Page 29 of Dreams of Ash and Smoke

She cuts me off, “Your dagger.” Nothing was in my name now; no money, gold, or anything worth value. But, owing a favor was something very few beings turn down. I was going to offer that. The dagger surprises me.

“Why?”

“Does it matter?” Her question makes me ponder. It was a gift from Hadeon and while I might regret gifting it to her later, I need answers now. The curiosity too much to turn down.

Her left brow picks up, surprise written on her face as I pull the blade from under my dress and hold it out to her. Something tells me she is notsurprised often but she graciously takes it. Why do I feel like I made a mistake? “Your journey will not be safe. You will have to make hard choices. Trust the king. You and the Dark King will be important together in this journey. The prophecy…” The holes where her eyes should be glow golden, “together you shall bring about war, pain, misery and the utter desolation of the continent…” Her words shake me to my core. Why the fuck would I stay with him then?! “Or… you will empower this continent to flourish in a way never seen before.”

“Why Eryx?” I ask her.

“The Dark King is already tied with you, such a gift happened by the fates, decades ago.”

“What? What does that mean?” The deep thunderous sound of hooves break us from our conversation. It’s hard to see the figure in the darkness and I go to ready my hand on my blade before realizing I gave it to the witch.

“Woah, careful now. Wouldn’t want you to hurt yourself.” Rumbles the familiar deep and sinfully smooth voice of King Eryx. I roll my eyes at him, even as my heart picks up pace and chills tickle my spine. I look back toward the lady but she is nowhere to be found.

“I’d much rather hurt you first.” I spit back, turning away from her direction and facing him. He rides his horse closer before stopping dead in my path and jumping from the steed.

“You have no right to speak to me that way, I am King.” He stares me down, more shadows billow around us and I scoff— because I clearly have a death wish— and take one step toward him, trying to make him believe I am not afraid of him.

“I care extremely little of your title or anyone else’s. It gives you no automatic respect from me, not anymore.” I try to go around him but he stops me by grabbing my arm and I swiftly turn around before throwing my open palm over his cheek, leaving a pink print on his tan skin. “Donottouch me without my permission.” I leave my head high, which is easy since I have to stare up at him.

He rubs his jaw, an arrogant smirk resting on his face. “Are you doneabusing me?” He asks and I scoff before trying to turn again and walk away. “You had no right to speak the way you did to Hadeon. You have no idea the sacrifices he made for you.” His voice was firm now, irritation slipping through. But, it’s enough for me to stop.

I can’t seem to get the witch’s words out of my mind. They echo around like it’s an empty chamber.

I look up at the northern lights again, sighing. “I have every right. He is almost worse than Dryston ever was. Dryston never hid his true colors from me. Hadeon has been lying about who he was this entire time. I can never believe another word that comes from his mouth.” I can’t even force myself to look at the king, how are we going to save the continent if we can never see eye to eye. He does not respect me.

“Then believeme. You have no reason not to trust me.” He’s closer now, I can feel heat radiating from his body as he towers over me from behind. I roll my eyes.

“I do not know you,” I whisper, suddenly unable to speak normally.

“Yet.” He says. “I sent Hadeon to look for a high-fae woman. We knew she stayed in the court, her hair white as the moon with a dark blue streak and indigo eyes. She doesn’t belong there and whichever higher power knew that, made me believe it too when a witch crossed my path to tell me.” My chest rises and falls rapidly at the mention of the witch and my natural hair color. I can’t breathe. “I sent him to look for her and when he found you I knew we couldn’t just take you. There was no proof that you were her sinceyourhair is black. He did not want to get involved with you except I became aware of a threat to your life and couldn’t take the chance of us being wrong. His orders were to protect you, yes, but at some point you became more important than anything to him, even me.” Did the witch tell him the same prophecy? His words make sense, my heart wants to believe him. I can’t imagine being so important to someone they would blatantly disobey orders from their king with such a high standing.

“So you just sent him into enemy territory, planning to leave him there? For how long?” It doesn’t sit right with me. “Why?” I was breathless and everything in me was screaming to turn aroundto face the king, so I did. I look up into his eyes, dark like a warm autumn night sky, vacant of clouds, stars, or even the pretty lights yet beautiful anyway. “Why?” I push when he doesn’t answer the first time. He looks as if he’s searching for something in me.

Moments pass, silence surrounds us and the lights reflect off our faces. His voice is deep but quiet, “I do not know. I didn’t plan on leaving him there forever, not even for as long as he was. I told him if you were safe and that he could come home but he grew to care for you, Verena. Heisyour friend. He told me he had to stay but he never told me why.”

Gods damn it. I knew I had no choice but to stay. From his speech and the witch? I needed answers I couldn’t get on my own.

Somehow, my talk in the woods with Eryx and the witch convince me to head back to the castle. I try to walk, but the irritatingly handsome fae king threw me over the back of the horse he rode upon. Then continues to position me in front of him, pressing his very warm and frustratingly strong body against me for the duration of the ride.

I need to speak with him about my plan, but with all the information being dumped into my hands, it was hard to find the right time. Does he know about the prophecy? What will the witch want as her favor? Do I even trust her?

What do I do if he says no? I mean, he seems to have a strong dislike for Dryston anyway, getting my revenge on him should seem like fun for the Dark King.

What did she mean when she said our fates were already combined decades ago? I had never met the Dark King. It didn’t make any sense.

The horse slows at the stables and he jumps down, grabbing my waist and setting me down right after. It happens so fast that I barely have any time process it.

“Goodnight, Verena. You should get some rest.” He steps back to take leave but I grab his arm, making him turn around again. His glare on my hands makes me jolt away and rest them against my chest as if he burned me.

“I have a proposition for you that I would like to speak with you about,” Itell him. The worst he can say is no. I need to do this.

“Tomorrow. There is an issue I must handle.” He leaves then and I somehow find myself back in the luxurious room all alone.

The bed was giant with four posters hanging in dark blue sheer tulle, matching the black sheets and duvet. It had a couple of floor-to-ceiling windows, facing North.

The floor was tile, black with gold marble. All metallic decor seems to be the same; gold. It adds a beautiful contrast to the black. I would think they’d have silver to match the moon. I’d have to remember to ask Ruelle at some point about it.

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