Page 66 of Her Cruel Redemption

‘And you could use a cold dose of reality. Don’t speak for me or try to defend me. It only reminds me of the time you didn’t.’

That seemed to douse that vicious energy. I waited for him to say something when he turned back, maybe to make an excuse or to explain himself. But he didn’t. He seemed to struggle for his next words, which was unusual for him. He usually had some clever remark ready to roll right off his tongue.

‘I met Igor Lidello in Sarmiers,’ I found myself saying. I didn’t know why I said it. Maybe because I wanted to see him remain impassive, so I could release the terrible, squirming feeling I got whenever I thought of the encounter. Wanted to see him smirk, laugh it off, make some reference to how he was going to dismember him or something.

But he didn’t do any of those things. Heflinched.

‘What did he tell you?’ was the demand that followed, heated and abrupt.

‘Not very much,’ I replied, instantly regretting bringing it up. Because now I was gripped again with the intense, violent desire to claw the druthi’s face off.

‘Good,’ Draven replied, and he was so tense now, drawn so tight in his shoulders and his jaw, and I clenched my hands against the absurd urge to reach out and touch him, to comfort him. He didn’t deserve my comfort, I reminded myself. I stirred from my stasis, smothering the compulsion I had to remain here, locked in this pointless stand-off as though I didn’t want to walk away.

‘Don’t try to summon me to any more of these pretend negotiations,’ I said, trying to harden my voice again, ‘and don’t harm a hair on Gwinellyn’s head.’ I paused as I went to walk past him and watched his jaw tick as he looked down at me. ‘When I see you next, it won’t be under truce terms. You’re going to regret everything you’ve put me through.’

His mouth twisted into a cynical smile. ‘I already do.’

I bet he did. He’d made himself a formidable enemy as a result. I swallowed and forced my feet to move, following Vic back out the door, feeling Draven watching me as I went. I was sure we were stupid to leave Gwinellyn here with him, but the decision wasn’t mine to make. I hoped Mae would be able to protect her. I hoped Lester really was enough of a motivation to keep him from harming her.

As I mounted my horse, I realised my hands were trembling. I gripped the reins tightly so no one would notice.

Chapter Thirty-One

Itried to relax my hands as I waited for that door to reopen. I didn’t want to look afraid. I had to show him I was a serious opponent. How would I lead an army against him if I couldn’t even hold my own now?

The handle turned and when the Usurper walked through the door, I just focused on trying to breathe evenly and to relax my hands where they were folded on the table.

‘Would you mind waiting outside?’ he asked Mae, as though she had a choice when he‘d made that a part of the agreement. But… I was surprised by how courteously he’d asked her. Moments ago, I didn’t think he could be courteous if he tried.

Mae stood, touching my shoulder. ‘I’ll be right there,’ she said quietly. I nodded, trying to smile reassuringly, but maybe it came out more of a grimace. She withdrew, leaving us alone. I watched him warily as he approached, pulling out the chair one down from mine, leaving some empty space between us. I was grateful for that empty chair as we sat staring at each other and I tried even harder to keep my hands still. He was the enemy of my people, enemy of my kingdom, my father‘s murderer. He had schemed his way onto a throne that was meant for me. He’d compelled me to jump from a roof. Why did he want to have this conversation? What terrible things did he want to say?

‘I’m not here to hurt you,’ he began.

‘I don’t think I believe that,’ I replied, my voice wavering. ‘You’ve been trying to hurt me since before I even knew who you were.’

He raked a hand through his hair, leaving it dishevelled, and it humanised him a little. He suddenly looked very tired. It was strange. In the negotiations, he‘d seemed like he was impenetrable and cold. But right now, he didn’t seem like that at all. ‘I need to talk to you about where this conflict is leading. And what will happen to Rhiandra when it ends.’

That caught me by surprise in more ways than one. The way he said Rhi’s name was… awful. There was something in it I didn’t understand, something that I’d seen reflected whenshesaidhis.Intimacy. Possession. A history she’d never owned. ‘That’s what you traded three hundred soldiers for?’ I asked warily.

‘Yes.’

‘If you want us to hand her over to you as part of some sort of treaty, I won’t let—’

‘That’s not it,’ he cut in. ‘Your people won’t leave you here for long, so I’m going to have to get straight to the point. This war is going to end one way or another, with our defeat or yours. But whichever way it goes, you need to find a way to protect her.’

‘Rhiandra doesn’t need protection from anyone other than you.’

‘There are greater threats to her than me,’ he murmured, dropping his gaze to the table and staring at it like he was thinking of smashing it to pieces. Then he looked up again, and some of the danger, the threat, had settled back over his features. He leaned forwards, into that empty space between us, elbows on his knees. ‘If any of your generalsor advisors get it into their heads to try and hurt her, I will burn the whole fucking world down, no matter what peace terms we’ve agreed on. I swear it.’

‘What? Why wouldmypeople hurt her? She’s on our side.’

‘For now.’ He straightened, and I was able to breathe a little easier. How had Rhiandra lived with him for so long? He gave me the same feeling I got in a violent storm, like I was hiding inside as the wind rattled the windowpanes and thunder roared overhead. ‘But when she ceases to be useful to them, they are going to turn on her.’

‘They wouldn’t.’

‘You can’t afford to be naïve in this, Your Highness.’ I started a little at the term of respect. He seemed to be trying to smother that anger, to smooth it away from his features, to pretend it had never escaped into the conversation. ‘She’s too powerful to keep alive and whole. When they no longer need her as a weapon, she’ll become a threat.’

‘You know Rhiandra better than most,’ I said after a pause, dropping my voice, realising it was true as I said the words. He did know her. And what’s more, he didn’t hate her the way she said he did. It seemed so obvious now. ‘Anyone would be mad to try and betray her. You have to know that no one would do something like that, if not because she’s my ally and confidant, then out of fear of what she’d do to them for trying.’

---