Page 3

Chapter three

I made my way back to my rooms, still in shock from what had just occurred. I had failed the last task. There was no way I won that thing fair and square, yet I didn’t know why the king had announced me as the victor. Nonetheless, I was going to marry Gen. She was going to be my wife.

The doors to my room flung open as the seven members of my family came rushing in. Flashes of their severed heads came flooding back to my memory. I closed my eyes, pushing the illusion down.

Evinee yelled, “what in Azeer’s name was that?”

Doria cut in, “you have lost your damn mind!”

Zerrial paced back and forth. “King! You’re going to be king!”

“Explain,” said the twins, Oz and Voz, in unison.

I looked at them, fighting to find the words. “I… I couldn’t let her marry them,” I said plainly.

“Why not?” asked Leenia.

I paused, not sure how to really answer that.

Evinee’s face fell as her mouth hung open. “You love her … don’t you?” she asked softly

I looked away and ran my hands through my hair. My body was sore and tired from the past few hours of constant strain.

Doria began to laugh. “No fucking way. Erendrial Lyklor, in love?”

The twins looked at each other in shock. Firel stood off in the corner silently observing.

Evinee stepped forward, her voice calm. “You can’t be in love with her. You just used this opportunity to become king, right Eren? This is just another power play. You saw an opening and you took it.”

I looked up to see Gen standing in the doorway. I dropped my head, knowing she probably heard Evinee’s speculation of why I entered the tournament. They all turned to her and bowed uncomfortably.

“Give us the room,” Gen demanded.

They looked back at me for instruction. I nodded. The females came up and each gave me a hug. The males patted me on the shoulder. Gen closed the door after they exited and then turned back to me.

I knew this conversation wasn’t going anywhere good. She was pissed. I went to the table and poured two whiskeys. I offered her one, but she didn’t take it, so I shot hers back and then made my way to the couch. She followed without a word. She stared into the fireplace while I waited for my ass reaming.

“Congratulations,” she said coldly. “You’ve successfully accomplished the impossible. A lowborn alfar has elevated himself to king.”

“That’s not why I entered,” I said in a calm tone.

She looked at me with heavy eyes. “There’s no point in keeping this charade up anymore, Eren. You’ve won. You’ve gotten everything you’ve ever wanted.”

I leaned forward, looking at her intently. “I couldn’t let you marry them. I couldn’t sit back and watch them take advantage of you.”

“Isn’t that what you’re going to do? Just as I predicted. You found a way to use me in order to elevate yourself.”

“Genevieve, I entered the tournament for you. Not for the crown,” I said firmly.

She smirked with amusement. “Let me make something very clear. You will never get another child from me, which means you will never have the power you so desperately desire. There will always be someone above you who is more powerful, and I will never let you forget it. As long as there is no heir, you remain muzzled. I will do whatever it takes to make sure that remains the case, which means I will do whatever it takes to keep my womb empty. Am I clear?” She stood to her feet before I could respond.

I couldn’t even bring my eyes to hers. Every time she spoke, another small part of me died. I wanted to be with her. I wanted to raise a child together. I wanted everything I never thought I would, and it was because of what I felt … for her.

She left me in my room alone. I finished the whiskey before throwing the glass into the fire.

At my desk, I gathered a piece of paper and charcoal. I lost myself in the soft lines of my daughter’s face. The fullness of her cheeks. The almond shape of her eyes. How full and curly her hair was, just like her mother’s. How adorable her nose crinkled. How similar her eyes were to my own.

The next morning, I got ready in my room, preparing myself for the next three days that would lead to my wedding. Tonight was the gift ceremony. We would each present the other with something meaningful. It was a tradition that encouraged the marriage to start off with selflessness. I had no clue what I was going to give her, since I hadn’t expected to enter the tournament up until the last second.

“Good morning, Eren,” Firel entered and greeted me.

“Morning, Fi, what can I do for you?” I asked.

“The king has requested your presence in his private chambers in ten minutes.”

I ran my hands across my face. “It is too early for this.”

Firel laughed. “I can’t believe he is going to be your father-in-law. Are you going to start calling him daddy?”

“Azeer, no. He is my king, first and foremost. But maybe I will try it out, just to see,” I replied, laughing with him.

“You know, I always knew you were a clever bastard, but I never expected this. I still can’t wrap my head around it.”

“You and me both,” I agreed, walking past him out of the room.

I headed to the king’s chambers and knocked. His servant let me in and led me to his seating area. The king nodded at me before sending his servants away.

