Page 44 of Conspirators' Kingdom

He felt the bonds of the spell wrap around him.

“If you will, Princess Consort Taisiya?” Raemka said.

“I, Princess Consort Taisiya Spark of Lethe, the Empire of Mages, swear to bind my life to that of Prince Mereruka, so that I may spend all my days with him.”

Mereruka waited for the spell to claim him, but felt nothing. In fact, the bonds dissipated. If the reactions of his fellow fae were any indication, none of them suspected a thing. But what had it been?

He looked into her stormy amethyst eyes and did his best not to laugh with triumph as the truth hit him.

Her true name was Taisiya Dragonsblood, and no vow as sacred as a life-binding could be sworn using a false one. The fae didn’t know her true name, nor had they used spell sight to confirm his entrapment. Taisiya didn’t know how fae vows were made, so he could use this as a means to ensure his own survival once the marks of their deal faded.

Mereruka revelled in his unparalleled victory.

The emperor and empress approached them from their position on the thrones, bedecked in red finery of every kind and a pair of truly monstrous crowns.

“I, Empress Selene,” the empress said as she stood beside Taisiya and just a little behind her.

“And I, Emperor Belisarius,” the emperor said as he took up a spot behind Mereruka, yet still visible to the gathered crowd.

“Give our blessings to this union,” they said in unison and placed their hands over those of himself and Taisiya.

Mereruka hadn’t expected this part of the ceremony, and so had failed to prepare for it. As the emperor’s skin touched his own, Mereruka’s glamour broke—everywhere on his body. The fae present gasped and hissed, and even Taisiya’s eyes widened with shock. Mereruka’s skin, covered in glowing yellow tattoos to enhance his magic many times over, to protect him from harm, marking him like the basest of mercenaries not fit to enter the home of any noble, had been revealed to friend and foe alike.

The number of people he needed to silence before he reached Maat had just increased exponentially.

“Fuck.”

Chapter 21

Notoneofthefae would speak with him or his newlywed wife. Mereruka’s dishonour had tainted Taisiya in their eyes. Though the mages were puzzled over this behaviour, they were too polite to ask, or more concerned with all the things he and Taisiya would be supplying to Lethe in future to care overmuch.

The matriarch of his wife’s clan approached him like a dark wraith in her midnight purple gown. Her amber eyes were like chips of ice, and not a strand of her silvery-blonde hair was out of place. She raked him with her glance and found him wanting.

“It’s expected that the groom dance with his mother-in-law,” she stated flatly.

“Then may I have this dance?”

Without another word, she extended her hand and he walked her onto the dance floor. A few steps into the awkward dance, she spoke.

“For a manipulative man, you’re not very astute.”

“I’m not sure I follow.”

Her raised brow brought to mind a deeply disappointed tutor.

“I could have killed you the moment you touched my hand. We know how you tricked my daughter into marrying you. The only reason you’re still alive is because I believe Lethe, as it stands, is too small for Taisiya’s ambitions. Are you in a position to become king of Maat, Prince Mereruka?”

He felt a warning chill go down his spine. How could this woman know of his plans? Was she a mind-reader? Gods below, he didn’t think they existed on the Cursed Continent.

“Illustra Oxsana, only an imprudent man would speak openly of such things,” he hedged.

“Do not dissemble, Prince Mereruka. I can run you through with a bolt of lightning as well as my daughter can.”

He hadn’t known that. Gods, he really had underestimated his new family.

“I am fifth in line for the throne,” he replied.

“Then you don’t have that many obstacles.”

---