Page 49 of Wrath Of Suns And Shadows (The Osparia #2)

Chapter Thirty-Four

Emelyn

I continued the same routine every week.

I was the empire’s entertainment. Each time, I came out victorious.

I did my best to be as not to be entertaining as I could be, but some fights dragged on longer than I liked.

People of all races tried to challenge me in the ring: fae, orcs, dryads, witches.

Some were more difficult to take down than others, but they went down just the same.

I could never wipe Valos’s smug smile off his face.

It confused me. He said he wanted to torment me, but I had sustained only minor injuries since the fights had started. And any more serious ones that I got, Kade would allow me to heal once we made it back to the bedroom. A knock sounded from the door.

Speak of the devil.

He walked in and shut the door behind him.

The last few weeks, we’d barely spoken, other than with hidden glances and small touches as we passed each other in the room.

I didn’t understand his reasoning behind his decision-making, and it didn’t do any good to talk about it if he was just going to speak in riddles anyway, so he kept his distance.

With no interactions, I would have probably lost my mind by now, but I’d had Crow’s shadows to keep me company every night.

I talked to them like friends. Told them of my goals, my hopes and dreams, and anything else I could think of.

I was still angry with Crow. Sometimes I wished I could separate him from the shadows and keep the little tendrils of sass to myself.

The thought brought a smile to my face, and as if they knew I was thinking about them, I saw a few of them wisp around in the upper corner of my bedroom.

I gave them a serious look with a slight nod of my head, telling them to leave.

Now. Before Kade saw them and thought I was trying to escape.

But as the thought crossed my mind I figured, what could he do about shadows?

He couldn’t catch them or control them, but he could enchant the room and they wouldn’t be able to visit me anymore.

That made me sad. I nodded again toward them, more sternly this time, and Kade saw me.

I cleared my throat, and he looked up to where they were, but his eyes found nothing but an empty corner.

They disappeared before he saw them. The moment he glanced back at me, they reappeared again, and I had to hold in my smile as they danced just behind him, taunting and teasing me with this dangerous game they were playing.

“Emelyn, did you hear me at all?” Kade asked with a cock of his brow, and I gave myself a mental shake.

“No, sorry, tell me again,” I said, and he glanced around again.

“What’s got you in a happier mood today?”

“Nothing. I’m just thinking about my friends and how much I miss them,” I blurted, which wasn’t a lie.

With every passing minute, hour, day, and week, I missed Ace more and more.

I was exhausted from my desperate need for a hug from him, for the comforting embrace of his wings.

The thought coated me with warmth, and I tried to hold on to it for as long as I could.

“When I first walked in, I asked where your gauntlets were. It’s almost time for the show, and then afterward I have a surprise.”

“Will we be going back to the catacombs?” I asked excitedly. It was a place filled with so much beauty.

“No, there is a celebration happening. I’m sure you’ve heard of it, the light festival,” he informed, and I remembered what Evereht had told me about it.

“How will I go? Isn’t that outside of the palace?” I asked.

“Yes, but it’s still within the walls of the Imperial District. I convinced my father that it would be a good idea to show you off and give the world a better look at you.”

“Great, so I’ll be your trophy for the night.”

“We only need to put on a show for a little while, Bunny, and then we can have some fun.”

“I’m getting real tired of your shows, Prince,” I spat, and he grinned.

“I promise, this one will be worth it. Now, where are your cuffs? We have to get going,” he said, and I huffed as I walked over to the bed and leaned down, holding up the comforter to look underneath it.

Shadows greeted me from the darkness under the bed, twisting and twirling around my arm as if inviting me into the dark with them to play.

I had to grab the cuffs quickly and scowl at their playfulness when the enemy was standing only a few feet away.

They had been getting braver and braver these last few weeks, popping up and trying to play even when Kade was in the room.

They were smart, however, and waited until he wasn’t looking or hid in secret spots like they were now.

I wondered if Crow was keeping them here to watch over me or if they weren’t listening to him.

They never did to him when it came to me.

The thought brought a wave of butterflies through my gut, and a smile curved my lips.

