Page 18 of Oaths & Vengeance (Realm of Zadrya #1)

Aella

I t was nearly eleven at night by the time Darrow led me to a side entrance at the king’s golden palace.

We both wore dark cloaks he’d brought that covered us from head to toe.

The few people we’d passed in the street on our way from the portal ring couldn’t have possibly gotten a good look at us.

Darrow merely nodded at the few guards we’d encountered, who hadn’t seemed surprised to see him.

I kept my head down, and they hardly glanced my way.

Once inside, he led me through a series of narrow corridors that were so plain as to be forgettable and likely only used by servants. Not once did he hesitate on which way to go. I wondered what he’d been doing with the king to know the palace so well.

Eventually, we stepped through a narrow door into an ornate room with cream walls, elaborate tapestries, and elegant gold and dark blue furniture.

It was twice the size of our great hall at the Ivory Castle.

I noted several instruments, including a harp in the corner.

At best guess, the space was used for entertaining.

“Remove your cloak and give it to me,” Darrow said, already taking off his.

My stomach twisted as I did as he requested, placing it in his outstretched hand. Why did it feel like I gave him something far greater than a simple overgarment? He carefully laid the cloaks across the settee with a blue floral print. The whole situation felt surreal.

We’d snuck through a side entrance into the royal castle and used a secret door to enter this sitting room. Somehow, Darrow had convinced the king to sanction this clandestine ceremony that would alter the course of my life, and I simply went along with it. Had I lost my mind?

Was I really going to marry this man who killed my people ruthlessly?

He’d snapped Therressian soldiers’ necks in front of me without hesitation, yet here I was, binding myself to him for life.

Despite the fact I kept reminding myself of all his faults, it was hard not to be affected by his dark looks.

He was far too devastating for his own good.

Why couldn’t he have the decency to appear as dreadful as his soul?

“How long are we going to keep this a secret?” I asked, trying to keep the worry from my voice.

Darrow met my gaze with a twinkle in his gray eyes. “Are you in a hurry to announce it to the world?”

“The opposite.” I hugged myself. “The longer we can avoid the fallout, the better.”

“We’ll keep it quiet as long as possible.” He moved closer and started fussing with my hair, loosening the braid. “I’m hoping for at least six months to a year, if possible.”

I stiffened. “What are you doing?”

Darrow moved behind me and began finger-combing my locks. “We still have a few minutes until the king arrives, and I’m trying to make us presentable. Though he knows we aren’t in love, I may have implied I have some affection for you. He was very adamant that I didn’t coerce you into this.”

He had failed to mention that particular detail at Durelle’s cabin.

The way he touched my hair felt irritatingly good. “I can handle that myself, you know.”

“Possibly.” He leaned close to my right ear, warm breath fanning over me. “But you were very tense when we arrived, and after our last meeting, I discovered my touch relaxes you.”

I suppressed a shiver. “You are the most arrogant man I’ve ever met.”

“Dear Aella, I am only arrogant because I speak the truth.” I started to step away from him, but he snaked an arm around my waist and held me still. “Pretend you want to marry me, or the king may refuse to officiate it.”

“Easier said than done,” I spoke through gritted teeth .

His body was like a wall of muscle behind mine, with his intoxicating scent of sandalwood surrounding me, and I was trying very hard not to be affected by it.

This was all a game for him, but his touch had an impact on me—mentally and physically—I couldn’t describe.

He was like a force of nature, drawing me toward him despite my knowing the danger he represented.

Darrow spun me around and bored his gaze into mine. “Play the role for a little while and make it convincing. Afterward, we can stop pretending.”

“But I can’t just…”

He cupped my cheek and ran his thumb across my bottom lip.

“I know. A week ago, I would have killed anyone who even suggested I marry you. I thought for certain you were no better than your uncle. It was only after you came and pled for your cousin’s life that I realized you are not the same as him. ”

“I’m the opposite of my uncle,” I said, gasping when he leaned down and ran light kisses along my neck. “What are you doing?”

“Relaxing you,” he murmured.

What he was doing was sending my heartbeat into a gallop. “This wasn’t part of the deal.”

