Page 23 of A Kingdom of Broken Bonds

“Yet you do it anyway.” My voice is full of quiet gratitude as I watch the man who has been more of a father to me than my biological father.

“For you, yes.” He glances over at me once more, his expression softening for a half second, and then a ghost of a smile appears on his lips.

Of course, it’s gone in the next moment, and no one would ever know the two of us just shared a moment. We reach the corridor that leads to the king’s office far too quickly, and I feel queasy, not knowing what’s waiting for me behind those doors.

Geoff nods in greeting to the guards at the door, and one of the king’s guards pulls away from the others, knocks, and steps inside the office, most likely announcing I have arrived. We are not left waiting long. The guard returns and opens the doors for us with magic, gesturing for us to enter.

The king is sitting in the chair behind his desk. He looks tired. Did he not get any sleep last night either?

A sharp tug in my chest informs me Havoc is here, and sure enough, when I glance up, I find him leaning against the door on the opposite side of the room, looking as though he has been dragged straight out of bed to attend the meeting. None of his usual style or finesse is present, just him. Seeing him like this without his smart suits, crown, and perfect hair, he looks… ordinary. He is still handsome, and that pull between us is ever present, yet he doesn’t emit that sense of entitlement royalty often carries.

There is a light knock on the side door, and at the king’s call, it swings open to reveal Finnik. Excitement tingles in the centre of my chest as my eyes land on the fae, tracing every inch of his body. He’s attractive, no, he’s gorgeous, and I struggle to keep my eyes off him, especially after last night when he stepped in at the ball. There’s a sense of danger around him, like he could kill within a second, and for some reason, in the light of day, that only makes him more attractive to me.

Where have these feelings come from? Am I just latching on to him because of Havoc’s rejection and his swoon-worthy act of dancing with me when the prince couldn’t finish? No, I shouldn’t be doing this. I’m due to marry his best friend, and here I am, lusting after another male like a horny teenager. I need to focus on working with Havoc to sort through our differences and complete my role in the prophecy.

However, no matter how much I tell myself this and believe in the plan, I struggle to pull my gaze away from the fae as he strides across the room. He’s the opposite of the prince, looking immaculate in a navy blue jacket without a wrinkle to be seen. Taking his place beside the prince, he immediately meets my gaze. His expression doesn’t change, but there’s an intensity in his demeanour that holds me in place, and I don’t want to blink in case I lose it.

Havoc notices the way I look at his friend, and when he glances at the fae, he must see something in his expression that he doesn’t like because he frowns. The urge to jerk my head away and look elsewhere is strong, but that will only make me appear guilty. There is nothing wrong with looking at his friend, and that is all I’m doing, so I won’t act like I have been caught out.

I turn my attention fully to the king, and I find him watching us with his own frown, his face weary. Trying to ignore the two males on the other side of the room and the feelings they invoke inside me, I think of all the people back in Trador who are counting on me.

A heavy silence weighs on us as the king watches, the atmosphere taut like just before a thunderstorm. Will we survive the deluge?

“I have called you all here because of what happened last night.” Another heavy pause ensues as the king puts his thoughts into words. It gives me hope that he’s not furious, his voice calm. He is known for his strict punishments, even for his own people, and leniency is not something that is ever used to describe King Drath, so the last thing we want is him to be angry.

“It was an utter disaster,” he growls, destroying my hopes of a calm, rational conversation. Surging up from the desk, he whirls around and snarls at his son. “What was going through your mind? My advisors are now questioning if we were right about the prophecy. You are making me look weak.” While his direct attack is aimed at Havoc, I get the distinct impression that Finnik and I are included in this too.

“Father, I don’t want to marry her. You know what I think of the brides.” He shudders as he speaks, yet I can see he’s trying to keep his temper in check, making out as though he’s the reasonable one.

If I didn’t know that it would get me into hot water, I would shake my head, and from the corner of my eye, I can see the minuscule movements of Geoff’s. Well, I am glad we are on the same page about this. The prince is only coming off as entitled, his opinions apparently more important than everyone else’s.

King Drath appears dumbstruck. “You don’t want to marry her?” His entire body seems to swell with anger, his teeth gritted as he attempts to control it. “You don’t get a choice.”

Anger transforms Havoc’s face, and I see a hint of that otherness coming through, separating him from the humans and making him supernatural. “Father—”

Striding towards his son, the king cuts him off with a gesture, stopping only inches from the prince. Glaring down at him, he shakes his head firmly. “No, Havoc! She is the one from the prophecy, and you are her true mate, which means you are to be her husband and help fulfil that prophecy.” Seeing the stubborn set of his son’s jaw, Drath sighs and runs a hand over his face. “Are you unable to feel the bond? Is there something wrong with it?”

“There is nothing wrong with the bond,” I call out, my voice sharper than intended. I wasn’t going to speak at all, but I will not let this be blamed on anything or anyone other than Havoc. “I can feel him and his hatred for me. Every second, I feel like a part of me is dying because he still denies the bond. If I can feel it, then so can he.”

The prince looks at me as though I betrayed him, and Finnik is staring at me as though he’s only just seeing me for the first time.

Nodding solemnly at my assessment, the king sighs again, but his determination is strong. “You don’t have a choice in this, Havoc.”

Geoff takes a step forward, his hands clasped behind his back as he addresses the two royals. “Do it for your kingdom, because if you don’t, then we shall all perish.”

Although Geoff promised he would protect me from the king’s wrath, I’m still surprised by his words. For the closed-mouthed male who prefers to help from a distance, this is practically him shouting. It gives me confidence and has a greater effect on the room as a whole, because he generally only speaks if he has something really important to say. He’s right though, and I watch the king nod in agreement.

“Do not let your selfishness destroy us all, son.” The king speaks in a low, but even voice, the anger all but gone. “You have to at least try.”

I can see the battle raging in Havoc’s eyes as he tries to put his sense of duty over his own needs. I’m starting to view him in a different light, and it’s not a flattering one. I’ve dedicated my entire life to this cause, and if I fail, the other brides won’t stand a chance. All of my own desires and thoughts have been put aside for the good of my people, and he can’t do the same because he doesn’t like the brides cursed by the prophecy.

A growl that sounds animalistic rumbles through his chest, but he screws his eyes shut in frustration. When they open, they are glowing, locked on his father and purposely not looking my way.

“Fine, I’ll do it, but only if she stays away from the cursed one,” he demands. “May I leave now?”

The king sighs. “Yes, you may go.”

The prince is out of the room before his father has even finished speaking, his movements a blur as he puts as much space between us as possible. Once again, he doesn’t even look at me. The bond twinges in my chest at his obvious hatred towards me, and I fight to keep any discomfort from my face. Finnik turns to leave, following his friend, but unlike the prince, he does look at me. His gaze is hot on my skin and so intense that it leaves me feeling all out of sorts. I can’t tell what he’s thinking, and for some reason, that bothers me.

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