Page 34 of The Umbra King

“Typical men,” Rory muttered.

The king’s mouth pulled up slightly. “You can do your own laundry and cooking, if you’d like to prove your independence.”

“I already do,” she said under her breath. After the incident in the dining hall, she cooked herself food in the kitchens before her shift ended and ate half when no one was around and the other half in her room at night.

His eyes shifted to her again. “Excuse me?”

She refused to look at him as they walked. “I cook my own food,Your Grace.”

He stopped abruptly and folded his arms across his chest. “Are you above eating with the others, or is the food not to your liking?”

She kept walking, but another shadow wall blocked her passage. “Fucking hell.” She turned to him. “You will be delighted to hear I am not allowed to eat with the others. The first and last time I tried, I was refused food. Until they covered me in it, that is. I’m sure you will relish in my humiliation for the rest of the evening.” She was embarrassed, as much as she hated to admit it.

He regarded her thoughtfully. “Are you surprised?”

“No,” she answered honestly. “If you won’t show me around, I would like to go to my room, please.”

The politeness she afforded him seared a hole through her tongue, but pissing off her warden would do her no favors.

He tipped his head toward a set of stairs at the end of the hall, and Rory groaned. “You couldn’t at least bring elevators to this cursed palace?”

He chuckled, and the sound surprised her because it wasn’t full of mockery as usual. “The only place in all of Vincula with power is theRoyalquarters, powered by my essence.” After seeing the sky room, she knew that was a lie.

“Wait. You’re an inmate as much as I am, yet you get power? That is bullshit.”

The mirth on his face slipped away, and his jaw tensed. “I may be locked away, but I am no inmate. I am your king, and it would do you well to remember that.”

His tone made her eyes bulge slightly. He looked to be three seconds away from strangling her. “Where are your quarters?”

He continued toward the stairs, leading them up. “Are you planning a visit, Miss Raven?”

She smiled sweetly when they reached the next floor, ignoring the ache in her calves. “How else will I ravish you, Your Grace?”

She yelped when he backed her into a wall, and a shadow squeezed her throat lightly. “You couldn’t handle the way I fuck, Miss Raven.” Her chest was heaving when he stepped back and turned.

“Seemed pretty basic to me,” she mumbled, rubbing her throat.

He didn’t turn around as he continued down the hall. “I do not waste effort on unimportant things.” Rory smiled to herself at his dismissal of Nina.

“Smug is not a good look on you, Miss Raven.”

Her jaw dropped. Did everyone have eyes in the back of their heads? She hurried after him. “Where are we?”

“The guest floor,” hereplied.

Her brow furrowed. “Who in the hell would visit Vincula?”

She was beside him now, and his eyes cut to her. “Vincula is a beautiful place.” His eyes grew distant. “My friends and siblings from Erdikoa would often visit.”

“Would?” she echoed and immediately wished she could snatch the question back at the look on his face.

Why did she care about his pain?She didn’t.

“The two rooms at the end of the hall are for theAngels,” he said, ignoring her question.

“Angels?” Like the feathered mystics from fairytales? “Sam,” she realized aloud.

Caius’ mouth thinned slightly. “You speak informally as though you know him well.”

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