Page 29 of Cages and Crowns
“Don’t compare yourself. That’ll only cause issues later on. They are hurting, both of them. They have Elaenor in common and it’s bringing them comfort. Let them figure out their shit and don’t let your heart get involved.”
“Well you and her have Elaenor in common, why aren’t you out fucking her too?” She snaps and I roll my eyes. She deflects. Whenever there is a tough situation ahead of her, or something she finds uncomfortable, she snaps. She’s done it since we were children because she doesn’t like to confront her feelings, but she’ll have to learn. Especially in this situation.
“Because, unlike Enzo, I am more or less engaged to Elaenor.” I answer and she rolls her eyes.
“So? She’s probably in herhusband’sbed right now.” I glare at her, trying to ignore the anger brewing inside.
“So, I intend tonotbe a shitty person and sleep with her best friend.”
“Fine, sleep with me.” She quips.
“No.”
“Why?”
“I’m not going to be a pity fuck, Emery.” I snap. She groans and collapses back on her bed. I get off the couch and walk over to her, reaching for the hand she has laying across her eyes. I pull her arm up forcing her to look at me. “Give her time. Once Elaenor is here and everyone is fine, she’ll come back to you.” I squeeze her fingers and drop her hand before exiting her room, shutting the door behind me.
I take a few steps down the hall before throwing Enzo’s door open, without knocking. Scarlett is in his lap, her head thrown back, and her eyes closed.
“Gods, you two!” I yell and she jumps. Enzo snaps his head in my direction.
“What the fuck, man!” He snaps and glares at me. I close the door and laugh as I make my way back to my room, dreaming of the hot water I was about to climb into. But I don’t make it to my room. I stop as I pass a closed door, one that could someday be mine. I look around the hallway before pushing it open and slipping inside.
The room is large, bigger than even Emery’s. A large balcony sits off the back wall, accessible through floor to ceiling windows. A huge four-poster bed sits to the side along with a sitting room, writing desk, and a door that leads to a giant bathing room and dressing room. There is more than enough room in here for two people. Enough room for us to have distance from each other.
This is Elaenor’s room. And the room we would share if we married.
I walk up to the bed, my hand brushing the furs. Laenie and Emery decorated this room a few months ago, when we were hopeful we’d be rescuing her.They kept the yellow out of the décor, instead opting for blacks and greens that would remind her of Chatis and would look nothing like the bright white of Noterra.
My heart clenches and I hate the sadness that plagues me. I have no feelings for the queen, but all I can think of is what she is going through and whatshe’ll endure before we are able to rescue her. The torture and the pain. The fear and hopelessness. How could anyone survive it? How could she even be well enough once rescued to lead an entire army, to take over the whole of Viridiana?
If what Thel had said is true, she’s not well. The last bit of contact we had from him was after he had lunch with her, which only lasted a few minutes before Tobias took her away.She was cut up and bruised. He said it was one of the guards, which almost makes me wonder if people other than Tobias have been hurting her,touchingher as well.
Enzo saw her that same week. He said she was worse off than even Thel could describe in the short letter he managed to sneak away. He said that her head was swollen, dried blood covering her forehead and neck. It was the crown that her deranged husband had sewn to her head for only the gods know what reason.
My pulse races and I fight the urge to punch something. This anger is new. I’ve always been level-headed and contemplative, but these last few weeks I’ve grown restless, as if I can’t control my own emotions. As if this need to do something, to help someone is pressing down on me.
I shake my head and crack my neck to release some tension. I give the room one last look before I leave, closing the door behind me.
Instead of heading to my room, I take the stairs down to the bottom floor and walk out to the courtyard. Repairs after the small bombing have already finished, and the palace looks exactly the same. Tano was right, it wasn’t an attack, but a chance to see who would defend it. Tobias knows there aren’t many of us here. Our armies aren’t stationed at the palace and if he brought one here, we couldn’t take them.
But it wouldn’t just be humans fighting his army, and I think that is one advantage that we have. Something evenhecan’t predict.
The night is cold, but I can feel the warmth starting to make its way north. It would already be blistering in Labisa, in my home. It’s been two years since I have set foot in my home country.
The trees are just as present in Labisa as they are Noterra, but they aredifferent. Less of a forest and more of tropical paradise. Most places past The Divide are tropical, as if the barrier between our lands have some effect on the climate and not just on the magic.
I wonder if I’ll ever see it again, or even feel the pressure release from my tense shoulders as I cross the unseen barrier. As I head towards my home.
Something is telling me that I won’t.
Chapter Seventeen
The Caged
It’s quiet and I feel like I can finally take a deep breath as I rock the growing child in my arms. It’s still mid-afternoon, but he is past due for his nap and the days he stays awake are the days I start to panic at the motherhood I was thrown into. Usually one of the nannies comes and takes him so I can rest, but they haven’t been as present today, leaving me to care for him alone. I don’t mind it, sometimes. It’s nice to have someone present who doesn’t force you to act or speak. Just be present. That’s all he requires of me. But other times, times after Tobias has been rough, I can’t bear to look at that small child and not think of his mother.
Tobias has been gone for over two days now, doing something at our borders he said. He didn’t tell me which border, but he wassupposed to returntoday and has yet to arrive. All his trip has done is leave me with a four-month-old child that isn’t mine.
