Page 49 of Dueling the Suitors

Emperor Cyrus transformed his laugh into a cough and bumped his shoulder with Silas’. “This is interesting. I don’t think she has any idea yet.”

Silas held her gaze, the light in his eyes taking her back to the day he had stood over her in all his victorious glory after the duel and said,“I told you, Princess, you will be mine once this duel is over. Don’t say I didn’t warn you.”

“Welcome to Draken, Astoria. My empire, and now yours.”

It took a moment to process his words, and when it did, Astoria staggered back in shock.

Skylar was wrong. The man in black wasn’t the Emperor.

Her husband was.

11

The Lion’s Den

For the first time—or perhaps the second—Astoria found herself at a loss for words in a verbal spar. So she fought the only other way she knew.

Holding Skylar securely with one arm, she released a barrage of spells at him.

She had married her enemy. The destroyer. The angel of destruction she was meant to bring down.

If the Creator helped her, she would fulfill the prophecy right then and there.

Cyrus was quick to block her. “Are you mad?” His eyes reflected a storm as he glared at her.

Gone was the man she had bickered and flirted with, the one who teased her and called her ridiculous nicknames. He was now a stranger wearing a familiar face.

“You tricked me, you fiend! You blasted, monstrous man! Where is my brother? What did you do to him? If you hurt him, I swear, I will kill you!” She unleashed another jet of spells.

This time, he didn’t block them. Her golden blasts dissipated into the thin air before they touched him, almost like he had cast an invisible shield.

“Thank the Creator I had the sense to request the addition to the vow, or I would’ve had to fight you every second of my life.”

“Whereismy brother, you fiend!” she yelled, her anger spiraling tenfold as she realized the full weight of his trickery.

“He’s in the woods where we left him, probably panicked out of his mind and—”

“Take me back.”

Cyrus laughed. And it was nothing like the deep one she found soothing. This was an evil, wicked laugh that sent chills down her spine. “I’m sorry, are you commanding me?” He gave her a mocking glance.

Astoria lifted her chin. “I don’t care who you are. You are notmyEmperor. And yes, I am commanding you to take me back to my brother.”

The young man in black snickered. “You two will make a wonderful couple.”

Astoria didn’t know who he was yet, but she narrowed her eyes at him. “I have no desire to be married to him! He tricked me!”

“We are bound with magic, Astoria. It would be stupid of you to even hope there is a chance for separation.” Cyrus gave her a deadpan look. “I will find you wherever you go, even if you hide in the farthest corner of the human realm.”

Astoria snorted a laugh. “Oh, you fool! You are the one who bound yourself to me with a fake name. Itcanbe reversed.”

Cyrus’ lips curled into a smirk. “Who said I used a fake name in the vow? Why do you think I chose the name Silas?It sounds like my own. Cyrus. Silas. Cyrus. Silas.” His smirk turned victorious. “I used my real name during the vow, but you didn’t pay attention. No one did. Even if they did, they probably thought I didn’t spell out the ‘L’ in Silas.”

Astoria gaped at him in disbelief.

“So, who do you think is the ‘fool’ here?”

Astoria barely restrained herself from attacking him. There was no point. “You are such a monster!” she hissed in disbelief.

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