Page 46 of Conspirators' Kingdom

“Why curse yourself, Theodore?”

Why hadn’t he cursed Mereruka instead? Was Taisiya’s entire family mad?

“Well, if you make my sister cry, now I shall know. And if I know, then my friends and I will go on a vacation to the Land of Maat and comfort her. And if you’ve broken her heart, then perhaps my friends and I will bring her back to Letheas a widow.”

Mereruka’s throat dried up.

“Illustrus, I believe Magistra Amber is here for you,” Viktor spoke, his voice deep and commanding.

Mereruka looked up and saw a young woman with white hair, amber eyes and pale brown skin approach them. The silver-tongued mage from a few days prior. He prayed she would take these two murderous men from him.

“Is this your new brother-in-law, Theo?” she asked.

She was in league with the red-haired demon spawn. Gods help him. Theodore stood, a smile on his face. Viktor pulled Mereruka up as well.

“It is. Magistra Amber, this is Prince Mereruka.”

She looked him in the eyes.

“Kneel, Prince Mereruka.”

His knees slammed down onto the mosaic. Her voice had been like that of a siren, and he yearned to obey. She tipped his chin up with her finger and raised a bright white brow. The look in her sunset eyes chilled him to the marrow.

“I, too, consider Theo and Taisiya to be dear friends. Pray that we never meet again.” She turned to Theodore and grinned. “You promised to dance with me until my toes bleed. Come on.”

“I haven’t forgotten, Magistra.” He turned back to Mereruka. “I suppose all this is to say, welcome to the family, Prince Mereruka.”

When Mereruka was alone once more, he put his head in his hands. He thought he’d become inured to threats over the course of the day. He was wrong.

“Your family is terrifying,” Mereruka said between steps.

“My family loves me. If you find that terrifying, it’s because you’re scum and they know it,” Taisiya replied as she danced with her… husband.

Taisiya wasn’t certain exactly what his hastily hidden tattoos meant, but it was obviously something which had earned him great disfavour amongst the fae. She wondered if his fellow delegates would even argue if she killed him at sea. As it stood, that seemed the wisest option. There was no sense in keeping a husband who was a pariah among his own people. He would only prove to be a hindrance to her ambitions.

“None of that matters now. Do you not realise the situation we’re in? Once we return to Maat, my tattoos will become common knowledge. I’ve hidden them beneath my glamour my entire life for a reason.”

“I don’t see why that should mean anything to me,” Taisiya sniffed.

“Nobles of Maat do not abide those with magic inked into their skin. They believe that only bloodstained mercenaries and lowlifes need such things. When we return, we will be disgraced.”

Taisiya raised her brow.

“No,youwill be disgraced. I have no such markings on me, not anymore.”

She punctuated that fact by allowing a trickle of electricity to roll along her skin where he touched her. He gripped her tighter, his eyes narrowed.

“My disgrace belonged to you the moment we were wed,” Mereruka replied.

“Then no one will be surprised when I divorce you.” Taisiya smiled. At his raised brows, she continued. “Oh, I had my sisters enquire about your peoples’ marriage customs before the wedding. I believe you said that wording was everything, no? And I don’t recall you saying, at any time, just how long I was expected to remain your wife.”

She shoved a jolt of electricity into his palm. He stiffened with the pain and grunted.

“It’s good that you remembered that, wife. Do you recall, exactly, the vows we just swore?” he asked through clenched teeth.

Taisiya frowned. The wedding vows were just like those that mages swore, and they never prevented divorce if the couple were determined to end things.

“What of it?” Taisiya asked.

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