Chapter 16
h, Rose?’ Llinos’s voice is a whisper, but it’s perfectly loud enough‘U for me to hear the panic within it. I give her hand a squeeze and then release it. I want my hands free for what comes next, but I let one hover close to the dagger’s pommel.
Benny stiffens next to me, but it’s Jonas I’m most aware of. His fingers graze my hand as if he’s considering taking hold of it, only to pull away as Kyor approaches. ‘Kyor,’ Jonas says, his voice neutral. ‘I am glad you made it back for the Retterheld. People were starting to worry you wouldn’t return in time from the Northern territories.’ Kyor doesn’t so much as acknowledge Jonas’s presence. His attention is all on me, his icy-blue eyes staring me down, breaking contact only to scan my body in a tortuously slow sweep that lingers on my hips, my thighs and – it feels – every one of my curves. ‘Have you spoken to my father?’ he asks casually. ‘He’s no doubt dying to see you again, Kultavaris.’ The emphasis he puts on the word dying suggests that I’ll be the one seeing Mortidem sooner rather than later. ‘I haven’t yet had the pleasure,’ I fire back as flatly as I can manage. ‘No. From what I recall, pleasure is something you’re lacking in,’ he says, his eyes glinting.
I bite back the retort on my tongue. He might be untouchable here, surrounded by knights and lords – people I’m sure would happily give their lives for his – but I’m not. Besides, what I have to say to him doesn’t need an audience.
When he finally realises he’s not going to get a rise out of me, he looks around at Jonas and Benny. He nods his head at Jonas. ‘Sensible of you to pick this one to fuck first, given she’s not going to survive the first trial. The Retterheld has no place for flowers. Graveyards do though. Which is exactly where she belongs.’ His venom works to knock the breath from me, and though fury rises sharp and hot in my chest, not a single word makes it past my lips. ‘Okay, that’s enough.’ Benny places his hand on Kyor’s shoulder. ‘I know you’re a prince and everything, but your manners are shocking. And in case you haven’t realised, tonight is meant to be fun.’ Given how Benny had no intention of making the night anything more than business only minutes ago, I should find the comment amusing. But I don’t. I’ve only just made these friends, and now they’re being forced to make an enemy of one of the most powerful Rettlings. For me.
The air grows taut as Kyor’s eyes narrow on Benny. ‘I know you.’ ‘Probably from one of these tedious things,’ Benny replies drily, the same way he had to Jonas earlier. ‘Now, did you want anything else, or are we done here?’ Kyor’s lips twist as his attention shifts back to me. ‘You are racking them up, aren’t you, Kultavaris? Can’t say I blame you. Might as well get as much fun in as you can before you meet Mortidem. Maybe I could join you one night, too? I guess it would have to be soon. You know, with the trials coming up. So … is it a together thing, or one at a time?’ A sound rumbles from Benny and his fingers flex as though it’s taking all his restraint not to hit the prince. And from the way the corner of Kyor’s mouth twitches, he sees it too. It’s all just a game to him.
But if he truly wanted me dead, he could have done it at the temple. So why didn’t he?
If I’d known who he was, I would certainly have been rooting for him to fall from that damned window. And though I wouldn’t have killed him in Etta’s temple, I would have been damn tempted to wait outside and throw a dagger through his chest the moment he left. So what stopped him?
Understanding hits me the moment the thought strikes. Unlike Zara, Kyor doesn’t believe Etta will gift him if he starts unnecessarily killing her chosen ones before the trials have even begun. Just like he did with the offering, he’s following the rules. After all, there isn’t a knight alive who would have allowed their wolves to attack the heir to the throne, meaning
he didn’t have to put his life at risk to enter the temple through the most dangerous route possible. But he did it anyway, taking the same risks as every other candidate to ensure he was equally worthy of Etta’s consideration.
Meaning that in this moment, in this place, I’m absolutely safe from him. ‘It’s fine,’ I say, placing my hand on Benny’s arm and moving past him and Jonas so there is nothing but a whisper of air between the prince and me. With my pulse pounding, I lean in. ‘You lied, Kyor,’ I whisper, close enough for him to feel my breath on his skin. ‘You might have convinced your father, but we both know the truth, don’t we? Just like Etta does. Like all the Gods do. One way or another, your pathetic soul is doomed.’ With that, I turn around and look at my friends. ‘Who wants to dance?’ I ask airily. Without even bothering to answer me, Benny takes my arm and leads me to the floor. I don’t look at the prince again.
Benny twirls me around effortlessly and we fall into a natural rhythm.
My head has forgotten the dance moves, but my feet have not, and we move smoothly around the other couples, as if we’ve partnered together for years.
