Page 44 of A Kingdom of Pleasure and Torment

Brujon backs toward the door. “You’ll pay, Luthian.”

“I believe you meant to say, ‘Thank you, Luthian’.”

With a cry of rage, she sets my beautiful bed on fire and sweeps from the room, slamming the door behind her.

That’s not fair. I’m not a part of this, I think to myself as Luthian hurries to extinguish the flames and restore the bed with his magic.

“What did you do to Brujon, Guardian?”

“You don’t have to call me Guardian, anymore,” he says, skirting the question. “We’re supposed to be mates. Call me by my name.”

I did call you by your name. No. I can’t think of last night. That was the past, and we’re in the glorious present.

“When do we go back to court?” I ask.

Luthian grins. “Go and look out the window.”

I narrow my eyes in suspicion. My curiosity is too great. I drop his jacket to the ground and hurry to the window seat, kneeling upon it to look out at the gardens.

They are positively crowded with faeries, strolling past the fountains and along the paths, lying naked together on the grass in couples and writhing groups. I look back to Luthian, questioning, and open the window latch, swinging one outward. The house and gardens are connected to a much larger building with much larger grounds. The white stone shines in the sunlight, stretching endlessly to my right and to my left.

It’s as if the entire manor has been slotted into a giant puzzle.

“We are at court,” Luthian says with satisfaction. He reaches up to close the window and takes my hands in his, leading me back from the inquisitive stares of the people below. “Now that we are here, the game has become much more dangerous. You must watch every word you say, unless you are in my home. I have wards, but their magic doesn’t extend to other parts of the palace. No speaking of our plans on the grounds, either.”

“Yes, G—Luthian.” My heart sinks a little. I’ve begun to think of him, at least, the version of him who was my teacher and not my partner in this endeavor, by the name he allowed only me to use. The loss of it stings. “But what of Brujon? She’s heard you talk about all of it.”

“She has no memory,” he explains. “At least, no memory of her time as my housekeeper. She’s exactly as she was before I cursed her.”

“And you did that to hide her?” If he won’t give me the entire story, perhaps I can write the missing lines, if given enough information.

“I had to. She also fell out of favor, but not just with Arcus. Her other enemies are dead now, though.” From the sudden sharpness of his tone and the haunted silver in his eyes, there is no doubt that he was responsible for those deaths. His coldness and determination frighten me.

There’s another knock. Luthian waves away the mess on the floor and calls, “Enter.”

The faerie who comes in is a stranger, in pastel green livery and a powdered wig that looks quite ridiculous upon his head, as he is a frog.

I nearly faint.

“From His Most Glorious Majesty, Arcus the Cruel, King of The Court of Pleasure and Torment, Master of All Which Delights and Offends, Ruler of the House of—” the thing croaks.

“Yes, yes, I know who he is.” Luthian waves an impatient hand to dismiss the frog courier and shuts the door behind him, already popping the seal on the letter that’s been delivered. As Luthian scans the paper, his excitement lights his face with every line. “It’s an invitation, my honey flower. From the king. He wants to see you tonight.”

“Tonight?” My mind whirls. “I need my wardrobe. And a bath. And…”

Luthian comes to me and puts his hands on my shoulders. He places a gentle kiss on my forehead. “This is your destiny, Cenere. Trust in it.”

He’s right. This is my destiny. It’s Cadwyn Thrace’s destiny, too.

And King Arcus’s, though he doesn’t know it yet.

Chapter Eighteen

“It is imperative that you keep Arcus’s interest,” Luthian tells me, not for the first time. He’s almost as nervous as I was before we entered the throne room this morning.

I look myself over in the mirror, check my gown from one side then the other. For my private audience with the king, I’ve chosen a dress similar in style to the one I wore that morning. This one is bright, screaming red, with a deep V that reaches almost to my waist, and nothing beneath it. My breasts are barely contained by the laces across the bodice. “You don’t think this is a bit...seductive? After the throne room, I assumed he wanted innocence to despoil.”

“If that were the case, you’re already spoiled,” Luthian says, fluffing my ringlets over my bare shoulders. “He’ll view your beauty tonight as a gesture of good will from me. And besides, he thinks you’re my mate. He knows you’re not innocent.”

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