Page 26

Annalise

L ately, it feels like every time I look in the mirror, the woman looking back at me has changed a little more. I angle my head slightly, and the woman in the mirror does the same, her wide eyes filled with no desire. And though her skin glows and her thick hair shines as her beast servant brushes through the strands, she looks as empty as I feel. She's seen things most humans would have slit their throats from by now.

I shift my attention to the servant, who continues brushing my hair. I was once beneath her position. I was once a slave that servants could beat into submission, more often than not, because they felt like it, and no one cared what happened to a slave. But now all of that has changed. I have earned the king's affection, placing me above them.

I am the future queen. I am the mother to the heir. And although everyone refuses to acknowledge it, I am human.

I continue watching the servant as she goes about her task. Her eyes are down as she gently runs the brush over my hair, and when I pull my hair from her grasp, she continues to keep her eyes on the floor. I was once forbidden to look the beasts in the eyes, especially the king. And now she cannot look me in the eyes.

More servants approach with the gown I will be wearing today. It's one of the dresses from the mannequins in my wardrobe. An entire new wardrobe Cyrus himself curated months ago, according to him. It was as everyone said, Cyrus would choose me to be his queen. It was just a matter of when.

The timing of this beast's arrival from afar has pushed me into the position prematurely. I wish I knew why the arrival of this beast has placed Cyrus in a position where he is desperate to make me his queen. Other than revealing he knows the truth about my existence in his land, he has done nothing to prove he is a threat to Cyrus's kingdom. But I know the beast culture is very strict in its existence, and his premature arrival seemed to set even Felix on edge.

Originally, we were to depart the palace and stay in the neighboring city to attend a ball hosted by a well-known noble in a few days. But Cyrus has made it his intention to host a private dinner with the king from across the sea in attendance. And for some reason, Cyrus has decided I will be in attendance as well. My nerves have been running wild ever since I was informed.

Cyrus is very territorial, as he has proven time and time again. If this beast steps over the line in any way while in his presence, I fear Cyrus may very well start a war.

A light knock sounds on the door, opening only seconds later before anyone can respond. I turn to the door in confusion, as no one would dare enter without express permission. But I immediately see why the intruder has done so. Cyrus steps in with a devious grin on his lips, his eyes filled with lust as he takes in my half-dressed form. I instinctually hold the dress tighter to my chest as he steps into the room.

"Leave us."

The servants bow, quickly exiting the room to leave me alone with Cyrus. I bow slightly as he approaches, mumbling my greeting, but he doesn't respond. His eyes twinkle in amusement as he studies me, a small grin on his lips. His gaze dips, and he brings his fingers to the dress around my shoulders. I expect him to pull it off or rip it from my body, but he doesn't.

He lifts the fabric, covering my shoulders, then shifts to move behind me.

I silently study him in the reflection. His eyes are focused on his task as he fastens the ties on my dress. At this moment, it's difficult to see him as the creature I know he can shift into: the terrifying beast that lurks beneath the surface and tore my life apart.

He seems docile as he pulls the dress in all the right places, allowing it to hug my body flatteringly. Once he finishes, he presses a soft kiss on my shoulder, his dark gaze meeting mine in the mirror.

“You once did this for me. Do you remember?” he asks.

I nod my head timidly.

"I remember,” I whisper.

At that point in my time as a slave, Cyrus’s favor was prominent. I was by his side all hours of the day and into the late hours of the night, doing things slaves could only dream of doing. Cyrus’s confession to me only yesterday is still fresh in my mind. I’ve done what Joan said was necessary. I have his heart. But I do not have his trust. Nor does he have mine.

Cyrus chuckles, pulling me out of my thoughts as he steps around me. His hand gently pulls mine toward his lips.

“You’ve come a long way from being a slave,” he says gently.

I nod my head timidly, eyeing him. I can’t decipher his mood. I haven’t seen him since his confession yesterday, and usually, Cyrus is filled with lust by the time we meet again. Cyrus silently makes his way to the door, holding his hand out to me with a grin.

“Shall we?”

The palace is busy. It’s strange watching all the beasts hurry to their places to prepare for tonight’s dinner. I was once among them, getting beatings in the kitchens for not being able to carry the heavy plates fast enough. And now, I walk among the halls in the open with the king.

I look at Cyrus as he walks next to me. His face is lax of emotion as we walk to our unknown destination. And each beast, no matter how busy, bows as he walks by. I wonder what kind of beast he was before the scars and before humans stepped out of line. Where did his hatred of humans stem from?

Cyrus’s gaze meets mine, and I immediately look away, blushing furiously, earning his soft laugh.

“You've been studying me much more intensely ever since you saw my old portrait. Do my scars frighten you?” he asks.

I’m shocked by his question. I never thought Cyrus cared about my opinions, let alone what his scars mean to me. His scars to me are just a part of him. And I thought he felt that way as well. He's never voiced anything otherwise.

“No, Your Majesty.”

“But you're curious as to what happened.”

I look at Cyrus, who again has his gaze focused straight ahead.

“Your father said humans did it to you,” I say softly. Cyrus’s footsteps falter, and he finally looks at me. His guard is down slightly as he studies me, as it always is when speaking of his parents.

“He told you?” he asks.

I nod.

Cyrus scoffs lightly, a bitter smile forming on his lips before he continues walking.

“My father surrounded himself with weaker beings during his reign. He saw it as equality, but I saw it as a mistake. You can never allow a lesser being to feel like they deserve a place among you. He wanted peace, but he failed to see humans for what they truly are. They are a cesspool of hatred and jealousy. They despise those who are naturally gifted and do everything they can to place themselves on top,” he says.