“Good morning, Erendrial. How did the future king of Doonak sleep?” he asked, sipping on tea.

“Not much, honestly,” I said, taking a cup.

He chuckled. “Yes, my daughter wasn’t too thrilled with the outcome of the tournament. She spent most of the evening trying to get you dismissed. I’d watch out if I were you. The Otar creature might be paying you a visit.”

“Don’t worry, I’ve already thought of that,” I murmured. I exhaled, gathering the courage I needed to ask about my miraculous victory. “Your majesty,” I whispered, fighting with myself whether I should allow the next sentence to pass through my lips. “I failed the last task. I chose Gen over Doonak. I shouldn’t have won. Why did you announce me as the victor?”

He exhaled, placing his cup on the side table, and folding his hands over his lap. “When I first saw Genevieve’s mother, she was the most beautiful female I had ever laid eyes on,” he began. “I had been alone for so long before her. I was in a cold and empty marriage. My side affairs were meaningless, and I had no heir. I was ready to give up and end myself, so I went into The Frey where I knew my guards would have trouble tracking me and I took a vial of ulyrium powder with me.

“At the time, I trusted my brother to take care of the kingdom. I was done living and I wanted to move on to whatever awaited me. I passed out from the poison and when I woke, I thought I was in heaven. The most angelic face hovered over me while she extracted the poison from my blood. Her eyes were kind and full of compassion. Her face was flawless, and her hair spiraled around her shoulders, framing the most beautiful smile.

“I was in and out for the next few days, but she remained at my side. When I recovered, I offered to pay her whatever she wanted for her services, but she wouldn’t take my money. She told me she was just glad I was alive.” He paused, huffing with amusement. “A human … happy that a dark alfar had lived.” He shook his head in astonishment. “I spent the next few days getting to know her. She knew what I was, but not who. She wasn’t afraid, nor did she hesitate to help me. Her kindness knew no bounds.

“When I left her to return home, I felt like I had left a part of myself in that old rundown hobble. After a few weeks had passed, I went to check on her … I couldn’t stay away. I had to be near her, to hear her voice, to feel her touch. The light inside of her was so brilliant I couldn’t stand to be away from it. She accepted me. She wanted me. She loved me. Something I had never known.

“Leaving her was the hardest decision I have ever made. She was truly my reason for living, but I knew if the court found out how I felt about her they would destroy her. I considered bringing her here to live, but I didn’t want to stain her in that way. She had given me so much and I couldn’t take her light away like that. I’ve been miserable without her the past twenty years. I thought I’d never get to be with her again … and then I found Genevieve.

“She has so much of her mother inside of her. The woman I loved not only gave me a reason to live, but the most precious thing I could have asked for. A child. An heir.”

“Though I am honored, why share such personal memories?” I asked.

“Do you know why I assigned you to Genevieve as her keeper?”

“Because you trusted me.”

“Yes, I do, but that wasn’t the reason. When you returned from the light court the first time, after the Otar battle, the way you spoke of her … you were respectful and detailed, but I could tell there was more there. You were taken with her. The way you described her beauty and then her cunning personality. You smiled, Erendrial. It was the first time in one hundred years that I saw a genuine smile stretch across your face.

“I watched as things progressed between the two of you. You were fighting what had already taken root inside. She grew to trust and respect you. Then it eventually turned into more. When she died—” He stopped, taking a breath to regain his composure. “The way you mourned. The way you fought to save her. To avenge her. You were completely broken by her death. That day that I found you at the base of her altar, I knew you loved her.

“I declared you victor of the tournament because you chose her. You truly love my daughter, which means you will do anything to keep her safe. That is worth more to me than any kingdom ever could amount to.”

I paused, letting his words wash over me. “She detests me. I don’t know how to reach her,” I admitted.

“She will heal in time. I can’t begin to imagine what she has been through. What matters is that you will be there for her when she is ready to open herself to you again. That time will come.”

“The first challenge,” I said, thinking of our child. “In the last simulation, where the visual of my test glitched for the court. Did you do that?”

He dropped his head, pain twisting his face. “The child is what Gen imagined her to look like. Ravion pulled it from her memories when he was designing the challenge. I thought you would want to see her,” he said. “She was beautiful. I’m sorry for your loss. If I could go back, I would have put my brother in the ground long before I knew of Gen.”

“It isn’t your fault, your majesty. He had us all fooled,” I said, still thinking of my daughter.

