Page 70 of Prince of Ruin

“Meet with Mother Terra and make her stop the eruption.”

With that, they stride out of the room, but pause at the door. “You’ll be staying in here from now on. In the guest room. But don’t think for a moment that you could escape. I have an army keeping an eye on you.”Then he steps out, leaving me both sated and hungry for more.

~*~

The first time Tarsus fucked my mouth, I knew it was a power move. Something to put me in my place and show me who’s boss. Since I’m such a terrible person with no place in this realm, they saw no reason not to use me as their fuck toy.

But tonight…tonight ended on a more intimate note. They let me in, however little that was. I caught a glimpse of the Tarsus Aden must have fallen for. I…felt something for them.

It’s clear that Aden is right—Tarsus is still desperately longing for some remnant of what we had before.There wasn’t as much fucking tonight as there was making love, though Tarsus would deny it to the end.

Even after all these years, they’re not over me. I would be almost disappointed if they decided not to fuck me at this point. Because now that I know it’s not a power play, now that I know they actually want me, despite who they think I am, I want them too. Though I’d never admit that to them.

As I doze off, another one of those dreams—which could only be described as ancient memories of my past life—unfolds in my memories.

Power surges through me as I sit on the Throne of Bones and place the Crown of Teeth upon my brow. As a spine prince, I had the ability to dabble in a little bit of magic, but I have never felt anything near to what I’m experiencing now. The human bones of the throne rattle as my dead father’s powers surge into me, as the land claims and recognizes me as its sovereign.

The entire court senses that power. And even though I killed my father, his severed head on the floor by my feet, everyone who once bowed to him demonstrates loyalty to me.

Straightening, I curl my fingers around the arms of the throne, leaning into the heady power as it fills my own bones.

“All hail your new leader, Sovereign Clavicle,” General Ulna shouts to the court, and they all fall to their knees before me. We all knew this day would come, but I doubt anyone saw it coming this soon.

Still, even with every knee bowing before me, even with this new, barely controllable power surging through my veins, there’s only one pair of eyes I look for.

Tarsus stands in the back of the throne room, mouth agape in horror as they stare at my father’s severed head by my feet, his antlers sawn off and a red blood forming a puddle on the black marble floor.

“Tarsus,” I say, my voice carrying an authority I didn’t even know I was capable of as it booms through the room. I hold out a hand. “Come.”

Obediently, my step-sibling walks through the parting crowd. Everyone stares, probably wondering whether I’m going to kill Tarsus, too, just to eliminate any threats to my throne. But I take Tarsus’ long fingers into my hand and lead them to the throne beside me. The throne my mother used to occupy before she died. The throne Tarsus’ mother used to sit in before she, too, passed away.

Now it’s theirs. And we’ll rule the Spine Empire together, hand in hand, with no fear of judgment and no terror of my father ending them.

Aden

Clavicle joins us for breakfast the next morning. I’m pleased to see him well rested and clean for once. This morning, Tarsus told me everything that went down last night. That Clavicle still intended toact, and that he’daskedTarsus to fuck his throat again, then Tarsus asked me if I was disappointed in them.

“The only thing I’m disappointed about,” I responded as I pulled on my straight-leg black jeans, “is that I wasn’t there to watch.”

Tarsus just stared at me, contemplating. “I fuck him, knowing full well the villain that lives deep within. But you…you trust him too much, Aden.”

After pulling on a black t-shirt, I stepped toward them. “Let me show you the Clav I’ve come to know,” I said, caressing their cheek. “Give him a chance.”

Tarsus snorted. “A chance to what? Fool me again?”

“Do it for me.”

They blinked and looked away, a muscle clenching in their jaw.

“You owe me that much, at least,” I added.

They finally gave in, begrudgingly.

Now, Tarsus’ usual pout appears on their face as they watch Clav takes his seat across from me and reach for a croissant roll.

“So?” Clav’s voice is much too cheery for a prisoner. “What’s on the agenda for today, Babes?”

I smother a laugh.Babes.A quick glance at Tarsus tells me my partner is not a fan of their prisoner calling them or mebabe,based on the deepening furrow between their brows.

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