Page 78 of Secrets & Curses of Cerithia

Tell him the gods and stars must not be happy about this union,her voice spoke to my mind.

I snapped my eyes back to her.

“It appears the gods and stars do not condone this union,” I called out to my father with a genuine smile. His face paled at my words.

“Well, that ruined the whole rehearsal,” Jesper growled, but his eyes darted around like he was looking for the goddess who had ruined our rehearsal. Jesper was terrified, I realized. He looked at me oddly.

“Where were we?” he spoke. What a persistent fuck.

The priestess fumbled her words as Jesper squeezed the bridge of his nose. When he glanced up at me, I could tell he was about to lose his shit.

“Forget it!” He threw his hands up, defeated. “We all know how a wedding works. I’m sure it will go better tomorrow. Let’s just go inside and eat.” His eyes darted around us again, looking for a reason for the sudden change in the weather.

Thank the stars. The guests practically ran inside the castle and into a smaller ballroom that was transformed overnight into a beautiful space for a celebration. Tables filled the room with stunning flower centerpieces, golden tablecloths, and food that could feed the whole city. Jesper held my hand in a death grip and led me to the front table.

“Don’t think I didn’t notice how happy you were that we were interrupted. You will not get so lucky tomorrow,” Jesper whispered. “And if you walk that slowly down the aisle again, I’ll snap your legs and give you a reason to be slow.”

“Don’t worry. I'll be on my best behavior,” I scoffed. His hand gripped mine so tightly that I cried out. “How did you do it? Your magic is barbed inside you.”

I just smiled at him. I wanted him to think I was still able to get some magic out. He stared at me, terrified.

Another crashing noise made him drop my hand. King Sybrien had knocked over another flower vase, shattering it.

“For fuck’s sake, can you not break something for five minutes?” Jesper snapped. The king didn’t acknowledge him. No, he was staring right at me with a big smile on his face. Why was he so fucking happy? The lights of the ballroom began to flicker violently. Instinctively, I glanced around for Della, but she was missing.

Darkness enveloped the room for a brief moment before the lights flicked back on, revealing Cassius and several other men, who now stood in the center of the ballroom.

Chapter 24

Ablack vortex swirled quickly around Cassius and his guards. My heart nearly stopped. He looked around the crowd before his golden eyes found mine. King Sybrien gave Cassius a subtle head nod, but I saw it.

"Sorry, I’m late,” he said, smiling toward Jesper. “You wrote the wrong time on my invitation. An honest mistake, I’m sure.”

“What the fuck are you doing, Cassius?” Jesper’s guards had already lifted their weapons, but Cassius paid no attention to them. His eyes lingered on my face, tracing over each bruise and cut. His gaze snapped to Jesper with deep hatred. My eyes shifted to Haden, Kace, and Zade behind him. They were all looking at me with no emotion. How was he here? He said he couldn’t cross into Cerithia lands without dying, unless it was war. For fuck’s sake, was he declaring war right now?

I shifted my attention to Cassius when I felt his eyes on me.

“My gods above, Jesper, I didn't know you could afford such a pretty dress." Cassius' smiled at me. "You look stunning, mylove, but gray does not suit you. This would be perfect if it were crimson red."

“Leave,” Jesper warned.

“I was invited,” he smiled. Realization set in. He could cross the border if he was invited. In Jesper’s desperate attempt to be petty, he gave Cassius an opening to come to Cerithia. “Besides, I’m not here for the wedding festivities. I’ve come for my prisoner. I’ll leave once they are handcuffed.”

Prisoner?

Did he mean me? It had to be. I glanced around as if I would find an answer to my question in the crowd. My father was glaring daggers at me as if I had concocted this whole thing. Jesper was losing his patience, but Cassius looked amused by the whole exchange. Please take me out of this hell.

“What are you talking about?” Jesper glared at Cassius, enraged by this intrusion.

Cassius looked around at the crowd and sighed heavily. His golden eyes turned black as his shadows swarmed around him. He was putting on a show; why?

“A few days ago, Cerithia broke the peace treaty,” he declared.

An uproar ensued in the crowded room. Jesper froze tensely next to me. That was a very big accusation to say out loud. Had guards snuck onto Crimson lands and been caught?

“That’s bullshit!” My father cursed Cassius.

“Oh, but it’s not,” Cassius tisked at my father like he was an idiot. My father’s hands fisted at his sides. “You have not declared war, so any unprovoked attack on my land is considered a peace treaty violation, is it not?”

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