Benny’s thoughts must have followed a similar line, for he murmurs to me, ‘I know we didn’t formally agree on an alliance, but considering the enemies I’ve now made, I do propose we work together in the trials.’ I tilt my head to the side and pretend to consider the suggestion. ‘Well … I do have quite a few options, you know …’ A grin breaks free on my
lips. ‘Deal.’ He beams back. ‘Wonderful.’ As the music ends, Llinos hauls us off the dance floor. ‘We aren’t supposed to be making enemies,’ she hisses at Benny. ‘That’s your rule.’ He shrugs. ‘He’s an enemy I would have been perfectly fine with making anyway,’ Benny replies. ‘But happily, it was worth it. Rose has agreed to work with us.’ Llinos beams at me, relief flashing in her eyes. ‘That’s great news.’ ‘I think so,’ I quip. ‘More so for me than you guys, but I’ll take it.’ I turn to Jonas. ‘You with us?’ While I’m now more than a little relieved to have a team beside me, Jonas looks nervous about the proposition .
He presses his lips tightly together. ‘It’s not quite so straightforward for me. I don’t want to make any enemies. Any more enemies,’ he corrects himself with a grimace. ‘Think it over. There’s no rush,’ Benny says. ‘But we’re a good team to
have on your side.’ ‘I believe it.’ All four of us have barely touched the wine, but we seem to be among the minority as inebriated guests swirl around us. When we’re joined by Loch and Coulter, it’s clear the younger of the pair has also been enjoying his fair share of beverages. ‘This place is amazing,’ Coulter gushes. ‘There are so many rooms: games rooms, drawing rooms, studies. And the wine? Gods, tell me you’ve tried the pink one? Pink wine. It’s my new favourite.’ His cheeks have a ruddiness to them, which is undoubtedly from the drink. As is the slight glaze to his eyes. His exuberance makes me smile.
Was I ever so young? ‘Learn anything?’ Benny asks, looking directly at Loch while Coulter scans the room for another waiter. He clearly has his priorities. ‘Couple of things. Apparently two of the Rowells – Elenor and Oke – threatened the healers to make sure they fixed Zara up enough that she was ready for the ball. It’s left them all entirely drained, so let’s hope none of us get injured tonight.’ Llinos and I exchange a worried look. The only time I ever saw my mother drained was when she was trying to help the queen. Her body had paled, her skin turning translucent as she tried to call upon any last shreds of magic she could, her very life essence being stripped from her cells.
Recovery from draining can take anything from hours to weeks, depending on how bad it is, so trying to stay injury-free for at least a few days sounds like a solid plan. Better still would be avoiding injury altogether, but that seems unlikely. ‘Oh.’ Loch’s voice yanks me back into the room. ‘And there’s another woman in the Retterheld whose sister got stripped and banished from the High Hold because she got pregnant by the prince.’ ‘What?’ My jaw drops open as I spin around to face Jonas. My eyes are so wide I can feel them bulging. ‘That’s what you wouldn’t tell us?’ ‘It’s all rumours.’ He shakes his head as he speaks. ‘Nothing concrete.’ ‘When did this happen?’
‘Three or four years ago. I can’t remember exactly.’ ‘You’re saying the prince has a child out there? A rightful successor to the throne?’ Benny interjects.
Rather than replying, Jonas bites down on his bottom lip and glances around. I’m honestly not sure why he’s that worried. Obviously other people are talking about it, or Loch wouldn’t have heard. Of course, with his power, who knows how far away the people were when they were having what they likely thought was a private conversation. ‘No.’ His timbre is grave. ‘Apparently the child didn’t make it.’ ‘That poor woman.’ Llinos’s words echo my own thoughts. Stripped and banished, only to lose the reason for it. Just awful.
The trail of destruction the prince leaves behind him really does know no bounds. No, I’m not surprised that Kyor is the type of person who gets a kick out of destroying others. ‘Guys.’ Coulter’s trembling voice breaks the silence that has settled. ‘I think the king’s coming around, meeting the Rettlings.’ He gestures to the other side of the room where, sure enough, Korvane Knavin, backed by two knights and their dire wolves, is shaking hands with an elderly woman who has a large, curved tattoo on her back – the arch of the city of Dorain. From there, he moves on and shakes the hand of a young man.
King Korvane is exactly as I remembered, with narrow, deep-set eyes and a sharp, angular nose and chin. He’s not as broad as his son, and I doubt he was ever close to as good-looking, but his body exudes power. So much so, I swear I can almost see it rippling around him like an aura.
He moves swiftly, shaking the hands of the groups near him before turning his attention to other areas of the room. When his gaze falls on our little gathering, nausea sweeps through me. ‘Need my hand again?’ Llinos mutters. ‘Or would you rather my dagger?’ ‘Both,’ I hiss back, while simultaneously forcing my cheeks upwards in a smile. I can fake deference. For now.
Korvane’s eyes skim past the rest of us and land on Benny. His lips purse slightly, but before he can speak, Benny offers him a courtly bow. ‘Benaris Birch, of the Eastern Isles. An honour to meet you, Your Majesty.’ ‘Birch. That’s not a name I’m familiar with. Lesser noble, I assume?’
