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Chapter Forty-one

Cyrus

“Until further notice, you’re to be confined to your rooms, without visitors,” I told Daneiris, meeting her blue eyes as they widened in shock.

“Cyrus, you can’t—” She stood up, arguing with me immediately.

“I am the KING!” I bellowed at her, making her flinch backward in fear.

“Cyrus, she hasn’t done anything—” Zerlina argued, air whipping around her as her emotions overcame her.

I laughed dryly, shaking my head slowly as I turned to her. “Not even married yet, and already you choose others over me. Perhaps you are not the queen Celesterra deserves after all.”

Zerlina reared back as if I’d slapped her but, thankfully, fell quiet, making me smirk in triumph. How quickly she abandoned helping her new friend to save her crown.

The other ladies in the room looked around uncomfortably, not knowing what to do. I rolled my eyes at the feeble creatures.

“Get out,” I commanded them. They stood quickly, dropping into curtsies before practically running out the door.

“You two are to have no contact from this point on,” I told them, looking between Daneiris and Zerlina. They both gritted their teeth but nodded.

“I’ll assign someone to assist you if you need anything, but I don’t want to see you out of this room until I say so,” I told Daneiris. She opened her mouth, proving she wasn’t very smart.

“What about Casimir?” she asked, her red brows furrowing.

“Who?” I shook my head in confusion.

“ My human! ” she snapped back, but took a deep breath and reined herself in. “My human. You’ve seen him for years at every damn meal we’ve had, Cyrus.”

“He obviously cannot be trusted if you can’t. Perhaps I should send him to the camps instead. A fitting punishment if you so clearly care for him.” I smirked victoriously as her eyes widened, and she shook her head frantically.

“No, please, Cyrus!” she begged, quite sincerely, to my disgust. “I will do whatever you want; please don’t send him there .”

I thought about it for a moment. While I wanted to punish Daneiris and was truly disturbed by her attachment to this human, having thought she felt similarly, at least regarding humans, I realized I could likely use him better here anyway.

“Fine.” I sighed heavily. “I will grant you this boon.”

“Thank you, brother,” she replied, bowing her head as she let out a long, relieved breath. “Thank you.”

“Don’t thank me yet,” I smirked, gleefully. “He will remain here, and his treatment will be based on your behavior. Should you be good, he will be fine. Should you not be…”

I trailed off, raising my eyebrows at her. She ground her teeth, staring at me with impotent fury in her eyes. But she nodded once in agreement.

“Good. Now, come along, Zerlina.” I grabbed her by the elbow, pulling her out of my sister’s rooms. I eyed the guards by the doors, deciding to have them disposed of. They clearly couldn’t be trusted either. I would have to clean house completely at some point. Just as soon as everything was ready.

“My King!” One of my men came skidding around the corner.

“Yes?” I asked impatiently, annoyed by the interruption.

“Prince Vesper of Sunset Kingdom just arrived. He’s here to see you.” The man explained.

Surprise filled me. Sunset and Sunrise had both been quiet, seemingly trying to keep out of the conflict brewing between the rest of the kingdoms despite my repeated requests to talk.

“Where is he?” I demanded, anxious to discover why he’d come.

“He’s been seen to the parlor,” he explained, and I thanked him graciously before turning to Zerlina.

“You’re going to join me for this, and you’re going to be your best, charming self,” I instructed her harshly, before leaning in to whisper in her ear, “Prove to me you still want that crown.”

“Of course, my beloved.” Zerlina smiled winningly, her mask back on. I could appreciate that, for I had often been forced to wear my own. But the time for that was over. Now was the time to see my vision come to life.

Zerlina was, unfortunately, proving to be more of a problem than I’d anticipated. I needed her father’s support, however. Dawn was our closest ally, and one I would need in the battles to come. Tariq could be done away with afterward, but not a moment before.

We made our way down to the parlor and, upon entering, found Prince Vesper waiting as promised. Not the king or even the heir, despite being the elder prince.

How embarrassing for him.

