Page 30 of Crown of Briars
“I am not my father,” I snarled, stepping toward him. Shadows exploded from my body, darkening the room and coiling around Clermont. To his credit, he staggered backward, eyes flared wide. “Do not compare me to him. His methods failed, and the curse claimed him, too. So do not dare to question me again, Clermont. Now leave me before my shadows choke the life out of you.”
Clermont’s eyes flashed, and for a moment, he looked as if he might argue. But my shadows darkened until they were black as night, swarming and twisting until they clouded the room, blocking the light of the moon from the windows. With my fae sight, I could still make out Clermont’s form before me, but it was faint.
His voice was low and calm as he said, “Yes, my lord.” He had returned to my dutiful servant. My friend was gone.
Had my shadows chased him away? Or my temper? Perhaps it was both. Either way, I could only watch as he left the room. As soon as the door closed, my shadows vanished, leaving me feeling cold and empty.
Clermont did not deserve that. But I was spent. My body was still recovering from the events of the full moon, and my emotions were chaotic since meeting the human bride.
Sybelle.
That was her name.
As far as humans went, she was certainly quite lovely. Long, wavy chestnut hair, warm caramel-colored eyes, and a proud chin that spoke of the stubbornness that often came with royalty. Her skin had been a sickly pale color, and her diminutive stature made me fear she would break at any moment, leaving us doomed to the fate of the curse.
But there had been moments when I’d sensed fire in her spirit. A fire that drowned out any fear or disgust on her face. A fire that spoke of strength and a willpower stronger than most humans.
Hope rose within my chest, but I slammed my fist against the wall and shoved it away. This meant nothing. All it meant was that she would fight me, just as the other human brides had fought. It did not mean she was the key to ending our suffering.
Hope was almost more dangerous than my temper.
With a weary sigh, I ran my fingers through my dark curls and shed my waistcoat. Clermont and his staff had taken suchcare to dress me in the ceremonial attire, and it had all been for nothing. I hadn’t decided until the moment I appeared in the courtyard to summon my shadow shield. I had seen the back of Sybelle’s head, and I had justknownshe would scream when she saw me.
Why does it matter?I asked myself.You are indeed a monster. It is better that she sees who you truly are from the beginning.
It didn’t matter if I terrified Sybelle or not. What mattered was if she possessed the strength to overcome that fear, to be the savior our people needed.
All that mattered was breaking the curse.
She didn’t need to love me. Hell, she didn’t even need to like me. Those weren’t required to break the curse. I could endure her horror and loathing for now, as long as, eventually, she could overcome it and save my kingdom.
I stared into the fire once more, my heart rate slowing and my breathing becoming steadier. “I will conquer this,” I vowed to the flames. “Even if it kills me, I will find a way to end this.”
I didn’t sleep much.My exhaustion from the wedding ceremony was cured after about an hour of sleep. From then on, I was either wide awake or tossing and turning. Half the night was plagued by nightmares of the Wraith King’s shadow form with his red-skinned arm extending toward me, while the other half was spent in sheer terror that he would come to my rooms to consummate our union.
I was fidgeting constantly in my bed, my sheets tangled and half the pillows on the floor. Every few seconds, I whirled to look toward the door, thinking I had heard a creak or a scuffle.
After hours of trying and failing to sleep, I finally gave up, shoving off the blankets and sitting up. My hair clung to my sweaty neck in sticky chunks, and I peeled it off my body and tied it into a loose braid. The sky was still pitch black outside, reminding me of the darkness of the Wraith King’s shadows. Suppressing a shudder, I slid off the bed and wrapped a shawl around myself, then ran my fingers over the amber stone at my throat.
“Azure? Are you there?” My voice was soft, but it still seemed to echo around me, and I feared it would draw someone’s attention. After all, my door was left open.
But now that I knew the doors were portals, I was more keen on experimenting with them.
“I am here, Sybelle,”came Azure’s warm voice.“How was the wedding?”
Amusement laced her tone, but I refused to be baited.
“Fine,” I said in a clipped voice. “Well, rather unusual, to be honest. Are you close?”
“Yes. I have found your window, and I’m resting on the balcony adjacent to yours.”
Alarm jolted through me, and my heart lodged in my throat. “Stones, Az! Are you crazy? What if you’re caught?”
“It’s just another guest wing. I checked, and all the rooms are unoccupied. Don’t worry, human. My dragon senses are far superior to yours, and I will hear if anyone approaches.”
I flinched at her usage of the wordhuman. For her, it was a shared joke between us. But for me, it served as a reminder of Tislora and the powerful spells she could wield.
“I want to try to explore the castle,” I whispered. “Maybe I can find the enchanted rose.”