Prick, I think, as Llinos sucks in a breath next to me. But Benny seems utterly unperturbed by the comment. ‘Quite possibly,’ he replies with perfect politeness .
From there, Korvane moves his attention to Llinos and the others from the Isles, though where Jai has got to, I’m not sure. By the time Coulter has finished babbling to the monarch, my heart is lodged so far up my throat I can barely swallow. Every part of me is praying that Korvane will speak to Jonas next. That maybe the two of them will get so embroiled in conversation that I’ll be able to slip away unnoticed.
But the king looks at me instead. His stare is just as piercing as his son’s. My hand is perfectly steady, like it could still hold a dagger firmly enough to stab him, but I resist the urge to test it.
King Korvane looks at me, waiting for me to extend a hand for him to take, but I refuse to shake the hand of the man who murdered my brother.
Rather than speak, he rolls his gaze across my shoulders and chest, looking for a tattoo. For marks of the city I show fealty to. Some people in the slums wear the Wrohelm rings, but not me. I’d rather stick pins in my eyes than show fealty to anything this man and his family hold in esteem.
Knowledge sparks in his eyes, and I know he’s worked out who I am. ‘It would seem as though Etta is giving a chance to even the most unmeritorious in this Retterheld,’ he murmurs. ‘Are you questioning the Goddess’s wisdom, Your Majesty?’ I reply, my eyebrow arching. There’s no denying the sliver of satisfaction that comes with knowing my presence here riles even a tiny part of him.
I can only imagine what it’ll be like if – when – I win this thing. The thought makes me smile. He’s publicly said he will give the winner his favour, and it would delight me endlessly to see him forced to acknowledge me. ‘Not at all.’ His smile is thin, cutting, a threat rather than a kindness. ‘But Goddess though she may be, there is no denying that females are slaves to their emotions, especially in situations where only cold, hard logic should rule. It’s what makes them easy to manipulate.’ For a moment, my brain disconnects. Did he just insult the Goddess? I reply without hesitation, ‘Well, it is not for any of us mere mortals to judge her decisions. She chooses with a wisdom and insight that, unfortunately, even the highest of nobles are not blessed with.’
It’s a poorly veiled insult, but unlike Benny, the king doesn’t feign obliviousness to it. Instead, his cheeks suck inwards and his jaw tightens.
When he speaks, his voice is like gravel. ‘I’ve heard there has already been one attempt on your life, Rettling Kultavaris,’ he says. ‘And before the inauguration, too. It can’t bode well for your chances.’ I smile back. ‘A failed attempt, which I believe bodes very well indeed. ’ He inhales with a hiss and my eyes are drawn to his hand, where a skitter of flames begins to dance. He lets them grow on his palm until the heat reaches my skin and intensifies. My jaw locks as my skin throbs, but I refuse to step back from his less-than-subtle threat.
As suddenly as they come, the flames vanish. He smiles slowly now, his expression dark and sinister. ‘Well, let us hope that you continue to be as fortunate throughout.’ His smile widens. ‘Then again, the Gods’ favour only lasts for so long.’ Done with me, he turns to Jonas. ‘Rettling Lorathin, I will admit I find your choice of company this evening peculiar.’ ‘Just trying to make all the visitors to our great city feel welcome,’ Jonas replies smoothly, though I hear the tentativeness in his tone. ‘Indeed. I’m sure there are others who would welcome your hospitality.
Though perhaps they are not as pretty as the companion you’ve chosen.’ A thrum of annoyance roils within me. The fact that both Korvane and his son think the only reason Jonas is at my side is so he can screw me says far more about them than us, and it’s taking every bit of willpower I have to bite my tongue.
The king straightens as he draws in a breath, causing the obnoxious stones in his crown to glint. ‘I’ve not seen your father yet this evening,’ he continues to Jonas. ‘I assume he will be bringing his wards with him to watch you and your new friends’ progress in the trials. There’s one you’re particularly close to, isn’t there? I can’t recall his name?’ Jonas pales. ‘My father has several wards,’ he finally replies. He stands a full head taller than the monarch, but his shoulders have curled inwards, diminishing his height in a manner I could never have believed possible were I not witnessing it now. ‘I like to consider myself close to them all.’ ‘How generous. I’m sure that is exactly what they need – a brother who loves them. I pray they all remain safe when you are in the trials. It would
be terrible if anything happened to them.’ The threat is unsubtle, just like the man making it.
Heat surges through my body. If evilness has ever taken on a corporeal form, it is surely standing here, right in front of me. He killed a baby boy, and he’s near enough threatening to do the same to Jonas’s brother, just because Jonas is standing at my side. How the Gods can allow such a man to rule is beyond me. My teeth grind together but before I snap, the king dips his chin slightly, flashing his most demure of smiles, which fools precisely no one . ‘I will let you enjoy the rest of your evening,’ he says, with one final glance at me. ‘It is time I attend to my more … esteemed guests.’ And with that final insult, he spins on his heel and leaves.
