“We are all prisoners in one way or another.”
“I don't want to do this anymore.” A single tear finally spills over onto her cheek. She turns away to wipe it with a slap of her hand. “Sometimes, I wish he’d just kill me and get it over with.”
My stomach flips. “Don’t say that.”
“My life is not my own. I’m trapped.” My ears catch the sound of her teeth grinding together before she continues. “The only thing that keeps me going is Nollix and fucking petty revenge.” She points a demanding finger at me. “So don’t you dare take him away from me!”
Nollix. I tuck the name away for the future.
I swallow to appease the dryness of my throat. “Kings have lovers all the time. Perhaps you can work something out with Prince Dalziel. He might happily let you keep him.”
It’s not like Valentina and me. My father wouldnevershare his wife, least of all with his son.
She coughs a laugh. “Don’t you have bigger issues to worry about than little old me?” Her fingers dig into the chair as she sits up. “After all, the Court of Light has finally made a move. They’re looking for the Book of Severed Souls, and they’ve destroyed an entire village trying to find it. Find another way to save our court. You’re the crown prince, after all.”
Those words leave my body numb. My hands fall loosely at my sides.
The Court of Light has finally made it into our court, and no doubt they’ll be headed right for our castle next.
Chapter Seventeen
Nollix
The day ends and night comes. Stars twinkle above but get lost to me the more I drench myself in a cloud of smoke from what offerings I have left. It takes me hours, though I know I’d devote my whole life to it if that’s what was required, until I feel a piece of me drift away. I didn’t think feelings like this were possible for a man like me.
This world is so cruel. My heart had grown so hard.
Yet all it took was one woman. One head-strong, beautiful woman with the capability to get under my skin faster than anybody else I’ve ever known—to make me fold.
The way she’s looking at me now says a thousand words even if she won’t say a single one of them. Something happened today. Lines of frustration crease her brow as her lips pull down in thought.
“Why didn’t you come earlier when I tried to call you here?”
“I couldn’t get the offering to take.” It’s becoming more and more reluctant to take effect. I have to be damn near asleep for the smoke to overtake my mind and bring me to her.
Her arms cross over the thin white shirt she’s wearing to bed. She has more clothes here. She looks more casual, taken care of. I’ve never seen her wear anything like that when we were in the Hunt. She was always nicely covered up. And now she’s not.
Just like she wasn’t this morning when she’d appeared in that dress that was so damn distracting.
Fair skin draws my attention down the length of her frame, over the soft curve of her thighs. I tear my gaze away from the smooth span of her long legs.
“My imaginary friend is so full of excuses.”
My lips part with a gentle laugh, and I drag my features down with the palm of my hand before I’m even able to speak.
“You still don’t believe I’m real?” I tease, I taunt, and fucking pray that this is a joke. My hand pushes roughly through my hair. “I literally kissed you today.”
I’ve poured my heart out to her for days, and I get no credit for it. I’ve been nicer to her than I’ve ever been to anyone in my entire life. It didn’t even take any effort. I genuinely wanted to comfort her. If she just understood that I was really here for her...
“Yeah, about that... I hope you’re real. Otherwise, this might be really fucking embarrassing for me.”
“What do I have to do to prove I’m the real deal?”
Her pale brows crease slightly before her small shoulders pull up in a shrug. My gaze trails over her thin shirt, racking my brain for something to convince her. I have to give her something she doesn’t believe, something she’d never tell herself.
“You were the most beautiful woman I ever met. Youare—youarethe most beautiful woman I’ve ever met. You were quiet, but your emotions were always right there on the surface. Especially when you were angry. Always when you were angry.”
The column of her throat works as she swallows hard. Her arms fold across her chest, amplifying her breasts into a sexy sight.