“Prince Vesper,” I greeted with a charming smile; Zerlina also appeared welcoming with a softened demeanor from beside me, her arm snaked around mine. “Welcome to Dusk Kingdom.”

“Thank you, King Cyrus.” He bowed his head but didn’t smile. “I am hoping you and I can help one another.”

“Oh?” I raised a brow as I helped Zerlina to her seat. I took mine across from the prince, ignoring the tea service as I crossed one leg casually over the other. I trained my eyes directly on him, hoping to gauge his reaction. “How so?”

“My father has thrown his support behind Asteria, the Star Queen,” he explained, making my jaw clench and lip curl as I tried to keep from throwing something. Possibly him.

“But my father also continues to support my brother as his heir. He’s unfit, to say the least, and will be the downfall of Sunset. My father chose him, because the gods said so. My father chose Asteria, because the gods said so. But—” Vesper cut himself off, clenching his teeth as his face twitched, trying to contain his anger.

And then I realized exactly why he’d come.

“Ah.” A smile grew on my face. “I see. You know I’m going to fight Night’s forces and put Asteria back where she belongs, on her knees before me. If your father fights against me, Sunset will need a new ruler when the dust settles.”

“Yes,” he agreed through his clenched teeth. He sighed raggedly, body slumping in his chair. “And… you are going against the gods already. They have been proven wrong by choosing my brother. The gods…”

He trailed off, unwilling to finish the thought. But I certainly wasn’t, and had no problem pushing him further down the path he’d already begun to walk.

“ Are wrong . They have lost their way and must be challenged.” I smiled widely. “It’s nice to see like-minded individuals do exist outside Dusk.”

“The gods are lost, and the land suffers. Only a strong leader can bring us through this now.” Vesper snarled. “A little girl won’t be the answer.”

I threw my head back with a laugh, “Especially not that little girl.”

“Wretched thing,” Zerlina muttered, stirring her tea.

I reached over and patted her thigh, “There, there, darling. We’ll ensure Asteria learns her place well enough. Prince Vesper here can surely help us with that. Tell me, Prince, what plans have you learned of? What kind of numbers can you bring when your father has turned his elsewhere?”

Vesper straightened, his shoulders back as he met my eyes. “I have brought those loyal to me. Those who know the firstborn, respectable son willing to do his duty, is the correct choice of heir. And while I don’t know specifics, I can tell you that Asteria is working with those in Day loyal to her, while Calix brings Night, of course. They had Prince Altan of Sunrise with them as well, so it seems likely they have support from Gravadain.”

“Hmm.” I hummed, thinking over that information. “I appreciate you bringing that information to me. We’ll get you settled and meet again to go over more specifics of your role here soon.”

Vesper stood, bowing. “Thank you, King Cyrus.”

“No, thank you, Prince Vesper, for your support.” I nodded before grabbing Zerlina and leaving the room, thinking through plan after plan. I couldn’t let both Sunrise and Sunset follow Asteria and Calix. We would be buried under those numbers.

An idea hit me. A way to hit Asteria and Gravadain at once. Excitement thrummed through me, a type of exuberance I rarely felt these days. Only when I topped up on blood magic did I feel this good.

I dropped Zerlina off in a haze and found myself tracking down my commander to begin planning the execution of my brilliant idea. I stopped myself midway, realizing that in my excitement, I had forgotten the most important part.

The where .

I turned around to go find Emmie. She would know exactly where I needed to go.

* * *

Plans had to be put in place. But most importantly, I needed King Tariq to get up off his ass and get over here to help me.

Aelius was, unsurprisingly, on board with the plan and anxious to strike out at his wayward daughter. But I needed a truly impressive show of force. One with all my allies clearly involved.

I wanted Asteria to know she wasn’t safe. That I had numbers on top of blood magic to take her down with.

I wanted Calix to see my military might and fear his would be inadequate. The way I was forced to feel during his attacks. I wanted him to feel Asteria slowly slipping out of his fingers until he lost her forever.

And King Tariq needed to get himself here for that. I sent a message through my spies, with a strict deadline for his arrival. I needed this to go smoothly, and I couldn’t afford for him to fuck this up. His daughter was enough of a problem.

