Page 28 of Inheritance
“Thanks, Fin.” I should kill him for calling me that, since only people close to me were allowed to use the nickname, but instead, we just fought side by side as we continued to slowly retreat. I honestly had a bit more respect for the bastard, even if I still wanted to kill him after what he’d done to Ama. I wouldn’t change my mind, though, until I talked to her and asked her what she wanted his fate to be. I didn’t think Ama realized that I would literally kill anyone for her. Anyone.
“First kill?” I asked him once I finally felt like I could breathe without the possibility of getting something chopped off if I looked away.
“Yeah,” Nico grinned, a telling gleam in his eyes. “I love this shit. It makes me feel like I’m actually fighting for something important. Something that’s going to help our realm change for the better.”
Oh. Well, that was a pleasant surprise. Maybe Nicowassomewhat redeemable. I’d known a lot of people who’d killed, but to enjoy it? Well, that took a certain type of person.That type of person would be me.
Immediately, my semi-good mood soured as I looked around at all the injured. It wasn’t something I would normally care about, but these people were suffering directly because of my parents. There was a chance they wouldn’t return home because of my parents, and it wasn’t something that I was okay with. I felt responsibility for them pressing down on my shoulders like boulders pinning me.
My eyes snapped up as Colt swept through the sky above us before landing, his eyes on the final large conflict still taking place between our army and the Dark Elves that had followed us back here. Our side seemed to have it handled, though. Jace and Damien were both out there among the hundred or so Dark Elves and our militia. I craved to know how much of a dent we had made in the other army, but because I knew they were pulling from the general population rather than just from militia, it was almost impossible for me to guess.
Fuck.How had I not even known how many Dark Elves were in my own fucking house? Because my parents had never actually envisioned me leading. I don’t think they’d ever anticipated an end to their own rule. My jaw clenched as I was hit by a vivid memory from when I had first tried to express interest in ruling and what that interest had earned me.
“Stupid boy,”my mother scoffed, her voice filling the room and echoing against the high walls. I was pretty sure she assumed I was unconscious and, by all means, I should have been. My blood surrounded me in an ever-expanding pool that was the result of a belt beating my back had received. You would have thought she’d have grown more creative with punishments over time. Then again, my parents did pride themselves on tradition.
“Maybe we should have him killed,” my father said nonchalantly. “I do worry he could come to resent us and try to take over. He is becoming powerful in his own right.”
“He wouldn’t resent us if you stopped being so easy on him,” my mother clipped back. “I told you, he will be the perfect weapon. We just need to really get through to him that he is to obey us without question. When you’re soft on him, it shows him a different kind of treatment that he thinks he’s owed. He is owed nothing but the opportunity to do our bidding. Why do you think I agreed to have a child with you to begin with? It wasn’t out of love, and you know that.”
They spoke as if I wasn’t lying right there bleeding out.
Honestly, I couldn’t tell you what they had said next because my vision went spotty as I stared at the small sliver of light that peeked out from beneath the balcony doors. One day, one fucking day, I would leave and never return, and then they would lose the weapon they thought they had.
It had takenAma coming into my life to get to that point. Seeing her visceral reaction to my pain had been enough to encourage me to decide enough was enough. If it caused her pain to see me like that, I wasn’t okay with it anymore.
My jaw clicked as I shook my head, needing this nightmare to be over. Needing to confirm that there was something outside of violence waiting for me in my future. Needing to start my future with Ama—whatever that would entail between the two of us.
“Are they good?” Drayven asked, running a hand down his face to remove the excess blood. It didn’t do anything, considering his scythe was literally covered in entrails. I followed his gaze to the smaller battle and nodded. I had no doubt they had things handled.
“How many of our people were taken prisoner?” Adrien’s voice drew my attention, and I glanced over to find him talking to Commander Pandora and one of her lieutenants.
“Far too many,” the lieutenant grunted in frustration.
“Maybe they will be able to break out.” Pandora’s hope wasn’t reasonable.
“The Dark Elves have cuffs that nullify magic. Our people are going to need to be released from those and rescued,” I called out.
“You don’t think that would have been good to tell us?” the man snapped, and I couldn’t blame him.
I didn’t really have a response. I had been too wrapped up in my rage over Ama being gone to think properly. That was on me.
“We need to come up with a plan to break through their wall of people.” Commander Pandora’s voice rang out, cutting through the tension, and I nodded in agreement. We did, and I had an idea of how we could do that.
CHAPTER FOURTEEN
Luce
Icould hear her screaming and banging on her door from where I sat in the dining room, my hand clenched so tightly around my goblet of wine that the metal was bending beneath the pressure. Drowning out her profanities and pleas wasn't going as well as I’d hoped—or even at all. It was like she was stabbing my heart and twisting the dagger with every cry.
"Fuck!" I roared and threw the golden cup at the wall, where it clanged loudly before falling to the ground. I watched the red liquid drip down the stone wall like watered down blood—the blood I pictured dripping from the throats of the men I wanted to kill for daring to lay claim to my mate.
They were the real issue between us.
Why couldn't I just go kill them right now? I had fantasized about it enough at night as I lay alone, restless and unable to sleep after having had way too damn much of it recently. I ached to hold her in my arms and feel the tickle of her breath against my chest as she slept deeply and peacefully. She didn't know it, but I often portaled into her room and watched her, enjoying the silence and relaxed expression on her face when she slept.
She had no idea I did that, and I liked it that way. It was why I continued to use the stupid door during the day, even if I didn't always care to wait for permission to enter. She had no reason to be on guard while she slept. It was the one moment in time we could share together—albeit unknown to her—without arguments or deceit flying around between us. It was a glimpse into what could have been.
My chest rapidly expanded with every shallow breath I took as I wrestled with what to do with Amare. She drove me absolutely mad, but I couldn't deny that she was exactly what I needed. I needed someone who wouldn't let me hide behind excuses or power. She wasn't afraid of me like everyone else in the realm, and she pushed me, wanting me to truly change and be a better man.