Kade grinned. “What is making you so happy today?” he asked again. “Are you hiding a man under the bed that I should be concerned about?” He ducked down and yanked the covers back quickly.

Nothing was there.

I felt their small touches against my shoulder and glanced over to see them hiding under my hair. Their little vibrations reminded me of a child laughing while playing hide and seek. Kade looked up from the bed, and my lips thinned into a line as I held myself together. The shadows were gone again.

“We don’t have time for whatever you’re hiding,” he started as he stood with the cuffs. I held out my wrists as he clamped them on and locked them. The sudden emptiness I felt from them was something that I had gotten used to after the first couple of times of taking them on and off.

“Let’s get this over with,” I said, and he opened the door for me.

I saw red.

Their blood blurred my vision as I punched them so hard, more spewed from their lip and nose. The crowd roared. They didn’t get blood very often when I was in the ring. I did my best to avoid it, but this woman wouldn’t go down.

The witch stumbled, trying to pull herself back together, but I didn’t give her the chance as I grabbed her and threw her down, pinning her to the ground.

She thrashed, digging her nails into my arms, leaving cuts as she dragged them down the length of them, doing her best to fight away from my grip.

But as soon as hers loosened, I knew she didn’t stand a chance anymore.

I stood, leaving her limp body on the floor as I walked over to Kade, readying to leave as two new fighters stepped into the ring.

Valos had to supplement his crowd with other entertainment because of how many people complained I didn’t give them enough.

Good.

My chest rose and fell heavily with my breaths. I was sure there was blood splattered across my face and in my hair, but Kade only gave me that same smirk as he looked me over. He leaned in and whispered so quietly that only I could hear it.

“You look fucking devastating when you walk out of that ring toward me.” He eyed me, and I couldn’t hide the wave of heat that crept up my neck at his compliment.

Did violence turn on the Prince of Ember?

It certainly seemed that way as we readied to go back to the room so I could bathe and change clothes.

“Careful, I might kill you one day, and I’d hate for you to enjoy it,” I said, and he chuckled darkly.

“I’d die a happy man if my end was met by you,” he flirted, and I paused at his statement, but he continued walking down the hall toward the bedroom, never missing a beat.

I gathered myself and followed behind him as we made our way back into the bedroom.

Kade waited patiently as I went into the bathroom to get cleaned up for the festival.

The thought of the festival excited me, but knowing that the only reason I was going was to be shown off like a prized animal put a sour taste in my mouth. But, I was a prisoner, wasn’t like I had much of a choice.

Kade opened the door to the carriage for me, offering me a hand to escort me in. Evereht was already inside, waiting for us to join him.

Amidst the tension that clung to the air, Evereht leaned back, a sardonic smile playing on his lips. “You know,” he began, amusement lacing his tone, “most people would be thrilled to attend the light festival.”

I shot him a withering look, my eyebrows raised. “Oh, forgive me if I’m not leaping from joy,” I retorted, my tone dripping with sarcasm. “Being the emperor’s pet puts a damper on my party mood.” I sat in my seat.

He raised an eyebrow, his amber eyes dancing with mirth. “Pity. We even put you in your favorite shackles.” He nodded down to the intricate irons that looked more like jewelry than a ball and chain.

I rolled my eyes, leaning back with a sigh. “You know how to make a girl feel special.”

He leaned in, his voice lowering as Kade took his seat next to me. “Ah, but you are special. After all, it’s not every day we have the Peacebringer gracing our empire with her presence.”

I shot him a dry look. “I must admit, Rhet, your hospitality skills are quite enjoyable.”

“Well, I do aim to please.”

I shook my head, unable to hide my grin. “And here I thought the entertainment was over.”

“Oh, it’s just beginning.” Evereht chuckled, as if he knew something I didn’t.

I arched an eyebrow, my curiosity piqued despite myself. “And what exactly does that mean?”

He leaned back with a mysterious smile. Kade glanced over at him in a warning.

“You’ll just have to wait and see.” I had a feeling his words meant more than the festival we were headed to, but I could tell Evereht wouldn’t have told me anything more than he already had.