Page 60 of Vicious Princess (The Trials of Death and Honor #1)

CHAPTER FIFTY-EIGHT

D aegel silently leads all the new Ezkai who joined the Executioner Unit out of the great hall and deeper into the Castle. Other newbies are walking behind us, separated by their units.

I don’t know anyone in my unit except for Bloom. With a huge grin on her sun-kissed face, she approaches me and bumps her shoulder into mine as if we’re good friends.

As if she never helped Kata almost drown me.

“Nice work, Wildarrow! I didn’t think you’d make it out of the training alive, let alone join the Order,” she says.

“Thanks,” I say dryly.

That’s a weird way to compliment someone, but I guess I’ll take it.

“We’re going to be unit mates,” she says. “We have to stick together. Have each other’s backs and all that.”

I frown, eyeing her sideways. We turn the corner, and Daegel’s steps halt. He turns to face us and points at a red door with intricate art embedded in the iron.

“Behind this door is the artist who will give you the very first mark of Ezkai, which all of you here today have earned, together with your new rank in the Order. Once that mark is on your flesh, you’ll be officially one of us.

There will be no way back. So, if you still have any doubts about being part of the Order, now is your time to turn around and leave. ”

None of us do. Obviously.

We didn’t come this far to change our minds now.

Daegel gives us a curt nod and opens the door. “Who’s going in first?”

Without saying a word, I step forwards.

My stomach churns from the unknown. But I’d rather face it now and get it over with, rather than stand here and wait to meet my future.

Daegel doesn’t enter the room with me, closing the door behind my back. Inside, it’s dark, the space lit with candles scattered on the floor. No windows, no other doors. Just a padded bench in the middle and a fae with sparkling amber eyes standing next to it.

“Name,” he says, voice hoarse. As if he doesn’t get to speak too often.

“Phoenix Wildarrow,” I say.

The fae scans the notebook in his hand and taps a finger on it. “Yes, right here. Ezkai Lieutenant Phoenix Wildarrow.” He closes the notebook gently, and his gaze snaps to me. One of his eyebrows rises. “I’ve never done a human before. Let’s hope you don’t bleed out.”

Lieutenant? That can’t be right.

“Come on now, little bird,” he says, patting the bench. “Let’s see what human flesh feels like under my needle.”

I approach the bench. There’s a small wooden table behind the fae with glass jars of ink and intimidating-looking tools.

“Take off your top. I need you naked down to your waist.”

I slip out of my leather jacket.

Before undoing my leather corset, my fingers pause on the first hook. The fae doesn’t look bothered, nor does he look ready to give me privacy.

Quickly, I remove the corset, the air tickling my bare stomach, back, and breasts.

“On your stomach,” the fae says, jerking his chin at the bench.

I follow his orders.

Once I’m settled on the bench, I fold my arms under my head and rest my cheek on the back of my hand. The scent of burning sage is strong here, and there’s a hint of something else…a scent I can’t name.

The fae quickly prepares his tools and leans over me. Goose bumps skitter all over my skin when he runs a finger over my spine.

“You’ve lived through enough, I see. This will be a piece of cake for you,” he murmurs more to himself than to me.

So I don’t reply, just close my eyes and wait.

He’s right. The tattooing feels like a pleasant tingle as he dips the sharp needle into black ink and then embeds it into my skin.

Every move of his hand is measured, precise.

His breathing is slow and steady, and from the eerie silence that settles between us, I can tell that in this moment, the only things that exist to the fae are him, his needle, and the canvas in front of him.

I remain still. While I want to ask him about my rank, I choose not to. Whoever this artist is, he looks dedicated to his craft more than anyone I have ever encountered.

When he takes a sharp inhale, I know he’s done.

“That’s it,” he says, putting down the needle. “You can get up now.”

Slowly, I do. My skin tingles where his needle touched me, but I don’t feel discomfort or pain.

“Care to look?”

The fae lifts a thin mirror and holds it against his chest. I glance over my shoulder at my naked back and gasp.

My scarred skin doesn’t even draw my attention like it usually does whenever I look at myself naked—it’s the ink that sucks me in.

I have four symbols etched in my back, starting at the nape of my neck, where an ember of flame, two stylized curving lines reaching upwards, rests. Right beneath it, following the line of my spine, are two neatly stacked chevrons pointing up.

