Page 79 of To Wake a Kingdom

“What is it?”

“Stay strong. My brother is unpredictable. Whatever happens, we will find a way out of it. I swear, I will follow you wherever you go.”

“Ronan, you’re scaring me.”

“I don’t mean to, but be on your guard.”

I nodded, and he let go.

We followed Averill into the warmth of the castle. Moving through a series of corridors, he ushered us into a high chamber with windows that stretched from the floor to the ceiling.

A long wooden table, surrounded by tall chairs, sat in the center of the room while a lit fireplace lined one length of the wall. A man sat at the end of the table, fingers steepled in front of him. He eyed us up and down with all the pleasantness of a cat assessing a mouse for dinner.

Ronan threw me one last grim look and then turned to a pillar of iron as he approached his brother.

As I drew closer, a kick landed in my stomach, and I nearly missed a step. Erick was the mirror image of his father. Where the king’s hair was gray, Erick’s was dark blonde. He was slimmer, with a smoother face, but there was no doubt whose son this was. That face leered over me in my nightmares, blood spurting from his neck as I twisted my dagger. My nose flared as I sucked in a breath.

Kianna must have realized it too, because she caught my hand and stroked it. In gratitude, I squeezed her fingers.

Forcing myself to stay collected, I met Erick’s calculating gaze as it rattled me from the precarious foothold of my composure.

“Ronan, it’s nice to finally have you home. Tell me you located our esteemed father?” His voice haughty, the man was one giant sneer.

“I found him,” Ronan said, his own voice emotionless.

Surprise flickered in Erick’s expression as he studied his brother.“You did?”

“In the forest on the outskirts of Estria. He was lying in the dirt, already dead. Wolves had gotten to him. There was almost nothing left.”

“And what did you do with the body?”

“I burned it. He wouldn’t have wanted anyone to see him that way.”Ronan held a small box he’d taken from his saddlebag when we’d arrived.“We should prepare a memorial immediately.” He held out the box to Erick, who curled his lip but didn’t reach for it. Instead, Ronan set the box on the table.

“On the outskirts of Estria?” Erick asked, looking at me and Kianna. “And who are you?”

“Allow me to introduce Princess Thorne of Ravalyn and her Faerie companion, Kianna.” He gestured to us, tension written in every line of his body. His anxiousness was wearing at my own anemic defenses.

Erick assessed me again, his gaze shifting from curiosity to satisfaction.“So, youdoexist.”

“Excuse me?” I asked.

“My father spoke often to me of the cursed kingdom at the edge of Estria. He believed suppressing the rumors of your existence was imperative to the future health of our lands.”

“What are you talking about?” Ronan’s voice was hard.

Erick turned to Ronan. “Nothing, Ronan. Only it seems our father’s wish went unfulfilled. Come here, Your Highness.” He crooked a finger at me. “I want to get a closer look at you.”

I narrowed my eyes, but I did as he asked, apprehension twisting hard in my gut.

Erick peered at his brother and then at me, a secretive smile on his thin lips.“Well, aren’t you a lovely little thing,” he crooned. My skin crawled as if ants had infested my clothing. “What brings you so far from home?”

“I’ve come to reclaim the lands you stole in my family’s absence.” The words slipped out on their own, dropping between us like a decaying carcass rotting in the sun. Until now, even I hadn’t known what I’d do when faced with Estria’s next king.

To cover my surprise, I squared my shoulders, feigning a confidence I didn’t feel. I wasn’t sure if confronting Erick was really what I wanted, but this was a bell that could no longer be unrung.

Erick laughed, the sound as crisp as the snap of frozen branches. “Yes, your family’sabsence. That is one way of putting it. A curse, was it?”

“It doesn’t matter. I am back, and I have come to reclaim what is mine.”

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