Page 74 of Monster's Bride

“The king made it mandatory for all the women and children to retreat to the castle, along with those unable to fight. Considering how completely ruthless the attackers were, everyone assumed something had happened to you. Why else would Ulleh feel so comfortable attacking us in broad daylight?” he asks but doesn’t pause for me to reply. “I didn’t believe it. I couldn’t. But there was no way to know for sure unless I came here to see for myself. So that’s what I did. Me and a handful of soldiers left on patrol and came to see if you were all right and rescue you if you needed it.”

“The other men died trying to save me,” I whisper, the truth settling in painfully.

Darsan glares at me. “What did I say about blaming yourself? They knew the dangers, but they came anyway. Even if they hadn’t agreed, I would have come by myself. The risk was better than not knowing what had happened to you.”

Silence settles around us. Every heartbeat is a sore thrum in my chest as I think about home and how much my people are hurting. I wish I was there to comfort them, to hug them and tell them it’s going to be all okay, even when I’m not entirely sure what’s going to happen. I wish they knew that even though I’m hundreds of miles away, they still weigh heavily on my mind.

Everything is so unfair, and I wish more than anything my mother was here to console me. She’d know exactly what I need to hear.

Instead, I have Darsan, who squeezes my hand reassuringly, and tries his best to comfort me.

“I watched you leave,” he says softly. “Watched you smile as you waved goodbye to our people, knowing there was nothing I could do to stop it. It was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

Air catches in my lungs as I stare down at him, warmth creeping up into my cheeks. A familiar feeling wells in my chest, one I shoved down and buried when I refused to run away with him. I don’t have a name for it, but it’s soft and warm and used to cling to me anytime I was with Darsan. Not love, per se, but definitely affection.

“But looking back, I’m glad you left,” he continues, squeezing my hand tightly. “Regardless of what happens in Hyatt, you can be happy and safe here. I couldn’t ask for anything else.”

Happy and safe.

That’s a bit of a stretch, but I refuse to contradict him. He doesn’t need to know about the poisoning incident that left everyone terrified and confused, and my rocky relationship with Nor is even less his business. As much as I want to be honest and get the pressing truth off my chest, I can’t be the bearer of more bad news.

“Thank you,” I manage.

A groan makes me jump, and my eyes shoot to Sedric’s form. He’s finally stirring and attempting to blink himself awake. Hopefully that means he’s on his way to recovery. I slip my hands away from Darsan’s and get to my feet.

“I’ll see about getting you some food and water,” I say, dusting off my dress. “And I’ll try to find out what they plan to do with you two.”

Darsan meets my gaze a final time and offers me a half-smile. “You’re better than I ever deserved, Irissa.”

CHAPTERTWENTY-EIGHT

Nor

It’s been two days since the guards from Hyatt arrived, and I’m still unsure if standing up for them was the right decision. I have no reason to trust them, especially considering they tried to break into the castle, but Irissa is completely convinced of their innocence. It’sherI want to believe, but my surmounting doubt isn’t easily shaken. If this situation backfires, and it turns out the humans are lying, I won’t be able to save her from my father’s wrath.

And since I took responsibility for them, I’ll be forced to watch the repercussions unfold.

I know I won’t be able to bear it.

Just seeing how much time she spends in the dungeons tending to the guards and keeping them company lights my blood on fire and sends me into a fit of rage. How would I react if she was punished for their transgressions?

Lethally.

“Easy, brother,” Oryx says at my side as I kick open the door to the throne room a little too aggressively. “What’s wrong with you?”

I seethe at the question, furious that any human would have this effect on me.

“I’m ready to get this over with.”

My father summoned me to discuss the prisoners, and even though I tried to ditch Oryx along the way, he insisted on tagging along. Not that his presence is a complete waste—If there’s anyone that can talk me out of slaughtering the human guards, it’s him.

“It’ll be done shortly,” he insists. “But if you knock a door off its hinges, I doubt that’s going to improve Father’s mood.”

I huff heavily, knowing he’s right but refusing to admit it.

As we stroll into the room, my father enters from a side door at the opposite end. A thick, silver crown sits between his horns and a stark white cloak flows behind him as he takes proud strides toward the thrones. He’s dressed head to toe in gleaming silver armor, from his shoulders to his boots, and even his knuckles shine with silver. It’s rare that he dons all his battle armor, but the sight is always awe-inspiring.

We stop several feet away from the thrones and wait for him to take a seat, his armor clinking as he adjusts himself. He stares down at us from his perch, and I feel impossibly small. How will I ever be able to fill such an immense role. How will the entire kingdom ever look at me with the same respect and loyalty that they have for my father?

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