Farther down my spine is a perfect circle, and right under it is a vertical arrowhead with a long tail that stops around midway down my spine. These symbols…I’ve seen them on Daegel’s back.

Of course, as a major, he has additional symbols marking his rank.

The skin around the black ink is a little red. But it still looks fucking great.

“Thank you,” I say, breathless.

The fae lowers the mirror and dips his chin. “Thank you, for allowing me the honor to mark your skin with my art.”

Before he lets me get dressed, he generously lathers my back with a foul-smelling clear concoction.

“It’ll prevent infections and aid healing,” he says when I gag from the scent.

Once he’s done, I quickly dress and head for the door. All heads snap to me when I emerge into the corridor. Wordlessly, Daegel gestures for the next Ezkai to go into the room.

Daegel approaches me, and all of a sudden, I can’t get enough air into my lungs. “You’re free to return to the barracks to collect your stuff, Ezkai Phoenix.”

Once I nod, Daegel leans closer and says in a voice quiet enough that only I can hear, “Meet me in the training hall afterwards.”

It’s already evening by the time I make my way to the training hall. I sit on one of the benches lined against the walls while I wait for Daegel. The stone behind my back is cool, yet my whole body is molten lava.

I can’t help it.

These walls carry many memories. Some not so pleasant, while others…

Before my mind can wander to places it shouldn’t, the door opens and Daegel enters. The moment his eyes land on me, my heart flutters.

“Congratulations, Ezkai Lieutenant Phoenix Wildarrow,” he says in that seductive tone that makes my toes curl inside my shoes as he prowls towards me.

With a smile stretching my lips, I rise to my feet. His hands find my hips and pull me closer into him.

The kiss he plants on my lips is chaste. Teasing. A whisper of a promise of all the things I want him to do to me when we’re fully alone.

When we don’t have to hide, sneak around, and pretend anymore.

I pull away from him. “I can’t believe three units chose me.”

Daegel smirks. “I can. After your performance during the first mission, all three units expressed interest immediately.”

“What? No way. Why didn’t you say something? I was so anxious about no units choosing me all this time!”

“I couldn’t give it away, princess. I’ve broken enough rules with you as it is.”

“Oh, now you’re worried about breaking rules, huh?” I say, teasing.

Daegel brings his forehead to mine. “Better late than never?”

“One question…just to be certain—it wasn’t you who picked me because I’m sleeping with you?”

Daegel chuckles. “Absolutely not, princess. You did it all on your own.”

Satisfied, I slide my hands up his shoulders.

“What’s that?” I tug on the leather strap that rests on one of his shoulders.

Daegel steps away from me and removes it. It’s a beautiful leather quiver with arrows inside. I frown.

“This is your graduation gift.”

He holds out the quiver—the most beautiful, elegant quiver I have ever seen in my life. I blink, surprised. Emotions swell in my chest and rise to my throat. I swallow, blinking rapidly.

“You didn’t have to.” My words are barely louder than a whisper. “This is beautiful, Daegel.”

“Look at the arrows,” he says with a smile. “They’re made from the same material as your bow. Each arrow is carved with the history of all the fae clans. They’re blessed by the spirits of the gods so that you never lose them and every single arrow always finds its way back to you.”

Slowly, I slide one arrow from the quiver and gasp. The smooth bone is full of intricate fine lines, each weaving together to form images of fae, dragons, and nature.

“Oh gods, this is—” Words fail me. I shake my head. “Daegel…I love this. Thank you.”

He pulls me back into his chest with a wide smile. “I’m glad you like it, princess. Now that you’re a highly trained Phantom Ranger who’s in tune with her bow, you need a proper set of arrows.”

I wrap my arms around his neck and bring my face close to his.

“So thoughtful of you,” I whisper. Our lips are inches away. “I don’t think a simple thank-you is enough to convey just how much I love this gift.”

Daegel’s eyes flash with desire. “Ah, is that so? Then why don’t you show me instead?”

Slowly, I drag my tongue over my bottom lip and nod. “Mm-hmm, I think I have to.”

I’m elated when our lips meet once more.

I made it into the Order of Ezkai. I have a powerful man on my side.

The Ezkai General himself has taken notice of me.

Soon, vengeance will be mine.