I look at the ground as Cyrus’s words slice through the air.

“So… why were you attacked?” I ask.

“Because they feared me. They feared what my rule would mean. Tensions between beasts and humans were on the rise, and although I declined my father’s attempt at crowning me so soon, the humans that were in his council didn’t like the way I viewed their kind. They felt I would change things when I came into power.”

Cyrus scoffs.

“I never would have betrayed my father’s trust. I would have ruled with his philosophies and passed them on to my son. That is how much I loved and respected him. But they took him and with him, any chance at a peaceful life for a human,” he finishes next to me.

I’m silent as I walk next to him. I never knew how any of this came to be, especially from Cyrus's side.

“Don’t fret, Anna. You will live a peaceful life. You will rule over them and be an example of what they should strive to be,” he says.

I know I should remain silent, but my conscience won't allow it.

“Humans and hunters are different, Your Majesty,” I whisper.

My words hang in the air, and Cyrus stops walking. I pause, keeping my eyes down.

“Oh?” he asks.

He steps closer to me, bending to look into my eyes.

“How is that?”

For the first time in a while, I can’t control my heartbeat. As the sound of it speeding up hits Cyrus’s ears, a cruel smile forms on his lips.

“The hunters started the war, but you punish all humans, even those who weren’t involved,” I say softly.

Cyrus laughs, pulling my attention.

“Were you not listening when I spoke earlier?” he asks.

My eyes widen as his smile drops, his cold demeanor pulling the warmth out of the air. His eyes begin to sharpen, showing a glimpse of the beast that lurks beneath his human-like facade.

“You should never allow a lesser being to feel like they deserve a place among you,” he says in a low tone.

Cyrus continues to study my expression, and to my terror, the smoky exterior of his beast begins to seep from his skin.

My gasp fills the air as he speaks.

“Tread very carefully, Annalise.”

The walk to our destination is silent as I try and compose myself next to Cyrus. I hate that I continue to let my guard down around him. First and foremost, I need to understand that Cyrus does not trust me. His heart may call out for me, but his mind is keeping me compartmentalized so he knows when to threaten me for overstepping. He’s said before that he will never trust me and underestimate me again. And he’s kept to that.

It’s exhausting trying to play this game with him all the time. I’m constantly trying to earn his affection while remaining wary of his emotions coming to the surface. His anger behind my betrayal may have somewhat subsided, but it is still there nonetheless. And I must navigate it skillfully if I want to survive his affections.

“Mama!”

I look up at the sound of Ciel’s voice as we step into Cyrus’s study. He makes a face as he stands on his own, using his little legs to stumble toward me. I smile, tears forming as he falls into my arms, pulling him in close.

“Hi, baby,” I murmur.

He’s small and warm, and as he pulls away from my hug, he holds my face between his hands, pressing our foreheads against each other. He’s done this before, too, and I don't know what it means or where he learned such a forward gesture.

Cyrus comes next to us, ruffling Ciel’s hair as he passes by.

“It’s a greeting,” he says.

“You are someone important to him, someone who is not a threat. When a beast allows you this close, it is because they trust you with everything they are. They are being vulnerable with you,” he says, explaining why Ciel does this.

I continue to watch Cyrus as he crosses the room, taking a seat at the table with chess pieces set up. He is silent as he rearranges the pieces, resetting the game.

“Do you play?” he asks without looking up.

“Yes, Your Majesty.”

He doesn’t respond as he gestures for me to sit across from him.

“Indulge me,” he says with a grin.

I silently cross the room, placing Ciel on the ground as I sit across from Cyrus. To my shock, Ciel walks to where Cyrus is seated, reaching for him. And Cyrus lifts him up, placing him on his lap as he makes his first move. His dark gaze raises meeting mine just as I make my move as well. My gaze is focused on Ciel, however. He is comfortable as he sits in his father’s lap, his wide eyes looking at the pieces as he leans his head against Cyrus’s chest.

Cyrus makes another move, shifting his pawn. His eyes meet mine as he waits for my reaction. I look down at the pieces, already playing out moves and countermoves in my head, but I make my move, matching his gaze.

“You must be good at this game,” Cyrus says suddenly.

“What makes you say that, Your Majesty?” I ask.

Cyrus smiles immediately, making his countermove.

“I’ve always praised your intelligence, Annalise. Let’s not pretend this is a shocking revelation,” he chuckles.

I don’t respond as I make a move to bait his next few, earning a grin from him.

“You assess situations and wait until the proper time to make your move,” he says, eyeing the board.

He makes the move I expect, his eyes meeting mine.

“It is something I both love and hate about you,” he says.

I inhale, keeping my heart calm as I make another move, deepening the trap.

“You once laid out your plans to me and explained your thought process. I was too angry at the time to acknowledge the truth in your words, but it was very well thought out and depended on several different variables,” he says.

Cyrus makes a move taking my bait, capturing my pawn. And I counter, reaching for my piece.

“You had thoroughly watched me and waited for the right time to make your move,” Cyrus says.

My fingers pause over my piece, and I lift my gaze. Cyrus is watching me with an intense expression, his eyes roaming over me with a silent threat. I pull my fingers away from the chess piece, placing them in my lap. Cyrus laughs softly.

“Life is a game of chess for you, Anna. And you are very good at it.”

Cyrus gently smiles at Ciel before looking back at me. He leans forward, making the move I planned on making for me with my piece, then shifts to make his own, capturing my king. His tone turns threatening as he holds up my piece, studying it before handing it to Ciel.

“But when it comes to us, you will no longer be playing that game. Don’t lose sight of what is truly important. Humans, hunters, none of them matter. We are your family now. No one else.”