“I pray to Azeer that I am still around when you two finally make amends. I hope to watch the two of you raise another child. I know it won’t replace the one you lost, but that doesn’t mean that another child won’t bring you both happiness.”

“I just hope I get that chance,” I said.

A knock came at the door and Ravion entered the room. The king smiled, looking from Ravion back to me.

“Have you a gift for tonight’s dinner?” The king asked.

“That was the next thing I had planned today.”

“Well, I might have a way to help with that,” he said, inviting Ravion to sit with us.

That night, I arrived first for the gifting ceremony. The room was larger than my quarters. A bed, fireplace, lounging area, and a round dining table filled with fresh fruit and food filled the space. Tonight’s dinner was supposed to be romantic. Most couples would end the night in bed, but I doubted that was where we would end up.

I placed my gift on the table before nervously pacing the room. I straightened my clean pressed suit and checked my face in the mirror, making sure I looked my best. I heard the door open as I made my way to the center of the room.

Gen was in a satin black dress that hugged every curve of her perfect form. Her chest poured out of the top as the small straps clung to her shoulders. Her hair was long and loose against her back, just the way I liked it. She wore minimal makeup, her natural beauty shining through.

“You look stunning,” I said, taking her in.

“You look nice as well,” she said coldly. Maybe she was trying. It was a compliment after all. I was going to take what I could get. I pulled out the chair for her as she sat. I took the seat next to her, not wanting to be any farther away than necessary.

“Do anything fun today?” I asked, trying to seem casual.

“Wedding planning. Our colors are black, by the way. Hope you don’t mind.”

I laughed. “I don’t care what color anything is, as long as I get to marry you,” I replied.

She looked at me skeptically. She still didn’t believe me, but I was going to change that.

“What did Levos have to say after the tournament?” I asked.

“He wasn’t surprised that you entered, but he was surprised you won. He sent a message to the light court. I am sure they are going to be thrilled with the new development.”

“Can you imagine Gaelin’s face?” I asked, trying to make her laugh. She didn’t say a word or even look up.

I didn’t know where she stood with him. She talked about her time with King Fucker as if she regretted the relationship, but the way she acted when they were together painted a different picture. She was protective of him and allowed Atros close to her. Even after everything he did. Maybe she felt more for him than she let on.

“I told Otar about you this afternoon. I am sure he will be paying you a visit,” she said, changing the subject.

“Have you finally given him what he wants? Permission to kill me?”

“No, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t thought about it.”

“What’s stopping you? If you truly think I am using you for the crown, then why not just kill me?”

She paused, putting her fork down on the table. She brought her beautiful eyes up to mine. “The night of our wedding. We will have to share a room, but I will not be sleeping with you.”

“I wasn’t expecting you to, and I would never force the issue,” I said softly.

“You are welcome to take another that night, or any other night you wish, but it will not be me.”

I reached for the hand in her lap. She allowed me to touch her for a second before pulling away. “I’ll be fine, but thank you,” I whispered.

She swallowed hard, looking across the table at the gift I had brought for her. I smiled, pushing the box closer. She hesitated before opening the lid. She unwrapped the tissue paper and pulled out the frame. Her eyes scanned the picture of her mother I had drawn. Her face didn’t show any emotion. There was no smile, no sign of sadness, nothing.

“Your father allowed me into his mind to see her. I thought you’d want to have a piece of her on our wedding day. I hope I did her justice,” I said.

“It’s beautiful, thank you,” she said, putting it back in the box and closing it. She stood, heading for the door.

“Where are you going?” I asked, standing to my feet.

She turned back and smirked. “Do you want your gift or not?” She opened the door. Three beautiful human women walked into the room, dressed in a variety of revealing lingerie.

I furrowed my brow in shock. “What is this?” I asked.

“Your gift. I figured I’d save you the trip to the gentlemen’s club,” she said sarcastically.

“Gen, the gifting ceremony is supposed to be something that starts our marriage off on the right foot. Your gift is supposed to be something that I can look back on and remember our day by.”

“This is a representation of our marriage,” she said plainly. “This is what I expect from you. To bed whatever female that crosses your path. I’ll put these three on retainer so you can have them whenever you want, so you can think back to our wedding day with pride.” She went to leave, but I rushed forward, grabbing her wrist. I turned her to me and looked into her eyes.

“I don’t want them. I want you,” I said with as much honesty as I knew how.

“You will be my husband in name only, nothing more. Time to get used to the way things are going to work. Enjoy your gift,” she said, pulling away from me.