Page 140 of Savage Is My Kingdom

“Julian smuggled her into Tempeste, supplanted her into the royal court, had her introduced to Carex during an audience. You came along the next year.” Zor’s voice gentled, as it always did when he was trying to protect me. “He and Serpens were the only ones who knew for sure where Adele was from, Anaria. I’m sorry.”

I couldn’t stop my shiver.Poor Adele.

But if it weren’t for her, I’d still be defenseless.

At least she’d given me a chance.

“It’s strange,” I gestured to all of us. “That the Oracle chose two slaves, the commander of the army, a disgraced royal,” My mouth quirked up in a smile when I surveyed Tavion’s rumpled appearance, “And Tristan, who we haven’t seen in weeks, to overthrow a kingdom.”

“We’re a band of misfits, if there ever was one.” Raz shook his head, chuckling softly. “I always wanted to get a look at that scroll, to see what that old witch wrote.”

“None of you ever saw this prophecy?” Everyone looked at me blankly, and a shiver of dread went through me. “I mean, seriously, not one of you?”

“Julian might have snuck a look.” Tavion shrugged. “When he returned, he was different. Within a few years, there was hardly anything left of the brother I’d once loved. All he talked about wasyou, Anaria.” He spit my name out like a curse, as ifIwas the one who’d caused this.

“Different how?”

“At first?” Tavion crossed his arms. “At first, he acted possessed. He’d been given a chance to change the world, he claimed, by the gods themselves.”

Raz and I shared a look.

“He talked of returning to the old ways, before time and the Fae corrupted everything. Whatever that old spider planted in his head ruined my brother.”

Every word rang through me like a hammer stroke.

The corrupted magic—or the magic that the Fae corrupted. The magic Torin said…wasn’t Fae magic at all.

Julian, who’d fought to save me from Solok, had dedicated his entire life to a cause…because of this prophecy. Whatever the Oracle was orchestrating, whatever I was caught up in, started there.

Ihadto see that scroll.

“I’m exhausted.” I pushed to my feet. Every inch of me ached, and through the grimy windows, the sun was rising. I had just enough time to get to my room, bathe and make today’s audience. Afterwards, I’d familiarize myself with my father’s offices.

Wewerefamily, after all.

Raz walked me to the door. “Be careful, Anaria.” His eyes glittered with warning. “If the Keep was dangerous before, it’s even deadlier now.”

“I know.” Since Tavion was watching, I cupped my hand around the back of his neck, pulled him down to me. Brushed my lips over his, teasing, tempting him to open wider so I could slide my tongue in.

A thunderstorm, that’s what Raz tasted like. Dense and powerful, lightning and storm clouds, my body shivering beneath the absolute onslaught of his mouth.

When we pulled apart, we were both panting, and if we’d been alone, I would have shoved him down on that bed and ridden him to oblivion. From the dark promise in his eyes…he would have given me everything I asked for.

“You be careful, too.” My mouth lifted. “Try not to kill Tavion, my love, we do still need him.”

Tavion’s calculating gaze followed me all the way back to the Keep.

54

ANARIA

“Gods. Where have you been? I thought you were dead.” Sophie whimpered when I stumbled into my room. It felt like weeks since I’d been here, though barely a day had passed.

I studied the dark bruise on Sophie’s forehead, the scrape on her cheek, the fear shining starkly in her brown eyes.

“I’m sorry about Ember.” I closed the door behind me, “Are you alright?”

She blew out a shaky breath. Then another. “I’ve been here for hours, debating what to tell Crux when he asked where you’d gone. And what he’d do to me if you turned up dead.” Tears spilled down her cheeks.

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