Page 33 of Hopeless Kingdom
I meet Darrio’s eyes and I nod to him. It’s that easy.
Somewhere along the lines, trust was accidentally formed between Darrio and I.
He turns and leaves the room without question. He has faith in me. I can’t ruin that.
Ryder slips his hand in mine and pulls me to the door. My boots scuff the floor as I trail after him.
With a hushed tone, he leans into me. “Humans don’t understand how it works. They see your scars even though they aren’t darkened. They know you’re fae. They have no idea how the powers of a half fae work. Do not tell them. You’re powerless until you enter Hopeless waters, but just …”
“Ryder.” I snap his name out, interrupting his long lecture.
“What?” Worry lines his face as he stares down at me.
“I’m not an idiot,” I say before shoving hard at the ridges of his back.
I see him shake his head before joining Darrio in the empty hall.
The sound of hushed anger whispers through the room and I wait patiently at the door for the other two women to exit.
The tone grows louder and I turn to see Tristan gripping Anna’s wrist and leading her to the door.
“Your insecurities will still be waiting for me after this meeting, I’m sure.” He releases her with a hard shove and she staggers out into the hall. Neither fae men move to assist her.
Darrio stands with his brows raised high and Ryder simply holds his hands behind his back as if nothing out of the ordinary is happening here. For a moment, Tristan’s gaze meets Darrio’s and the fae’s eyes gleam with unshed power. A ripple of shining color highlights his stormy eyes.
“If you touch my human like that,” Darrio cocks his head just slightly, “you won’t have a head for that pretty little crown, my King.”
I force the smile not to touch my lips but I can’t force the arousal from swarming through me.
An odd look passes over the king and I wonder if the word human confuses him. Tristan clears his throat and pulls nervously at the cuffs of the sleeves of his white button-down shirt.
Without replying, he gently closes the door and offers me a generic smile.
“Shall we?” He nods back to the table at the center of the long room.
“I think you are forgetting someone,” I say without looking at his mother who hasn’t moved an inch.
She plotted this. She’s the reason I’m here at all. She imprisoned her own step son for over a year just to get to me.
And, most importantly, she’s the reason my father died when I was only sixteen.
I guess in a way, she made me who I am today.
There’s no way I’m sitting across from her without slitting her wrinkled throat. A serene smile passes her way as I beam affectionately across the room at her.
A new wrinkle creases her brow as her blue eyes shift from me to her son.
“If you will excuse us, Mother.” Tristan waves a careless hand toward the door and my polite smile turns wolfish.
I’m all but bubbling with evil laughter. Manic happiness floods my senses.
Her lips part but only a small breath escapes, her thin hands sweeping down the front of her dark gown.
Push all you like, but those eternal wrinkles won’t wipe away, darling.
Quietly, Tristan reopens the door for her and Ryder, Darrio, and Anna all stand just as they were.
The king’s mother holds my gaze as she passes. It doesn’t deter my shining happiness. She has no idea this is only the first tiny step in a long, vengeful life I’ll lead with her. No, no, this is only the start.
