Page 27 of Shadows of Ruin (The Broken Prophecy #2)

Chapter 26

Kade

L ana’s body remained curled against me as a knock on the door sounded for the third time.

I didn’t want to move, but I knew if someone persisted to this degree, it was on behalf of only one person.

The king.

I brushed the rose-gold hair away from Lana’s neck and kissed her shoulder. Just because I fucking could.

Untangling myself from this woman might go down as the worst feeling in either kingdom. All I wanted to do was forget our troubles and be with her. Something shifted in her last night. She’d saved me from whatever the hell my father did to unleash my monster.

She always saved me.

Fates, I loved her. Looking at her one last time, I frowned, swearing she glowed lying there. Something ached within my chest, creating an indescribable drive to consume her. To make sure she knew she was mine. The swelling compulsion threatened to overpower me, but I forcefully shook it off. We’d have time.

I’d make sure of it .

I whipped open my bedroom door and moved to the main entryway of my chambers, throwing open the black doors.

“What?” I growled. A strong urge to destroy whoever disrupted us flashed inside of me. Fuck, I needed to get whatever this was under control.

Finn, one of my personal attendants, crossed his arms. If it had been anyone else, they would have cowered at the tone. Not Finn though.

“He wants to see you. Immediately.”

I grunted in response and shut the door.

Finn’s muffled voice came from the other side. “Shall I tell him you’re coming? Or do you want me to be hung for my insubordination?”

Cracking a smile, I opened the door again. “Bring cook’s hidden stash of pastries and juice to my rooms for my guest and I’ll defer the hanging to another day.”

Finn cocked an eyebrow. “He’ll see you in the throne room.”

I moved back into my bedroom, throwing on something more suitable to meet my father.

Lana turned, her arm sprawled across the bed where I had been all night. Like she reached for me in her sleep. Fuck, I wanted to be lying there with her.

Forcing myself to leave, I locked my doors, knowing Finn possessed the only other key to my chambers, and made my way to the throne room.

The dark, morbid hallways of the palace didn’t seem as foreboding today. I had hope. Lana had instilled the strange sensation in me. Now that I’d experienced what she did to me, I would never let it go. Never let her go.

I inhaled, cracking my neck before pushing through the doors into the throne room. The king sat alone in his chair, but that hardly mattered. He’d sleep on that stupid throne if he could. Arrogant prick.

“Son, perhaps I should force you to stand vigil through the night, then when urgent matters arise, I won’t have to wait for you.”

So, a foul mood today for the king. As always. I bowed my head. “How can I be of service, Your Majesty?”

He steepled his fingers in front of his face. “Something is brewing in Hemlock. A traitor rallying troops and followers far too quickly.”

Raya had done it.

I frowned, knowing I must play my part well in case there was the slightest chance something backfired with her mind magic. “How many do you believe he has rallied?”

“I need you to scope it out and take care of it.”

“Do you have a name?”

“No, my magic told me of the problem, but no specifics. You know how this works, the defiance will spread if it isn’t handled.”

I opened my mouth to ask more, but the king slammed his fist onto the arm of the throne, anger distorting his entire face. “I didn’t raise you to ask questions. You are replaceable, Kade. I will find a new monster if you’re incapable of following simple instructions. Get your people and take care of this. Now .”

Dark circles marred the king’s face. For the first time, his usually predictable tyrannical rage seemed more unhinged. Normally, his orders were cruel and absolute but controlled. The delivery of this command bordered on manic.

I bowed from the waist down, attempting to curb his fury with my obedient facade before turning to leave the room. Adding a dangerous craze to my father’s already cruel reign would make his orders heinous. I needed to leave before his directions included something worse than killing just one traitor.

“And Kade?”

I paused, looking over my shoulder as my hand reached for the door .

“Leave the princess here.”

No. I pivoted, fully facing him. “She’s coming with us.”

The king’s eyes narrowed. “No.”

“Your Majesty?—”

My father rose from his chair, an eerie calm descending in the room. “Your infatuation with that girl is finished. You will leave her here. You will take care of the traitors as it is your duty, and you will think twice before arguing again.”

“That girl is a grown woman. A warrior, as proven at the festival. She is not a pawn for you to threaten me with.” I stalked forward as an angry tempest inside of me thrummed. My shadows didn’t explode from me, they crawled. Restrained as if they knew if they moved any faster they’d rip the king to fucking shreds. Purposefully resisting the temptation to do just that in order to maintain a sliver of sanity as my mind raced at Lana’s fate if left in the king’s hands. Leaving her behind would never be an option. “You may own me, my life, and the lives of my Guardians, but you do not own hers.”

“Tread carefully, boy, you forget your place,” he snarled.

I needed to get out of here. I couldn’t threaten him while Lana remained here, the risk was too great. “She has a right to see what the darkness can cause. It affects her lands as well,” I said, forcing the anger in my voice to calm. Emotion would only further paint a target on Lana’s back. I had to be smarter with him, especially in his current state.

“It’s not our job to help them rule.” My father waved his hand, dismissing me, but I didn’t move.

