Page 65 of Cages and Crowns
The Caged
A whole day passes, and I watch the sun set from the balcony. My brain is foggy, stuck in a dream. I feel him. I can feel him all around me, pressing into me. Prying into my mind and making me miss him,cravehim.
I can smell the cedar and ash, the smell of my husband. The smell of my abuser and lover. The person I shouldn’t want to be with right now, but something is digging into my mind, making me ache for his touch. Ache for him.
Something feels wrong. I feel as if I am suffocating. As if I am feeling the pain of a thousand cuts and as if the distance between me and him is somehow killing me from the inside out.
A tear slips out of my eyes, trailing down my cheek as I watch the sun go down. This is my life now. Another prison. Another place for me to be stuck. Another place for someone to control me. I could run. I could make a break for it. But where would I go? I can’t go ba—
A loud knock sounds from behind and I spin around. To my surprise, and disgust, King Davenport walks in, shutting the door behind him.
“Princess.” He says, crossing his arms. Everything about him exudes power, control. He reminds me of Evreux, of my father—of Viktor. Fury pummels through me, disgust as I stare at this sad excuse of a man.
Why are the people who end up with power always the people who shouldn’t have it?
“What can I do for you, Your Grace?” I ask, wrapping my arms around myself.
“I have been thinking.” He stares into my eyes before stepping forward, running his hands along the bedspread. “You seem to be under the impression that you have choices here, that you are a free woman.” I want to scoff, to laugh, but I don’t.
“I will never be free.” I say slowly. His brows furrow as the edges of his mouth twitch.
“At least you’re smart.” He snorts, walking around the bed.
“What do you want?” I ask again, sliding back an inch until my back presses against the window.
“I am here to make a proposition.” My eyes widen as I stare at him.
“What could you possibly have to offer me?”
“I want you to marry my son. I want you to unite our bloodlines. In return, I will rule in your place. You will not have to lift a finger. War will be had, and you can live comfortably in the palace in Labisa. You won’t have to watch as the world burns, you won’t have to be a part of it. Your husband will die, and you will be free. You could do whatever you wished in Labisa.” My lips part as I stare at him. As I ponder.
I won’t have to be involved. I won’t have to go to war or worry about what my life will be like. I won’t have to do anything. I could live.
But I would be married.
“Why?”
“I want something else from you.” He steps around the bed, pausing a foot from me. My fingers tingle, and as if he can sense it, he smiles. He lifts a hand and traces my arm from my shoulder to my elbow. I flinch, my gaze glaring into his. “I can feel it brewing beneath your skin. I don’t think you understand how powerful you are.” I step to the side, out of his reach and walk to the door.
“What else could you possibly want from me?” I snap.
“Your brother, he’s a siphon. Do you know what they can do?” I spin around, facing him again.
“They can take power.” I respond.
“They can take it just as easily as they can give it.” My heart skips a beat as I understand what he’s saying, what he’s asking for.
“You want my aether?” I whisper, my hands falling down to my sides.
“Yes.”
“Why?”
“Why would anyone want power, child? To bepowerful.” He snorts before walking towards me again. “You don’t want it. You made that very clear. You have no control over it, nor do you want to. Think, Elaenor. Think about this. I may be willing to negotiate.” He adds.
“What?”
“I won’t make you marry Nithe if you do this, if you give me your aether. You could still move to Labisa, where you will live as a queen, but you will still be free.”
