Page 91 of Shadows of Ruin

“What?” I growled. A strong urge to destroy whoever disrupted us flashed inside of me. Fuck, I needed to get whatever this was under control.

Finn, one of my personal attendants, crossed his arms. If it had been anyone else, they would have cowered at the tone. Not Finn though.

“He wants to see you. Immediately.”

I grunted in response and shut the door.

Finn’s muffled voice came from the other side. “Shall I tell him you’re coming? Or do you want me to be hung for my insubordination?”

Cracking a smile, I opened the door again. “Bring cook’s hidden stash of pastries and juice to my rooms for my guest and I’ll defer the hanging to another day.”

Finn cocked an eyebrow. “He’ll see you in the throne room.”

I moved back into my bedroom, throwing on something more suitable to meet my father.

Lana turned, her arm sprawled across the bed where I had been all night. Like she reached for me in her sleep. Fuck, I wanted to be lying there with her.

Forcing myself to leave, I locked my doors, knowing Finn possessed the only other key to my chambers, and made my way to the throne room.

The dark, morbid hallways of the palace didn’t seem as foreboding today. I had hope. Lana had instilled the strange sensation in me. Now that I’d experienced what she did to me, I would never let it go. Never let her go.

I inhaled, cracking my neck before pushing through the doors into the throne room. The king sat alone in his chair, but that hardly mattered. He’d sleep on that stupid throne if he could. Arrogant prick.

“Son, perhaps I should force you to stand vigil through thenight, then when urgent matters arise, I won’t have to wait for you.”

So, a foul mood today for the king. As always. I bowed my head. “How can I be of service, Your Majesty?”

He steepled his fingers in front of his face. “Something is brewing in Hemlock. A traitor rallying troops and followers far too quickly.”

Raya had done it.

I frowned, knowing I must play my part well in case there was the slightest chance something backfired with her mind magic. “How many do you believe he has rallied?”

“I need you to scope it out and take care of it.”

“Do you have a name?”

“No, my magic told me of the problem, but no specifics. You know how this works, the defiance will spread if it isn’t handled.”

I opened my mouth to ask more, but the king slammed his fist onto the arm of the throne, anger distorting his entire face. “I didn’t raise you to ask questions. You are replaceable, Kade. I will find a new monster if you’re incapable of following simple instructions. Get your people and take care of this.Now.”

Dark circles marred the king’s face. For the first time, his usually predictable tyrannical rage seemed more unhinged. Normally, his orders were cruel and absolute but controlled. The delivery of this command bordered on manic.

I bowed from the waist down, attempting to curb his fury with my obedient facade before turning to leave the room. Adding a dangerous craze to my father’s already cruel reign would make his orders heinous. I needed to leave before his directions included something worse than killing just one traitor.

“And Kade?”

I paused, looking over my shoulder as my hand reached for the door.

“Leave the princess here.”

No.I pivoted, fully facing him. “She’s coming with us.”

The king’s eyes narrowed. “No.”

“Your Majesty?—”

My father rose from his chair, an eerie calm descending in the room. “Your infatuation with that girl is finished. You will leave her here. You will take care of the traitors as it is your duty, and you will think twice before arguing again.”

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