“Touch me,” he said, nibbling at my ear as I suppressed a moan. “The king needs to think there’s at least some passion between us.”

I clenched my eyes shut, unable to believe what he was demanding. While I wasn’t inexperienced, I wasn’t ready to touch a man I’d spent my life fearing and hating. If he noticed my body responding, it would only prove his point at the cabin.

“You’re only demanding I do that because I said I’d rather touch a sea serpent.”

He pulled back a few inches, amusement in his gaze. “I knew you were lying.”

“I hate you,” I said, though my words lacked conviction.

“And yet, you still want me.”

“I do not…”

He pressed his lips to mine and coaxed my mouth open.

It felt so good as shivers raced up my spine that I couldn't resist. As the kiss deepened, he grasped my hands and guided them up his hard chest. Even through his tunic, I could feel his heat and the ripple of muscles underneath.

It took a moment, but before I knew it, I was touching him of my own volition.

Damn him for this attraction I felt. Why?

It should have been easy to feel revulsion for him and everything he represented.

Darrow grasped the back of my neck to hold me in place, and his other hand made its way around my waist to cup my ass, squeezing one side.

Heat shot straight into my core. Before I knew it, I was moaning as we continued to kiss.

He was everywhere around me, scorching my skin with his brazen touches.

Every part of me came alive and wanted more.

I lost myself so completely that it took a moment to realize someone was speaking behind us.

I jerked back when I realized it was the king.

He stood a handful of paces away, cutting an impressive figure in a golden doublet with intricate embroidery and black pants.

His brown hair was cut short and neatly styled.

His appearance wasn’t what gave him away as a ruler, though.

The waves of power emanating from him that filled the room and made everyone else feel small in his presence did it.

“Your Majesty,” Darrow said, giving him a deep bow.

The odious man was calm and collected as if we hadn’t been caught with our hands and mouths on each other. He didn’t seem as intimidated by the king as me, but maybe it helped that he had a lot of power himself—and royal blood.

I quickly bent my knees into an awkward curtsy, blushing profusely. “My apologies, Your Majesty. I didn’t hear you come in.”

The stately man, who’d turned 114 years old a month ago, moved toward us with amusement in his azure gaze. “I can see why you wouldn’t have noticed anything with how Darrow distracted you. It’s good to see there’s none of the animosity between you I anticipated.”

Not at the moment, anyway. I was certain my cheeks were blazing with the heat of embarrassment.

This was not my first time meeting the king or even the dozenth.

I saw him at least once a year for the annual winter ball, and sometimes, my uncle brought me to the palace for other events.

We weren’t strangers, but I didn’t know him well enough to be kissing and fondling someone in front of him. At least he didn’t appear offended.

“I appreciate you taking the time to do this for us,” I said, hoping to change the subject.

King Worden nodded. “More than happy to do it as long as you’re both agreeable to your plan. I don’t like the idea of it being a secret, but I understand the complexities of the situation. Every time I’ve tried to intervene and bring peace between your lands, it’s proven impossible.”

“I’m afraid there has been too much bloodshed to make it simple.” Darrow drew me into his side, and I tried not to focus on where our bodies touched. “But Aella and I hope to resolve that issue when the time is right. For now, we must keep her out of Baron Elgord’s hands.”

It was all I could do to keep a straight face at the insinuation we had any plans to fix the war between our people. That topic had certainly not come up since we met. What had he told the king to make him agree to this?

His majesty frowned. “We must also consider the curse your uncle placed on you.”

“Is it possible for you to order Lord Morgunn to remove it?” I asked hopefully.

“Not without consequences we can ill afford right now.” He turned his gaze to Darrow.

“You’re going to have to bide your time and hope he makes a mistake.

I cannot sanction you killing a lord without legal recourse, and since we aren’t involving him in this marriage, that alone cannot justify it, either. ”

My soon-to-be husband nodded. “I remember everything we discussed before and will wait for my chance.”

I went still. “You mean killing him?”

“The less you know, the better,” Darrow replied, squeezing my waist.

