Page 35 of A Crown of Tears and Treason
“We get married, try not to kill each other, and go on with our lives.”
It sounded so…hollow. But better to ignore Zandyr than suffer Fabrian’ presence.
“One more thing,” he said, smirk growing.
“What’s that?” I asked cautiously. I didn’t trust his words either.
“Get ready for tomorrow.”
Dread pooled in my belly. What fresh horror awaited me now?
He turned to leave, giving me one last lingering gaze over his shoulder. “My parents are dying to meet you.”
Chapter
Ten
EVIE
“It’s…huge,” I said to no one in particular as I stared up at the humongous carved doors.
None of the two dozen guards surrounding me said a word. They never did.
Since they’d becomemyguards–as if I could ever trust a Blood Brotherhood member with my life–they’d beenescortingme everywhere.
Stalking was the word. They were stalking me. They stomped behind me in-sync, thundering against the ground, letting everyone exactly where I was at all times. My skin crawled as we passed the few citizens I’d seen in the Citadel, each of them staring long and hard at the stranger among them.
Walking had turned into a spectacle. I didn’t like it. At all. So many curious eyes on me…
I was used to hiding. All this attention made me want to vanish behind the first massive column and just take a breath. But that would have been a show of weakness, and I didn’t wantto disappoint grandpa Constantine more than I had, may the gods cradle his kind soul.
Now I had to meet the king and queen of the Blood Brotherhood Clan. My–gods help me–future in-laws. My stomach hadn’t stopped roiling since this morning.
Staring up at the entrance to their throne room did not help. Their entire golden palace was bigger and mightier than the entire Protectorate high command in Aquila, rising high above the Citadel on marble steps flanked with guardian statues.
I kept on staring at the red doors. Firmly shut and casting their gigantic shadow on me, the wood carvings on them depicted bitter battles with dozens, hundreds of fighters and creatures.
The doorframe was flecked with gold–or made out of gold–reflecting light on the more gory details and the twin dragon sculptures guarding the top of the entrance.
I gulped. Everything in the Citadel was menacing and huge.
The dark high walls shielding us from the jungle. The houses. The trees, the plants, the statues, the people. Everything and everyone loomed over me, in this hauntingly organized bastion.
No wandering in the streets, no dawdling, and definitely no littering. There wasn’t even dust on the streets. I’d been marching for almost half an hour from my house, and the hem of my long, gauzy dress was still as clean as the moment I’d slipped it on. It was so silky and fine against my body, I almost felt naked.
Definitely not the right emotion for meeting theking and queenof the Blood Brotherhood.
But I was here, I was clean, my pendant hung around my neck with the strength of the Protectorate, and my switchblade was tucked in my sleeve.
I was as ready to meet royalty as I’d ever be.
Then why wasn’t I moving?
I stood in front of those doors like some stronger version of me would liquefy and face whatever awaited me on the other side.
I took a deep, centering breath, rolling my shoulders back. I could do this. My first official royal–
“I hear she’s a meager little thing,” a hefty, disinterested voice slithered from behind the doors.
