Page 95 of Wrath of the Fae

‘The King thought I was you,’ she continues. ‘They started hitting and tying me up. Until Reid, bloody and broken, somehow managed to get to his feet and tell him otherwise. He managed to convince his father he was still a loyal son. That he was trying to return with you and reopen the portals. That all he ever wanted was to get back and be his father’s loyal subject again.’

‘That worked?’

‘No,’ she scoffs. ‘We were put in the cells. They tried to take Reid’s and Cyrus’s gifts. To steal the power to trigger and the power to find. Their light and smoke. But they couldn’t take it.’

‘They couldn’t?’

She shakes her head. ‘No. El lost her shadow gift to them, though. They took that. And I had nothing to take.’ She suddenly stiffens. ‘Well. Except for my bloodline, I guess.’

‘Your power of the portal?’

‘Yes. So Reid made a deal with his father. Reid and Cyrus will work for him. And I would have a child. In return, we don’t get executed or locked up.’

‘You… you had a baby?’

‘No!’ she insists. ‘Of course I haven’t. I have just promised one.’

‘Then why did you marry Cyrus and not Reid? Surely the king would want his bloodline to have the power.’

‘No. He doesn’t want anyone blood-related to have that power. They may have a claim to the throne if they did. The King’s so paranoid about losing power, he…’ She freezes and looks at me.

‘What?’ I urge.

‘He had Reid and Ezra sterilised over a year ago. As well as himself. That way, there are no heirs to try and take his crown. He sees spies and assassins everywhere.’

I take her hands in mine and cling to them. ‘Why haven’t you run? Your door was unlocked. Why are you still here?’

She lowers the neckline of her dress and shows me a tattoo.

An oath.

‘We all had to make the vow,’ she says.

I stare at those markings. The strange symbols that link and curve.

And I can read them. I understand them. It’s like the runes. It’s not just a language but an understanding.

‘You can not try to escape,’ I say, my fingers feeling the ink. ‘You can not conspire against the King. If you do, ten souls are owed.’ I look up at her, and she stares at me in shocked confusion.

‘How did you know that’s the vow?’

‘Long story. Ten souls?’

She covers herself. ‘If I try to escape the palace or conspire against the king, ten others will die.’ She looks away and steps back. ‘I have already been responsible for ten deaths after I tried to stab him. Through the vow, I saw them all die.’ Her lip trembles. ‘One was a child.’

'Oh, Rhea…’

‘Reid and Cyrus were forced to make similar vows. I don’t know the full extent of it, but I know they can’t disobey. They can’t try to run. Cyrus has been tortured, ridiculed, tormented, hated and treated as a toy to break by everyone here. Reid has been forced to do deeds that have him screaming in his sleep.’ She angrily scoffs. ‘As a goodwill gesture, the King allowed them to take El and me as their wives. First, they refused. But when told they either marry us or we get given to the men, they agreed. And we got married.’

With her sleeve, she wipes away her furious tears. Her entire body shakes, and tears fall continuously.

‘Did you leave us here because you hated us?’ she whimpers.

I rush forwards and take her face in my hands, making her look at me.

‘I returned a matter of weeks ago. I’ve been trying to get to you ever since. I love you, and I know you tried to save me.’

Her breathing is short and she is struggling to catch it. She’s hyperventilating as she holds my wrists tightly and grounds herself in my eyes.

---