Page 17 of The Dragon King's Bride
The stone glows gold at these words, but it may as well be blue for all the good it does me. In that moment, Kaiser looks every bit like the tyrant I always imagined him to be. There is no mercy in his gaze, no fondness or compassion. His beautiful blue eyes are like ice as they condemn me to my fate.
“Ava Havenbrook, for the crime of espionage against the royal family, I hereby sentence you to death.”
Chapter ten
Kaiser
“How could I be so stupid?” I curse aloud. It’s not the first time I’ve asked myself this since I watched Ava dragged away to the royal dungeons, and I’m certain it won’t be the last.
All the signs were there. If I’d just bothered to look at her objectively instead of with rose-tinted glasses, I could have seen this coming. The strange glow, the inability to fully shift, the insane power, and those damned birds—all of these things had been demonstrated right in front me. There was even a point where I’d seen a vine wrap around the leg of my opponent midbattle. Yet, I still hadn’t been able to see the truth.
I continue pacing the length of my room, periodically letting out a growl or a smoky huff. Now that the culprit has been caught, there’s no more need for me to be stuck in here. But in all honesty, I still don’t feel ready to leave. I don’t want anyone to see how much this has unraveled me. Wilcox is the only one in the room with me, and he knows better than to say anything.
The final round of the competition has been postponed indefinitely. It doesn’t feel like I’ll be ready to start judging again anytime soon. In fact, I’m starting to believe that I shouldbe removed from the selection process altogether. Clearly, I am a terrible judge of character. Even now, I don’t want to marry anyone but Ava. In fact, it’s taking all of my willpower not to head downstairs so I can rip out Maya’s throat.
“Don’t say that, Your Highness,” Wilcox repeats for the dozenth time. “Deception is the fault of the deceiver, not the deceived. Personally, I think it’s admirable that you have such a strong belief in your people. Besides, it doesn’t seem as though Miss Havenbrook was a spy. She’s just a girl who happens to have been born with Fae blood.”
I stop walking as I take in Wilcox’s words. He’s correct. The stone had glowed gold when I’d asked Ava if she was a spy. Still…
“You don’t know that for sure,” I reply, shaking my head. “Just because she’s not a spy for the enemy kingdom doesn’t mean she doesn’t have some other nefarious purpose. Innocent people don’t lie, Wilcox. The fact that she did so means she’s up to something.”
“Perhaps you’re right,” Wilcox nods. “But perhaps I am as well. The point is, we don’t know the answers to these questions because you immediately threw her in the dungeons without giving her a chance to explain herself.”
I let out a low snarl. Smoke flares from my nostril as I begin to shift in my fury. “What are you saying?” I demand. “Are you saying I’m in the wrong for imprisoning her for her betrayal? Because let’s be clear, Wilcox. She definitely set out to lie to me. You weren’t there in the forest. She has full control of her powers; she knows what she is. I even asked her how she managed to both flay a beast and find all those puzzle pieces in such a short amount of time, and she flat-out lied to my face.”
Wilcox shakes his head. “I didn’t say she didn’t lie, Your Highness. We just don’t know her reasons for doing so. Her execution is scheduled for a few days from now. Are you really okay with ending things this way? Don’t you want to know herreasons for lying to you, if for no other reason than to get some closure?”
I glare the man down as I allow his words to sink in once more. As much as I hate to admit it, Wilcox is right about this. It’s what vexes me most about the man. He always seems to know the correct answer, no matter the situation. The worst part is how he seems to understand me better than I understand myself. Like in this situation, for example. Right now, I’m too furious to think straight, but I know I’ll regret my actions later if I don’t go down to see her. A lifetime of not knowing would be unbearable.
In the end, I stalk my way down to the dungeons without another word. Several of my other advisors call out to me along my path, but I ignore them. I’m tunnel visioned in my quest towards the dungeons. I don’t stop walking until I reach Ava’s cell. A guard calls out a warning to me, but I shoo him off.
My resolve to remain furious at my firefly shatters the second I see the state she’s in. Clearly, a few of the guards have had some fun roughing her up. There are bruises littered all over her body, especially on her face. The magic suppressing cuffs on her are preventing her from healing herself. Her eyes appear dull and glassy; her hair and dress are dirty and disheveled. I can’t bear to see her this way.
I force myself to remember all the times she lied to my face. It gives me just enough strength to school my features back into an icy expression. But I think for now it’s for the best if I keep my eyes off her face. I clear my throat.
“I have a few more questions I’d like to ask you,” I say, throwing the truth stone through the bars and onto her lap. She stares down at the stone bitterly, probably remembering how the tiny rock was responsible for her current fate.
Ava’s eyes flare at me as she looks back up. For a minute, I think she’s going to offer up another cutting remark, and I find myself almost looking forward to it. Then she seems to thinkbetter of it. She glares off to the side and I bristle. What right does she have to act like this? I’m the one who was betrayed; I’m the one who should be angry.
“How can I help you, Your Highness?” she bites out, still not looking me in the eye. I shift my position to meet her gaze.
“I want to know the reason you lied to me. If you’re not a spy, then why weren’t you honest with me about your heritage? We both know you had at least one opportunity to tell me the truth. Why didn’t you take it?”
Ava drops her gaze to the floor. “What does it matter anymore, Your Highness? Nothing is going to change for me if I answer your questions. So, why should I bother?”
I bristle at her answer. To her credit, this time she doesn’t flinch in the face of my anger. “Because you owe it to me,” I snarl, clenching my hands. “You owe me some sort of closure, Ava. I deserve to know the truth.”
“Do you?” A spark flares in her eyes as she challenges me. “From my point of view I had no choice but to lie to you, Kaiser. How could I tell you the truth while you were demonstrating such open contempt for my kind?” The spark fades as she lets out another sigh. “It’s not just you I’ve been lying to, by the way. I’ve been keeping this secret inside for as long as I’ve lived.”
“Why?” I demand. “Are you ashamed to be half-Fae? I sincerely doubt that’s the case. If it were, you wouldn’t have bothered to gain such a mastery of your powers.”
“You’re right, Kaiser. I’m not ashamed. I’m proud of what I am. But I’m not stupid either. We’ve been at war with the Fae since before I was born. I always knew the day my secret was revealed was the day I’d be killed for it. Am I really so wrong for wanting to live?”
I feel something soften within me as she expresses her desire to live. I’m still furious at her betrayal, but at least I understand why she did what she did. In all honesty, I’m not sure I wouldhave reacted much better if I’d known the truth sooner. Ava was right. There’s no scenario where I would have reacted well to finding out what she is. Still…
“If you told me earlier, I could have at least protected you. I have no option at this point. You’re aligned with the enemy by the very nature of your birth. Now that your secret is out, everyone will insist on your execution. There’s nothing I can do.”
Ava smiles bitterly. “I know. The only thing I want at this point is for you not to hate me. Please say you believe me, Kaiser. I never set out to hurt you.”
