Page 93 of Essence of the Throne

The temporal strand isn’t straightforward; though none of the strands in the ethereal affinity are. It’s like trying to grab water with your bare hands—slippery, fleeting, and never quite what you expect. When I tug onto it, it’s not just time bending around me; it’s like I’m bending with it, shifting through moments thatshouldn’t be mine to hold. It’s dangerous, unpredictable, and draining, but it worked. Somehow it worked. It gave me the edge I needed when everything hung by a thread and I thought I was going to lose him. Again.

I halt my movements as acidic realization floods through me: Thalion is dead. Twenty years of training, planning, raging, and he’s finally dead.

And the most disturbing part is I hadn’t considered any of this before…what happens after the king is dead. I’ve been so focused on Caspian and what we need to do now that it slipped my mind. Succeeding at the only thing I’ve ever wanted was overshadowed by my feelings for the prince.

I cannot tell if I’m disturbed by that truth or relieved.

And my parents? Their deaths were the catalyst for my plans, and I’ve just dismissed their long deserved justice without a second thought.

Do I feel guilty about it? I should, but no.

Would I do it again? Fail to drag out long-planned Thalion’s death in their name, if given the chance? For Caspian? I absolutely fucking would.

“Ariella.” I jolt at the prince's soft voice and touch as he drags his hands down my arm. “What are you thinking about?”

I purse my lips, narrowing my eyes before answering. “Are you sure you want to know?” He nods as both hands slide around my waist and hover low on my back.

He presses in, and I immediately step close enough that the heat of his body warms my cold thoughts. His eyes darken at my lipsbefore I realize I’m biting one. Leaning to brush the lightest of kisses against my forehead, he whispers, “Ialwayswant to know what’s going on in that beautifully violent head of yours.” A giddiness flits around my abdomen as I smile, and—

Fuck, what is wrong with me?I’m positive that I’ve smiled more in the last two months than I have my entire life.

I relax into his arms—the one place I’ve ever felt truly safe. We remain silent for a few moments while I allow myself to be held by him. I must be quite injured, because I’m not in the slightest concerned about others seeing the Silver Wraith being held by their prince.

Perhaps I do enjoy cuddling, after all.

I shift when my legs tremble harder, bracing to walk back into the castle before I collapse, when a deep rumble vibrates through my bones, causing both of us to pause. The sensation grows until the ground beneath our feet quakes violently. Caspian adjusts his grip on my arms, steadying me as people around us scream and the castle groans.

“Fuck me,” I breathe, watching as trees collapse and windows shatter. This is different from the shaking in the library. It’s callous and erratic.

My mother’s and Eris’ warnings ring in my ears:chaos.

How? We’ve killed the one fucking with and hoarding essence—I want to believe that’s why. That it’s the king’s harvested essence entering the environment once again that’s causing this alarming shaking.

I cannot think that, after so much effort, Thalion’s death would make the balance worse. I will not believe that eradicating that monster is going to ruin our chances of fixing the Accord.

I’m too fucking tired for this.

“Come on.” I yank Caspian toward the castle entrance, dodging falling debris. His normally graceful movements are sluggish, as are mine, likely from the drugs and manipulation his father used to control us. The thought makes my blood boil.

Just as quick as it started, the shaking ceases without warning. I widen my eyes in an attempt to keep them open—I’ll think about this more tomorrow. I’ve dealt with enough today.

We burst through the back entrance just as Gavriel emerges from a side hallway. His face is bruised, and he cradles his right arm against his chest. Something in my gut says he fought back when the king’s men came for him.

Brave of him to show his face here after what he did. Foolish, but brave.

“Caspian, please—I just need to explain.” Gavriel’s voice cracks with desperation. I glance at Caspian, finding him slumped against the wall, eyes distant. Whatever his father did has fucked with his head more than I initially thought.

“He’ll talk to you tomorrow,” I snap, moving to guide Caspian away. Gavriel’s hand clamps around my forearm, and I react on instinct.

I slam him into the wall, pressing a blade to his throat. “Fuck’s sake, leave him alone, Gavriel. It’s like you’re in love with him or something.”

The words leave my mouth before I process them, but the way Gavriel’s face drains of color confirms what I’d suspected. His eyes dart to Caspian, who seems oblivious to our exchange as he leans his head forward, forehead scrunched tightly.

“If you ever touch me again,” I breathe, leaning close, “I will personally ensure your body is never found. And trust me, that wouldn’t be much effort on my part—no one would look very hard for the guard who betrayed his prince.”

Gavriel’s voice lowers to a sharp whisper, the brown of his irises darkening. “You don’t understand anything. You never have. You’re always so quick to judge—but only after you destroy everything.”

“Destroy?” I hiss back, pressing my blade in. “You almost got him killed in Meridian. Or did you forget that part while you were busy swimming to higher ground while I saved his fucking life?”

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