“She is a damn princess, Father,” I said, knowing my use of his name may buy me some sort of listening ear. I loathed it, but I’d call him that for her. “It’s of use to us to be on good terms with Brookmere’s royals. It could be beneficial should our worlds ever combine. It is only a matter of time at this point, she knows we exist.”

A smile played across the king’s face, and he stepped down the three small stairs from his throne, taking his time striding toward me. “Do not think I am a fool, boy.” His eyes grazed over me in disdain before a dangerous light flickered behind them. “Have your fun and take care of the traitors, my monster. We’ll discuss this further upon your return.”

The menacing tone did nothing to appease the worry I felt through every fiber of my being, but I refused to linger and allow him the opportunity to change his mind.

I bowed my head, pacing myself to slowly leave with my head held high. The moment the doors shut behind me, I raced back to my rooms. As long as I had eyes on her, she was safe.

Storm and Jax stood perched at the front of the wing that housed Lana’s chambers along with my own. Waiting.

“Ready the horses,” I said for the ears I knew could spy in the halls. “There’s a new traitor to hunt.”

I stopped, touching my chest at the throb there.

“Something wrong?” Storm asked.

I shifted, standing straighter and shaking my head. They exchanged a look, but I didn’t linger.

The anxious weight in my chest accompanying the throbbing didn’t lessen until I saw Finn exit my room and close the doors to my chambers behind him. “There won’t be any breakfast left for you if that one has a say.” Then he smiled. “I like her.”

Relief was powerful knowing he had been with her seconds ago. “So do I,” I said, grinning at him. “Thank you.”

He nodded and left, not bothering to further the conversation. One of the many reasons he remained in my employ and a personal favorite in this castle.

I strode through my chambers, deliciously aware Lana remained in my bedroom. The door to the room already stood open, but she wasn’t in bed. Instead, she paced by the window, brushing her hands over her clothes.

“Good morning, Little Rebel. ”

She jumped at my voice but relaxed once she saw it was just me. “Did it work?”

I nodded, the agitation inside of me soothing ever so slightly. “I’ll walk you to your room. As soon as you’ve packed a bag, we’ll be off.”

She twisted her hands together, even though her shoulders sagged with relief.

I fought the urge to go to her. She’d saved me from the monster inside of me last night, and while she’d made it damn clear she wanted me, I didn’t want to push my luck and believe her desire remained the same in the morning light.

“Ready?” I asked, daring to hold out my hand and leave the choice up to her.

She hesitated, pulling her hair over her shoulder, but then reached for me. I closed my eyes at the rush of our contact.

With that spark, I weakened in my resolve to approach this cautiously. I tugged her toward me, running a hand through her long hair and inhaling deeply as I let everything about the woman engulf me. “Thank you for last night,” I whispered.

A soft smile crossed her lips as she stared up at me, leaning toward me.

Fates, I needed her. I leaned down, preparing to steal a kiss.

“Too bad you didn’t give me anything to thank you for.” She retreated, a playful gleam in her eye, as she left me behind in my own bedroom, high and dry.

Possessiveness had never been an issue for me before. Not once. Not until Lana.

If Jax hadn’t diffused things with his incessant laughter as we readied the horses, I would have lost all the progress I’d made with Lana as I demanded she ride with me.

There were plenty of horses. She was a capable rider. Yet the thought of her being on her own horse nearly drove me into a damn frenzy.

I stretched my neck from side to side, walking away before I said anything else to piss her off.

“What’s going on?” Storm said, looping the reins around his own horse before tossing me my own supplies.

“A never-ending battle of wills.” I sighed. “One I am currently losing.”

Storm chuckled to himself as he adjusted his saddle. I rubbed my chest at the strange ache that hadn’t disappeared since I woke this morning. It only increased when I looked over my shoulder at Lana mounting her own horse.

“Well, you better figure it out,” he said, noticing my gaze. He slammed a hand on my shoulder. “She isn’t the type to let someone lock her up in a glass cage and you know it.”

I shrugged him off.

Instead of allowing myself to dwell on the whirlwind of emotions inside me, I mounted my horse, signaling for the others to move out.

We rode hard toward the border. The farther away we fled from the palace, the more my fear dissipated. As it lessened, this growing thing inside of me wholly focused on Lana finally settled in a way that made it more manageable.

I pushed us harder, frantically toward the border. The horses kept up, but I knew we’d have to stop soon for the night.

“A little farther,” I encouraged Onyx, patting his side to encourage the beast.

Without hesitation, our steeds guided us through the barren lands. Obedient and grateful for the ability to run at full speed. Nothing stopped them from reaching their destination.

An eerie sensation of calm filled the air. Covered the space between us. We were Guardians on a mission. We’d trained for this. Lived for this .

No matter what happened, I had to secure Lana across the void and ensure she reached Ellevail safely. We had to rescue Ian, for I knew she wouldn’t survive his death.

So we rode harder, faster, and with more purpose than ever before. Tomorrow Lana would return to Brookmere.

I just hoped her return didn’t mean I would lose her forever.