I wanted to be angry at them for planning a family member’s death without my say, but they were trying to free me from the curse. If I could have done it on my own, I would have by now, so I elected not to argue. Losing my uncle would not make me shed a tear.

The king glanced between us. “If your families don’t take it well once the news is out, where will you live? ”

“I finalized the purchase of a townhouse here in Porrine yesterday, and the renovations will start next week,” Darrow answered, squeezing me in warning again.

He wanted me not to act surprised about it. Fine, I would go along with him for now, but we needed to work on communicating better. Something told me that would remain a problem as long as we lived apart, though.

“Excellent,” King Worden gestured at a servant standing by the door. “Bring the papers so they may look over them.”

The stoic elf carefully placed them on a side table, spreading them out.

Darrow and I went over and began reading the documents.

They laid out our marriage agreement in plain enough terms. The dowry had been waived, we’d share any property we owned, and we both agreed we could never cause the other any serious harm or death.

The punishment would be equal to the crime—magically enforced.

So, if I stabbed him, the same injury would immediately appear on me.

That was certainly a deterrent. Of course, it accounted for accidents and true intentions, so if something minor happened, like swatting him in the arm for being annoying, it wouldn’t punish me.

Our oaths tonight would bind that agreement for as long as we lived.

I took special note of the details on Darrow, such as his family line, which included the dark elf half and the fact his grandfather was King of Karganoth.

It was something I knew, but it was still intimidating that he was technically royalty.

I also noticed his birthday was in late summer.

He would turn forty-six then, which meant we were about thirteen years apart since my birthday would come a couple of months before his.

It was a reasonable gap, but it meant we’d have a long life together, barring mishaps. What choice did I have, though?

There were three copies of the document—one for the royal records, one for me, and one for Darrow.

We took turns pricking our fingers with blood before pressing them to the parchment, with the king doing it last. Once he finished, the servant waved his hands over the documents, using magic to protect them from alterations.

Technically, with that act, we were officially married now.

“Turn to face each other,” Worden ordered .

Darrow took my hands, appearing solemn. He put on such a good performance that I wondered if I could ever truly trust anything he said or did because he appeared to take all of this seriously. I took a steadying breath, attempting to match his somberness.

The king led us through the simplest version of the fae vows. They didn’t cover much beyond what was already written in the documents we’d signed. “Do you both vow to be loyal to each other above all others? Never to severely harm or kill?”

“Yes,” Darrow said without hesitation.

It took me a moment before I could reply in a whisper. “I do.”

Were we lying? I couldn’t begin to predict how our future would go, but I knew there was magic with this ceremony that would make it very difficult to break the vows.

“You may now exchange rings.”

I started to panic because I’d forgotten all about it, but Darrow pulled two simple bands from his pocket.

He fitted one with tiny diamonds all around it onto my finger, then gave me the other one.

With trembling hands, I placed his on him.

Both were a perfect fit, but I’d felt magic in them.

He must have spelled the rings so they’d mold to the correct size on the wearer.

“Very good. I now pronounce you permanently bound to each other as husband and wife,” the king said, smiling broadly. “You may kiss.”

As Darrow’s lips met mine, sparkles of royal magic fell upon us. It was the king’s blessing, but it held significant power. He’d made certain our vows would be especially difficult to break.

My new husband didn’t hold back from our kiss, and I fell into it once more despite myself.

How could I hate him so much yet melt against him like this?

While he was overwhelmingly handsome, I wasn’t one to fall easily for looks alone.

With how he held me tightly, I wondered if it was entirely an act for him. Could he feel something, too?

Finally, we broke apart, and I had to clutch Darrow’s jacket for a moment before I could trust my knees not to collapse. Everything about this night was leaving me confused and dizzy .

The king beamed at us. “Congratulations to you both. I hope you have happy, long lives together and trouble never darkens your doorsteps, though with Darrow, that’s unlikely.”

I laughed because at least he was honest.

“Thank you, Your Majesty,” I said, curtseying low.

Darrow bowed. “You’ve been most generous with your time tonight, and we won’t forget it.”

“I’d expect not,” the king said with a dark undertone.