Page 78 of Dueling the Suitors

That, shecouldbelieve. Kings trembled at the mention of his name, including her father.

“When I go for a conquest, I don’t even bring my men with me like the people in the unconquered kingdoms like to think. I go alone. I fight alone. I conqueralone,” he emphasized the last word. “There’s no one in the human realm with powers that rival mine. How else do you think I built my empire in eleven kingdoms in only five years? I don’t know if you’d believe meon this or not, but after my first few conquests and I went to the next kingdom, the people cheered at the sight of me. They hollered when the palace came down in debris—though it was only an illusion to scare the king and his men into pledging their service to me when they refused it.

“Illusions are terrific. You can show your enemy anything you want, to bring them to their knees, to plant the seed of fear in their hearts to never defy you. It has worked for me brilliantly so far. Thus, you can find the empire of Draken at least ten times better than the unconquered kingdoms. I care for my people; they are well-fed, looked after, and justly served. But in all I have done, I would never dare take the glory on my own. It was the Creator giving His people justice against tyrants. I was merely His vessel.”

Astoria’s horror burst out of her. “The Creator? You are claiming the Creator is onyourside?”

“Are you not listening to me, Astra? All these rulers, they never cared about their people. My invasion was the Creator’s justice on them. The people have been oppressed enough, and He sent me to save them. I must admit, the only reason the entire continent isn’t Draken yet is that the seven kingdoms in the south aren’t bad to their people. I have spies in each one of them. The moment I’m informed of a king’s wrong move against his people, I will strike him down—including your father.”

“So you are saying that they were never invasions, but… salvation?” she challenged, locking her eyes with his.

Cyrus held her gaze with all his intensity. “Yes.”

Astoria shook her head to herself and leaned back on the sofa, crossing her arms, disbelief pouring out of her. So everything she’d heard for the last six years about his cruelty, brashness, and merciless murders was a lie?

She didn’t believe him. She didn’t want to, but then she remembered the coronation day, the way people had looked athim with joy and respect, and how they’d blessed him. Even if she tried to convince herself thatthathad been an illusion, she couldn’t mistake the respect he had from all the staff in the palace. From the stable hands to the commander of the army, they alllovedhim.

Astoria didn’t realize how long they sat like that, in silence; her absorbing his explanations and him—well, she was too busy with her thoughts to mind him. When she did turn to look at him, she found his eyes already on her.

Warm. Gentle. Adoring.

Her heart skipped a beat, but she pressed on with her question. “Why are you telling me all this? And your past? No one like you would want to expose the lowest point of their life to someone like me.”

“I’m not ashamed of my past,” he said without hesitation. “It molded me into the person I am. Besides, you are my wife. Clara and Rowan are the only others who know my story. Iwantedyou to know it, too.”

His midnight eyes bored into hers. Astoria looked away, his words strangely overwhelming.

She stood quickly. “Well, it’s getting late. I should go to bed.”

“I’ll escort you.” Astoria opened her mouth to protest, but Cyrus cut her off, standing. “I’m calling it a night, too.”

She accepted his offered arm, having no other choice, and they walked towards their chambers in silence. Cyrus stopped them in front of her room and Astoria dropped her hand from him.

“Goodnight, Little Dragon. Dream of me.”

Astoria turned to him. Seeing the small smile on his lips, a smile pulled at her own before she could stop it. “Bad night, Big Dragon. Dream of…nothing. Have a dreamless sleep.”

She stepped inside and closed the door in his face.

Cyrus chuckled, the sound of his laugh reaching her through the door and to her heart.

16

The Wild Rumor

Astoria woke up to sneezing from the adjoining room the next morning. She put a pillow over her ears and went back to sleep, but it didn’t help block out the sound.

What greatness was there in saying that he built his empire with fear and power alone when he didn’t even bother to flick his wrist to shield himself from a stupid rainstorm yesterday? Now he was rewarded with wrenching sneezes for his recklessness.

“Everything alright?” Astoria called out as loud as possible in her sleep-addled voice.

There was another sneeze and a long pause before the answer came. “Why, darling, are you concerned?”

And here she thought they had come to some sort of agreement to never get under each other’s skin again. She rolled her eyes. “Of course not! You are simply disturbing my sleep.”

His deep laugh was her answer, just before he sneezed again.

She sighed. “Ring for a maid and ask for some pepper tea; it will help.”

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