Page 75 of Cages and Crowns
“You know he’s different. He reminds me of Theo a little.” She looks off into the crowd of guests.
“If Theo had a stick up his ass.”
“You only knew one side of him. He had a backbone, and he definitely had a mouth on him.” She smirks again and I glare at her. She rolls her eyes before plucking another cube of cheese off the tray. “You may have loved him in the end, Elaenor, but he wasmyfiancé.” She walks away, her arm brushing mine.
I can’t shake the feeling of dread lingering in my stomach. I lift my glass, downing it before grabbing another and doing the same.
I have no desire to remember this day, and if I don’t have Tobias’s poison, I can still use alcohol to numb everything.
My head is spinning, my limbs numb, as I grab another glass. I lost count somewhere around five, but I stopped caring. I seemed to have lost that ability too.
My feet feel light as I spin around the dance floor, people dancing around me. I feel free in this moment. As if nothing and no one plagued my dreams or my days. As if for once in my life I can be my own person.
Berry red liquid splashes on the ground as my cup tilts. I don’t remember switching the type of wine I was drinking. I giggle at the puddle on the floor. The dark color blending into the light wooden floors.
It could almost be blood.
I stop spinning. My head takes a second to catch up as my eyes stay fixed on the puddle.
Nausea fills my belly, making it heavy. My eyes blur and then I can see it. My hand drops the wine, the glass shattering on the floor. I don’t see anyone react; I don’t see anyone but him.
I can see his head as it rolls away from the puddle. Light eyes open and lifeless, staring at me. No body connected to it. Just the singular part of him. His lips parted, blood trickling out of the corner. A sense of foreboding, a warning echoes in my mind.
My eyes snag on his dark hair, short and tousled. It’s not Theo, it’s not Donovan, it’s—
“You are causing people to stare, little witch.” His breath is hot in my ear as he wraps his arm around me from behind. “Come with me.” He grabs my hand, pulling me through the crowd. My feet act on their own, following him blindly, as my eyes stay fixed on the wine until it disappears through the crowd of people.
Sounds return, momentarily deafening me as the laughter and cheers erupt around me. Sweat beads on my hairline, dripping down my temple. He keeps pulling me until we reach the hallway, cool air funneling through the open doors.
“What is it?” Nithe asks as he stops and turns, his hand still in mine.
“I saw—” I stop, my throat thick as I stare up at him.
“What did you see?” I shake my head and pull my hand out of his.
“Nothing. I saw nothing.” His amethyst eyes are soft, concerned, but they harden as they shift to look behind me. I spin, coming face to face with King Davenport, his eyes bright and unbothered as my nose brushes his chest.
“Oh, the happy couple.” He sneers. Nithe’s arm wraps around my stomach, pulling me back against him. I fight the urge to step away, even if his touch makes me nauseous. “I hope you weren’t retiring for the evening?”
“No, father. Just getting some air.” His chest vibrates against my back as I feel his hand tighten.
“Well I hope you have gotten enough; we have one more activity for this evening.” He smiles, a grin so wicked it could rival my father’s, before he licks his lips and stares down at me.
“An activity?” I ask, my voice quiet and weak.
“No.” Nithe snaps behind me. I try to turn and look at him, but he tightens his grip.
“What?” I question.
“The consummation ceremony.” Davenport responds and I feel the wine come back up my throat.
Chapter Forty-Three
The Caged
“No.” Nithe repeats as we both stare at his father. My legs go weak, and I probably would have fallen if Nithe wasn’t holding onto me. Davenport snaps and two guards walk up, a gagged Enzo between them with a dagger pressed to his throat. Gods. I jerk towards him, but Nithe holds me back.
“What are you doing?” I yell. My nails dig into Nithe’s arm as I stare at my brother. He’s glaring at the king, blood trickling from under the cloth wrapped around his mouth.
