Page 9 of A Shattered Kingdom of Steel

The former merely stares me down, while the other glares at me with his arms crossed. The one that restrained me is still standing behind me. He’s near enough now that the warmth of his body sends a trickling sensation down my spine as he takes another step closer to me.

“I would watch who you’re speaking to,” the chestnut-haired male warns.

“Oh really?” I reply, sarcasm dripping from my words. I don’t give a damn about who’s standing behind me. He could be one of the gods themselves, for all I care. “And why on the gods’ green earth would I do that?”

“Because the male you’re speaking to,” he says, eyes flicking behind me to the person whom he clearly feels the need to defend, “is the heir-apparent to the Silver Court. Lord Asheros of House Larmanne.”

Chapter Four

“Asheros Larmanne? I must not have heard that right,” I say, my voice rising in volume more and more with each word. “Is this some kind of joke?”

“I assure you, Lady Wynterliff,” the voice behind me says, with a casually cool sort of quality. “This is not an attempt at humor.”

I whirl around, my eyes throwing daggers at my target once my focus lands on him.

Gods be damned, they’re not poking fun. Standing before me, dressed in a gray-blue dress coat, unbuttoned to reveal a billowy white shirt underneath, is the one and only heir-apparent to the Silver Court.

Asheros Larmanne.

White-blond hair falls over his forehead in silky waves that end just above his cheekbones, framing his long, regal face. The pale, crystal blue of his eyes is striking against his warm, sun-kissed skin tone, making them seem lighter than they truly are. His jaw is mostly clean shaven, though shadowed with stubble. And his mouth—straight and serious, as though he’s waiting for me to make my next move, before he says anything.

I take a step forward. “I can have you arrested for treason.”

Asheros doesn’t flinch, his posture relaxed, and though I’m not short for a female by any means, he’s still a head taller than me. So much so, that he cranes his neck down to look at me.

We’re so close that if I leaned forward on the tips of my toes our noses might touch.

“Kidnapping a diplomat acting on behalf of the High King isn’t a smart move, my lord.” Bitterness bleeds through my words. “Never mind killing esteemed members of the High King’s Guard.”

Feet shuffle behind me.

Asheros merely holds up his palm, and the shuffling stops. Doing nothing to widen the distance between us, he slides that crystal-blue stare to mine. “I’m aware.”

“Why do any of this?” I frown, my mouth curling with anger. “You’re—You were loyal to Viridian. To your High King.”

Asheros and his father—Lord Eldred, the current Head of House Larmanne and ruler of the Silver Court—serve on the High King’s council, with Myrdin and his father, Tanyl, as well as the other Heads of House and heir-apparents representing the five Courts of Inatia. Myrdin and Tanyl represent House Tarrantree and the Copper Court; Lady Maelyrra and her son, Nisroth, House Pelleveron and the Gold Court; my mother, and my sister, Vestella, House Wynterliff and the Steel Court; and though they’re High King and Queen, Viridian and Cryssa represent House Avanos and the Bronze Court.

Asheros, of all people, should know how important this diplomatic mission is—he was there when Viridian and Cryssa discussed it with the council, no doubt. I can’t wrap my mind around why he’d kidnap me. When now, more than ever, Viridian and Cryssa need to be represented in each of the five Courts. Asheros knows that. Hell, he’s probably supposed be in Greyhelm—the capital of the Silver Court, and his home city—on their behalf, too.

I clench my jaw.

Vorr’s curse was brought upon him by an unnamed sorceress after he took something that wasn’t his to take. The curse affected humans more so than the fae, and when the ruling class failed to alleviate their suffering, tensions amidst the Courts’ human communities escalated. Now that the curse is broken, and Viridian and Cryssa sit on the throne, things have begun to change. Still, noble fae are hesitant to accept the changes that come with Cryssa and Viridian’s rule. And though the crown is trying to bridge the gap between noble fae and humans, that change is slow moving.

Humans are distrustful of the noble fae reigning over them, and those fae look down at the humans in their care. Already, noble fae have voiced their dissatisfaction with Viridian’s view of humans and their place in society. My role as a diplomat is meant to ease these adjustments, to show the humans in the Steel Court that the crown does hear and care about them. And, though Viridian has never voiced this aloud, I know my position there is meant to keep the noble fae in line.

I gave up my title as Captain of the High King’s Guard for this.

Now, by kidnapping me, Asheros stands in my way. I don’t know him well. Our only interactions were polite small talk in passing when he and his father came to High Keep for council meetings. Any respect I’d had for him up until now is gone. Shriveled up and withered away like dust.

Crossing my arms, I move about a pace backward. “Well?”

Asheros says nothing, merely pressing his lips together into a fine line.

Seamlessly, the males standing at my back move around me, breaking from each other’s sides like the splitting of a stream, and take their place beside Asheros. They eye me warily, hanging onto each of my movements, as if they’re waiting for me to do something rash.

With my patience growing thinner by the minute, I ask, “You’re truly not going to answer me?”

His jaw ticks, and his eyes fall to the ground.

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