me.
“Sir.” I stop in front of him, catching my breath. “I have a favor to ask.”
The way Danner straightens is almost imperceptible. “I am, as ever, at your service.”
I inhale, hating that it’s Pace’s fight—Pace’s day. He’ll be the hardest to crack. Taking a deep breath, I begin, “How fast do you think you can drive?”
The thingabout the gym is that it’s so much more than a gym.
I basically grew up in the back halls, to the scent of sweat and adrenaline, the sounds of grunting and flesh-on-flesh. But there was also laughter. Men, five times my size, happy to lift me into the ring to play-spar with me, pretending to be taken down at the smallest nudge, falling over as if they’d been shot. Cutsluts a decade older than me, lifting me onto the vanities and curling my hair into red ringlets. Family dinners, always raucous and warm. There was paperwork for my mom, filing and scheduling. I never had to be asked to clean up at the end of the day, I just picked up the broom and got to work.
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57
- Page 58
- Page 59
- Page 60
- Page 61
- Page 62
- Page 63
- Page 64
- Page 65
- Page 66
- Page 67
- Page 68
- Page 69
- Page 70
- Page 71
- Page 72
- Page 73
- Page 74
- Page 75
- Page 76
- Page 77
- Page 78
- Page 79
- Page 80
- Page 81
- Page 82
- Page 83
- Page 84
- Page 85
- Page 86
- Page 87
- Page 88
- Page 89
- Page 90
- Page 91
- Page 92
- Page 93
- Page 94
- Page 95
- Page 96
- Page 97
- Page 98
- Page 99
- Page 100
- Page 101
- Page 102
- Page 103
- Page 104
- Page 105
- Page 106
- Page 107
- Page 108
- Page 109
- Page 110
- Page 111
- Page 112
- Page 113
- Page 114
- Page 115
- Page 116
- Page 117
- Page 118
- Page 119
- Page 120
- Page 121
- Page 122
- Page 123
- Page 124
- Page 125
- Page 126
- Page 127
- Page 128
- Page 129
- Page 130
- Page 131
- Page 132
- Page 133
- Page 134
- Page 135
- Page 136
- Page 137
- Page 138
- Page 139
- Page 140
- Page 141
- Page 142
- Page 143
- Page 144
- Page 145
- Page 146
- Page 147
- Page 148
- Page 149
- Page 150
- Page 151
- Page 152
- Page 153
- Page 154
- Page 155
- Page 156
- Page 157
- Page 158
- Page 159
- Page 160
- Page 161
- Page 162
- Page 163
- Page 164
- Page 165
- Page 166
- Page 167
- Page 168
- Page 169
- Page 170
- Page 171
- Page 172
- Page 173
- Page 174
- Page 175
- Page 176
- Page 177
- Page 178
- Page 179
- Page 180
- Page 181
- Page 182
- Page 183
- Page 184
- Page 185
- Page 186
- Page 187
- Page 188
- Page 189
- Page 190
- Page 191
- Page 192
- Page 193
- Page 194
- Page 195
- Page 196
- Page 197
- Page 198
- Page 199
- Page 200
- Page 201
- Page 202
- Page 203
- Page 204
- Page 205
- Page 206
- Page 207
- Page 208
- Page 209
- Page 210
- Page 211
- Page 212
- Page 213