Page 177 of A Promise so Bold and Broken

All dressed in the same uniform as her father, they stood posted every few feet of the ship, their sharp teeth glinting like the curved swords they held in their hands and their hair tied back as the Fae preferred during war, showing off their pointed ears and chiseled features.

Still, even with the determination tugging at every angle of their faces, their eyes were wary as they moved—almost too fast for her to catch—between her father and their king.

“You apparently don’t.”

Her gaze flew back to Rioner when he spoke.

“I must have severely underestimated you.” He threw out an arm to the frozen Fae and regent behind her. “They are all under your control?”

Lessia dipped her chin. “I realized I was tired of running. And besides,uncle, like you, I have royal blood—a leader’s blood—running through my veins. I thought it was time to do something with it.”

Rioner placed a hand atop the ornament decorating the bow.

Ironic, Lessia thought.

It was a wyvern.

With its maw open and a stream of water bursting through it, the creature seemed to stare right at her as Rioner tapped his long fingers against it.

“So you… what? Decided to take control of Ellow after all?” A thin wrinkle between Rioner’s dark brows was the only thing betraying that he wasn’t merely bored but… curious.

Lessia walked up to the railing and placed her hands on it, forcing her eyes to remain on the king when she felt Merrick’s presence shift, his hot gaze glued to her back and a slight tremor of fury filling the air—probably because of how close she now was to her uncle.

“I did participate in that damn election. If it hadn’t been for Loche, I would have won it… if it hadn’t been for the foolish feeling…” Lessia tilted her head as she made herself spit out the word: “Love… I wouldn’t have been so weak in the first place. I guess you can say it was thanks to you that I learned my lesson.”

Rioner hummed, his hand still whispering over the head of the wyvern. “Love is a strange thing… I am guessing it’s what drove your father to betray me in the first place.”

Lessia’s breaths came in sharper when Rioner’s eyes lifted.

But the king didn’t meet her own, ever so carefully keeping his averted.

Which she knew was good—he didn’t suspect anything was amiss with her magic.

Didn’t know her powers were currently useless.

“See… I am not certain you’re telling me the truth, Elessia.” Rioner’s smile struck her like a ball of snow in the chest. “I saw you crawling on that floor. Begging him to love you. I saw you almost give up when you removed his memories…”

Lessia bit her cheek so hard blood flooded her mouth.

“A moment of weakness,” she got out. “One I don’t intend to repeat.”

“Not even with yourmate?” Rioner’s brow arched, and Lessia fought not to react when her father sucked in a breath from where he stood a few feet behind the king, the stream of water still circling him like a thick, whirling rope.

Lessia’s nerves flared with energy as she echoed his expression. “The Death Whisperer? Yes, it was quite easy to control his mind when I realized what he was. He led me right to the others after that.”

Digging her nails into her palms to fight the pain inside her—the pain straining somewhere in her chest, the pain shattering her heart—she continued. “I can see why you had him bound to you for so long. He can be quite useful.”

She couldn’t look backward.

Especially when Rioner’s laugh pierced the air. “You truly are a Rantzier. Absolutely ruthless.”

Lessia pursed her lips. “I knew I needed something you valued to get my father and sister back. I assume you have her somewhere on the boat as well?”

Her heartbeat thrummed in her ears when Rioner glided his hands across his railing, leaning over the ship for a second before lifting his face again.

“I do.” He fixed the crown atop his head, a lazy smile on his face. “And what will you offer me in return?”

“I’ll give you the Fae warriors. I’ll compel them to follow your every order. Or I can ask them to swear you another blood oath, should you prefer.” Lessia jerked her head their way. “And… I’ve understood Loche is a threat to you, so… I will take him out. Let you do whatever you want with Ellow.”

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