Speaking of problems…

A loud boom in the distance made me close my eyes and clench my teeth.

Fucking rebels.

They’d been stirring up trouble since I let knowledge of the camps become public, but it was during this past week that they had begun getting worse. Now, they weren’t just trying to get their people out of the camps; they were trying to destroy everything I’d built as they expressed their fury at what was happening.

I made my way through the palace to see where the smoke was coming from. My eyes widened.

“ Fuck !” I let my wings unfurl and shot up into the sky. Pink feathers ruffled in the wind as I flew straight toward the plume of smoke. My own fury was pumping through me, and mine was much greater than whatever these pathetic humans could muster. I would need to make an example of them and stop this foolishness in its tracks.

As I neared, I could see those who’d managed to leave the building in time gathered around outside. I landed with a thud, and everyone cringed away slightly at whatever expression was currently on my face. I could well imagine, with the anger rushing through me.

They burned my fucking brothel to the ground.

The fire was burning itself out now, leaving behind the charred ruins of what was once my most profitable establishment—and my favorite .

“My life’s work.” I turned to the woman who’d come up beside me, finding Saskia, the manager and previous owner of the brothel that just went up in smoke. She looked forlornly at the husk of the business she’d built from the ground up.

“Several of my girls perished in the fire,” she added, a grimace on her face as a few tears tracked down the dark streaks on her cheeks from the smoke.

“We’ll make them pay,” I promised her. “And then we’ll rebuild.”

Saskia snorted, “That doesn’t put money on the table now .”

A muscle in my jaw jumped, I’d clenched it so hard. I had no patience for her bullshit right now.

“You have plenty. Get the girls together and find someplace to run the business in the meantime. I’ll handle the rest.” I demanded before taking off into the air once more.

These rebels were targeting me , which meant they weren’t nearly as afraid of me as they should be. I would have to do something about that.

I flew straight to the heart of the human settlements within Evenfall. The apartment buildings were crumbling a bit, but still perfectly serviceable for the amount of time a human needed to occupy them. They didn’t live long, after all, mayflies that they were.

They were lucky they got buildings to live in at all. We could have kept them chained up in cells when not working. Our ancestors stopped that kind of thing long ago, but we should never have eradicated the practice.

They’d become too comfortable. Too expectant. They needed to remember they were slaves, not employees.

One of the buildings containing the human apartments was more dilapidated than the others, which made it perfect for my plan. I pulled a vial from my pocket, uncorked it, and downed the shimmering blood quickly.

I shuddered, letting the blood magic settle into my veins. Feeling my lightning crackle within me as it stirred. A chaotic surge in my blood as it fired to life.

I held up my hands, calling my lightning, feeding it my rage, and letting it flow forward. The sharp bolts of lightning struck the building in succession.

The fire caught quickly, but I let several more bolts hit, making it spread even faster. The screams inside and the pounding of running feet were like music to my ears. I smiled slowly, enjoying the show as the rats ran out of their cage.

Only to be confronted by the cat who’d been playing with them.

I sent bolts of lightning into the chests of the first several humans who ran outside. I let the others who arrived after them stop in horror as they came upon their king carrying out their punishment.

More humans who lived nearby congregated as they heard the ruckus, saw the fire, or smelt the smoke. I let more arrive before I said a single word. Leaving them all watching me with fear in their eyes.

“If any more attacks occur, if one more act of rebellion takes place, more humans will die,” I announced, before taking off into the air without giving them time to react.

* * *

Returning to the palace, my mood was still dark, and finding Zerlina lounging around my rooms didn’t help matters.

“What are you doing in here?” I demanded as I unbuckled my sword belt, dropping it on the table.

“Waiting for you, of course,” she simpered at me, and I fought to not roll my eyes. Did she really think me so dim I couldn’t see what she was doing?

Then again, did I care?

I could certainly use the distraction right now.

I’d been more stressed than usual lately. All my plans finally coming to fruition was exhilarating, but it was also a lot of hard work. The battle plans to take down Calix alone, while dealing with these insipid lords and rebellious humans… it was all a lot. And it was all on my shoulders.

