Page 56 of The Stygian Crown

The princess rose from her padded seat and walked towards Kara, skirts swishing between her legs. “I've been looking into your history, Lady Grey. It doesn't exist. Who are you? One of my men paid old Lord Grey a visit. He was eager to talk once I waived his debt to the crown. Imagine my surprise when he said he has no children. He was shocked to learn he had a daughter at court, seeing as he’s been sterile since the Curse Wars.”

Kara mouthed silent words, trying to communicate. Were these Ariana’s men? Why had Salizar been with them, and why had they attacked Logan?

“How long till the spell wears off?” Ariana snapped.

The man to Kara’s right shrugged. “He didn’t say.”

“I will let you speak, but if you scream, your friends will suffer. Understand?”

Kara nodded, her mind still reeling. What friends did she refer to? Logan? The other Stygians? She needed to know if he was okay—there’d been so much blood, so many knives. They should have told Ariana about the threat—she’d gotten suspicious on her own, jumped to conclusions and taken action. Kara would be lucky if she survived this.

Ariana wet her finger with her tongue and scrubbed it across the nape of Kara’s neck. The magic wrapped around her throat bubbled away, and Kara could breathe freely again.

“I mean you no harm, princess.” Her voice came out sludgy and thick, still tainted by the magic.

Ariana gripped Kara’s jaw and ran the long, sharp fingernail of her thumb down it. “Shall I tell you what gave you away?” Her nail pressed into the flesh of Kara’s cheek. “The way you looked at him. No aristocrat would lust after a mongrel like Logan Vakarian so publicly. A dirty mercenary with a title bought with blood? Fine to fuck in the shadows, of course. But nothing real. Teleria has forgotten, though. She grows fat with complacency as the clans get stronger and the crown weaker. Something had to be done.”

“I know I lied, but your brother hired me to protect you. I have your best interests at heart. Where’s Logan? He was hurt—he needs medical attention.”

Ariana cackled, her pristine face contorting in glee. “You still haven’t figured it out? Goddess, you’re a terrible spy. You should really consider another profession. Oh, wait—this one will be your last.”

Kara stilled. They’d misread all the threats. Ariana had never been in danger, Calim had.From Ariana. Fuck.Did Calim even have anyone guarding him, or had he diverted everyone to guard his sister?

Ariana wrapped a curl of hair around her finger tight enough to turn the skin white. “You have no idea what you are, do you? What you will wreak on this world? All that precious power. What a waste. It has been amusing, watching you all stumble around, always a step behind. I’ll miss it. It’s too bad I promised you to Victus.”

Ariana had allied herself with the Sanguines. Kara tried to quell the panic coursing through her. “Please, Ariana. You don’t have to do this. Victus only serves himself. I don’t know what he promised you, but you’re only giving him more power. He won’t help you win the crown.”

“Take her,” Ariana said with a wave of her hand. “And keep her unconscious. If she doesn’t make it to Victus, you’ll have the queen to answer to.”

“What have you done to Calim, you traitor?” Kara spit, and the glob landed under Ariana’s eye. The princess wiped it away with one long nail and flung it to the ground, leveling her gaze on Kara.

“Teleria is done with false kings. You and your lover will be charged with treason—an attempt by the Stygians to usurp the crown, thwarted by the Sanguines and I. But I’m afraid you’ll miss the trial. You’re going on a trip.”

Someone pulled a black sack over Kara’s head and yanked the strings tight against her throat. More hands set to binding her wrists and ankles. Kara screamed and kicked at them, writhing to try and escape. Someone lifted the back of the sack and painted something wet on the skin of her neck. That familiar magic bubbled back up, squeezing her throat and tongue, and silent darkness stole her.

* * *

Kara awoke to darkness.Crud pasted her eyelids together, and when she tried to draw a hand to her face, she met resistance. Wide cuffs bolted her wrists to the wall above her. She tried to move her feet, and the sharp sting of raw ankle skin against metal confirmed her fears. Her legs were spread, cuffs securing them against the wall. She tilted her neck, stretching it, and the raw ache that slithered down her shoulders elicited a gasp.

The thin shift she’d worn to bed last night stuck to her thighs with sweat. Her head was pounding with the after-effects of trauma, dehydration, and Salizar’s spells and powders. She licked her chapped lips, and her mouth split at the inner corners. She waited in silence, wishing oblivion would pull her back under. Something hairy darted across her bare foot, and she bit her lip to keep from screaming. Hopefully the rats were well fed.

The scent of cloistered damp and stale piss curled up her nose as her senses woke from their stupor. The details of the night before crept back. Ariana, blue eyes burning in victory. She hoped Calim was watching his back. Serena, too. Memory of Logan exploding in fury until blood washed down his chest played through her head. She clenched her eyes shut and took a deep, wet breath. He was alive—he had to be. Her brain refused to entertain the alternative. She whispered her name into the dark, relieved when it creaked out. The silencing spell had worn off.

A corona of yellow light bloomed in the distance, details of her surroundings becoming clear as it bobbed towards her. Dark stone walls and metal bars lined the corridor. Her cell was at the very end, facing the interminable hallway.

Footsteps neared, heavy and confident. Their owner slowed in front of the cell, face washed out by the bloom of light. Kara went limp and closed her eyes, pretending at unconsciousness. Hopefully it would spare her examination and questioning or allow her to get the jump on them. A key jostled in the lock, and the door swung open on creaking hinges.

The light glowed behind her eyelids as her jailer stepped close. They smelled of woodsmoke and wine. Strong fingers gripped her jaw and lifted her face. A thumb caressed the curve of her cheek, down her jaw to her neck.

“Now now, Kara. I’ve enough experience at this to know when someone is faking. It’s all in the breathing. The heartbeat.”

Kara opened her eyes. The light blinded her at first, his form slowly coming into view as her eyes adjusted.

A tall man with ash blond hair and stunning features stood beside a floating fae lantern. Dark brows swept over pale grey eyes and chiseled lips. He wore a collared white shirt under a red vest embroidered with the Sanguine sigil—roses wrapped in thorns. His shirtsleeves were rolled up to his elbows, exposing pale forearms corded with muscle.

“It’s unfortunate we have to meet like this. I was hoping it’d be much more civilized, but Ariana is an impatient creature.”

“Who are you?” Kara asked. It came out in a strained croak.

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