Page 57 of Shadows of Ruin

He led me down the hall, its walls lined with a handful of large portraits of various Fae. All sat on thrones. After reading a few nameplates in passing, I understood this to be a collection of Mysthaven’s prior rulers.

Each face contained a sadness I couldn’t quite shake. One that didn’t make sense to be captured in official royal portraits. The portraits of our prior kings and queens in Brookmere were happy, joyous. Proud. I didn’t get that feeling here at all.

The pain in the eyes of these rulers radiated outward. Especially the one at the end. My gaze flicked to the gold-plated inscription: King Jasper Blackthorn.

“My Guardians have lost their manners, it seems. We were not formally introduced, my dear,” the king said, pulling my attention away from the portrait. He stood at the doorway at the end of the hall. A guard held it open for him, and he beckoned me to follow into the stairwell. “Do tell me your name.”

Calling me a common whore did make it difficult to indulge in the niceties of a formal introduction.

My immediate retort transformed into a slight panic. Kade had spent so much time telling menotto be with the king that he’d failed to tell me what to say to him in case everything went wrong. Which clearly it had. I waited until we finished walking down the stairs before responding.

“My name is Illiana.” Concocting a lie would be too hard to maintain, especially without discussing it with the others first.

“Well, Lady Illiana, I must assume you hold a title of lady if you’re being held in such high regard by my men. It appears you won them over in record time. I cannot recall any others ever being invited to the palace, especially on the eve of the festival.”

He smiled at me before grabbing my hand and placing it on his arm. I wanted to flinch at his touch but controlled my reaction. I didn’t need the king thinking I was suspicious of him. Instead, I put on my royal princess mask I’d donned so many times before and pretended to enjoy his attention. Even if his evil reminded me too much of Andras. I stiffened, my heart thudding more wildly.

Not now.

He was the last person I should think about at the moment.

The king raised an eyebrow, and I forced a smile. I’d done more in the past few weeks than I ever had in my entire life. I was more than the emotions Andras’s cold words made me feel.

If I wanted to be the queen Brookmere deserved, I needed to take back control from those dark memories weighing me down.

My smile came effortlessly as I slipped back into my courtly role. Perhaps I could use this time with the king to my advantage and see what he would be willing to tell me.

“I’m sure I was merely at the right place at the right time. Lonely warriors returning home and all that.” I averted my gaze, recalling how many noblewomen whispered about men enjoying mystery and the chase. Fates, maybe the idiotic rules of court might actually come in handy here.

“Lonely Guardians make for poor bedmates. Perhaps you will be by my side for longer than just today, Illiana.”

I clenched my teeth, lowering my head, eager to change the subject. “I am honored, Your Highness. I have never beento Mount Legion before. It is such a beautiful city. Perhaps you could tell me about it?”

“Ah yes, the first time in Mount Legion is always memorable. I’m sure your journey here consisted of my son and his companions gallivanting across the lands, frequenting the seedy taverns he so enjoys. The grandeur of Mount Legion is a stark contrast to what I’m assuming you’re used to.”

The desire to defend Kade and the others simmered in my chest. “They’ve been nothing but honorable. You should be proud of your warriors.”

The king laughed. “You are a delight. I know all too well what they are truly like. You’ll see. Careful of my son especially. He likes beautiful things but tends to destroy them.”

I refused to give in to the king baiting me for information on Kade. If he wished to gossip about his son, he’d have to do so elsewhere.

As we exited the front of the palace, we walked left toward a large balcony. I had been so caught up when we arrived, I’d missed it completely. The balcony overlooked a great canyon nestled between two of the largest mountain peaks. The immediate plunge down took my breath away. A fierce flowing river raged below us. Rays of sunlight sparkled off the black streaks in the mountainous rocks. At sunset, this view must be spectacular.

“Here in Mount Legion, we pride ourselves on the more fearsome beauty of the earth surrounding us. It takes bravery to see the beauty in such vicious lands, but it’s there.”

His pause lingered, waiting for me to say something. “You speak the truth indeed. I’d forgotten how beautiful wild and dangerous things can be.”

The king smiled arrogantly. “I, too, enjoy the beauty of wild, dangerous things.” His fingers brushed over my shoulder.

I forced a laugh. “I can assure you I am neither of those things.”

Yet.

“Oh, I doubt that.” He chuckled. “For my son and his friends to bring you along with them, you would have to be”—he paused—“monstrous. Speaking of, we must continue. The Festival of Swords is a grueling treat I am excited to experience with you.”

He guided us onward, along the balcony toward a massive, wide entryway. Mountains shot up along all sides, circled around us, and though beautiful, it reminded me of walls, caging me in.

My pulse skyrocketed. Thinking of Andras and his torture in the cages of Brookmere’s dungeon would not serve me here.

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