No one around me could be trusted, leaving me isolated. It was why I needed Asteria. Only she could understand. Or I thought she could. The way she left me…

No . She would understand. I would make her.

Zerlina smiled at me as she sauntered over. She tried to look innocent, but something about her too-sharp eyes and cheekbones made it look more comical. Now, her sister, Sybella, could pull off innocent. With her more cherubic cheeks and wide eyes, she was the sweet and innocent-looking version of her sister.

But I found I preferred the sharpness of Zerlina. It matched what I knew was inside her. She was no soft princess, and I found myself enjoying her claws.

As long as she knew her place, that was.

I did need a proper queen, after all. Asteria could have been that, had she not run from me. But she chose her fate, and I would ensure the punishment fit the crime.

Zerlina leaned up to kiss me, and I bit her plush lips as I grabbed her by the hair. My tongue dominated hers, and she gave herself over to me willingly. I pulled back from her lips, using her hair to force her back.

“On your knees,” I growled, and that was all she needed as she hit the floor, her hands eagerly undoing my pants and taking out my cock.

She pumped her hands down my shaft, my length thickening in her hands even before she trailed her tongue down it, following the veins. My head fell back when she took the crown into her mouth, sucking and licking around it.

I buried my hand in her hair, pushing her down until she choked on my cock. Her eyes watered as her hands came up to grip my thighs, digging her nails in. I pulled her head back, letting her get a breath in, before pushing her back down until she swallowed my entire length.

She breathed harshly through her nose, running her tongue along my base where my cock sat heavy in her mouth. I groaned, using my hand to guide her head up and down, enjoying the feeling of a hot mouth and wet tongue swirling around my cock.

I could feel my release building, and began to thrust myself into her mouth, fucking her face harder than necessary. Her groans each time I thrust too hard only added to the experience, however. As I spilled down her throat, I held her down, not letting her up until she’d swallowed every drop.

She panted once she popped off my cock, and I took the time to remove her dress, leaving her glorious breasts bare to my eyes. I maneuvered her with me, sitting on the sofa and gripping her by the ass to lead her to straddle me. She slowly sank down on my cock, groaning as I stretched her cunt out around my girth.

I closed my eyes as she began to ride me, letting myself imagine Asteria above me, eagerly riding my cock. I thrust up into her, the sound of skin slapping against skin a beautiful rhythm. My hands found her breasts, squeezing, but her moans shook me out of my fantasy.

The dark hair was replaced by a lighter brown streaked with blonde, and the shade of blue in her eyes was all wrong. Zerlina’s breasts may be as good as Asteria’s, but otherwise, she wasn’t nearly curvy enough. She may be beautiful, but she wasn’t Asteria, and that only served to make me angrier.

I grasped her hips hard, lifting her as I stood and brought her to the nearest wall. I pushed her against it, holding her hips down so they lay flat against it, and began pounding into her. My cock hitting deep inside and making her scream with each thrust.

I kept my eyes trained on where I was splitting her open, not wanting to look at her face. But she grabbed me by the hair and forced me to meet her eyes.

“You don’t get to pretend,” she hissed, before her lips crashed down on mine.

I swear I hated how smart she was sometimes.

She bucked her hips up, but I forcibly pushed them back down, biting her lip and drawing blood in the process. She cursed at me, but I just licked the blood away before biting her neck in turn. She should know hissing at me like a cat only served to make me punish her for her misbehavior.

She hated marks on her skin, so I continued sucking them into her neck and down her collarbone. She squeezed down hard around my cock, making me swear. She chuckled hoarsely, and I thrust in faster, feeling my release creeping up on me.

She began fluttering around my cock, making me groan as I spilled myself inside her. She followed right after me, and I leaned my forearms against the wall to hold myself and her up.

It may not be what it could be, had she been Asteria. But I couldn’t complain. And soon, I’d have them both. Neither one allowed to leave my side or my bed.

And as soon as her father arrived with his forces, I’d be set to make my move.