Page 63 of Of Realms and Chaos

“I believe Ash was held captive by them long before she was taken by you.”

***

“Do we tell him?” Noe seemed the most inclined to inform Adbeel about Malcolm, her heart winning out just as it had in her argument to release Farai. She won the latter, securing Farai his own chambers and a promise to see Asher soon as long as he complied.

The others were on edge at the thought of him being there, but I tried to remind them that it was no different than the fae rescued in Haven. Farai did not trust the royals, nor did he support them. He bore witness to Asher’s mistreatment for years, though it was clear that he did not know the extent of her abuse.

“We must tread lightly. This is going to be upsetting for King Adbeel. Malcolm and Zaib have been believed to be dead for hundreds of years. To find out that his son not only survived but betrayed his crown? That would devastate anyone.” Luca’s reasoning was sound, as it normally was.

“Hold on. Do we actually think telling him is a good idea? He is already refusing to allow us to take an offensive approach. Why would he change his mind just to fight his son? Sure, Bellamy has been like a son to him, and for all Alemthian knows, he is, but this is Adbeel’s blood. I doubt he will let that go.”

Doing my best not to flinch at Lian’s words, I eyed Damon from across the way. But his eyes were trained on Noe, as usual. Poor male was never going to get over what happened between them.

Noe, with her golden-brown hair and cat-like hazel eyes, was predatorial and daunting to most, but to Damon, she was a force he desperately wished to submit to. He saw her in a way many before had not, and for that, I appreciated him. In fact, it was Noe who encouraged me to welcome him into our circle decades ago. But Noe would always turn down his advances, always tell him no, always draw that line after the last time. And Damon would never cross it.

For all her strength, Noe was also broken in a way I understood. She did not trust love or romantic relationships, nor did she envy or desire them. I could not fault her in that, not after the abuse she had suffered at the hands of her father—the one man in the world who was biologically meant to love her but did not. His warm blood on my hands and gasping gurgle in my ears was euphoric, as well as far too short-lived.

So I did not wish for her to submit to Damon, or anyone for that matter. Noe was happy as she was, and if the others understood that loneliness and being without a partner were two different things, then they would stop encouraging Damon.

“What do you think, Bellamy?” Cyprus was the embodiment of a neutral party as he spoke, his voice a monotone of perpetual impartiality. It was difficult to pretend as though I was not prepared to ignore it all and simply kill the filthy traitor.

“I think that it would be far easier to burn the entire world and start anew. I do not care for scheming or politics, and yet I constantly find myself at the center of both.” So easy to say in front of those I trusted with my entire being, but never something I would admit to anyone else. My greatest fault was that I was selfish and angry, I was too quick to fight and too slow to talk. And that was why Haven had been so good for me, a way to fight with kindness and peace rather than fists and blood. But Haven was gone now, the fae royals had seen to that.

“Seeing as killing off all of the innocents that Asher is trying to save would likely make her upset, I do not see you going that route.” Noe’s eyes were narrowed, her gaze accusatory. She knew me far too well.

“She is also one of the hottest females I have ever seen, so if you mess things up with her you would be a fool,” Lian added, much to my dismay. Noe reached around Damon, offering a high five to the Air. I glared at them both, wishing that I could be anywhere but here. When Cyprus nodded, I nearly lost it, my fists clenching so tight that I felt my nails dig into my skin.

Something inside of me needed to give, to bend before I snapped. I thought spending time with Asher would have instilled at least a modicum of peace within me, but our fight and her tears and that stupid fucking gold dress had only put me more on edge. Then the battle, my father, the burnout, Farai, Malcolm. It was all too much.

“I will tell Adbeel, and hopefully it sways him to fight. They turned his own son against him, so retribution should be his. Now, we must force him to claim it.”

Chapter Twenty-One

Stassi

Iwas wrong. The fae were fascinating.

The king and queen were the most exciting creatures I had encountered on this planet, both of them so full of sin that I was practically drowning in it.

Watching the queen was proving to be more entertaining, her constant fury thick in the air around her as flowers grew from her skin. She made her way through her golden castle, the likes of which I had never seen and desperately envied, each of her steps shaking the ground as she ripped the still forming buds from her arms. If there had been anything gracing the walls, it surely would have fallen.

Beside her walked a mortal man, if his ears were any indication. He did not wear gold, instead sporting navy blue trousers with the small collar of the matching top raised and a few buttons undone to expose his hairless chest. Perhaps man was a little too generous—this was a mere boy.

His golden curls were bright under the light of the flames, such a contrast to his dark eyes. He was small, not that much taller than me, which was saying something. The queen beside him towered his height, her shoulder-length orange hair swaying with her violent steps. I followed them, waiting to hear the name I was looking for. But when the queen finally spoke, it had nothing to do with Asher.

“Try to not ruin everything this time. Recall your place, and know I can send you right back the moment you cease to be useful to me.” With a final glare of her icy blue eyes, the fae queen shoved the blonde boy and made her way down the hallway to the left.

Oh wonderful, I did love the taste of ferocity strong enough to kill. Such a delicious sin. Yet it wasn’t anger that tempted his sinful nature, it was the sweet tang of vengeance.

Naturally, I followed.

Golden boy was fast for a mortal, turning corners with the kind of determination that suggested he was prepared to truly ruin someone’s day. And because of that, he was going to make mine abundantly better.

The tap of his black shoes and the racing beat of his heart were soon the only things that led me to him as he quickly moved through the palace. Which likely meant the sneaky thing didn’t want to be caught. My ears led me to the top of a set of soot-colored stairs, the odd and out-of-place color further piquing my curiosity and bringing a smile to my face.

As I descended, a putrid smell invaded my senses, immediately making my eyes water and my nose burn. Could one lose sight from a smell? If so, this would surely do it. Despite how horrific the scent was, what it came from was enough to leave me practically hopping down the stairs, the smile on my face likely far more maniacal than beautiful.

This was the scent of torture that kissed my magic, a feisty hello.

---