Page 14 of Heir of Illusion

“Remy, is it now?” He wiggles his eyebrows at me. “And should I be jealous of how familiar you are with the captain of my guard?”

“You have no reason to worry aboutRemard.” I use his full name, playfully rolling my eyes at the tired joke. Remy is an objectively handsome man. Tall and muscular with tan skin and close-cut chestnut hair. His warm honey-brown eyes are full of life, unlike Baylor’s. But the king knows that Remy practically raised me, thereby making the idea of seeing him in a sexual light disgusting and absurd.

“I want no one but you.” The lie sends a wave of nausea through my stomach.

Pale blue eyes and dark hair flash through my mind, reminding me of my strange reaction to the reaper. Physically, he’s the most attractive man I’ve ever seen. But perhaps all reapers are beautiful. Maybe that was how they tempted the souls of the recently deceased to follow them to the afterlife?

Footsteps approach and I glance up to find Kaldar entering the room holding a stack of papers. His stringy black hair is tucked behind his ears as he dips his chin toward the king.

“My apologies, Your Majesty,” he says. “But I have your morning report.”

“Ah, business. The great bore of my life.” Baylor sighs, waving Kaldar forward. “What matters need tending to in my kingdom today?”

Kaldar hands him the stack, making sure to stand in-between us, cutting me out. I take a sip of my tea, rolling my eyes at his obvious tactics. As Baylor flips through the pages, I turn my attention to my breakfast, forcing myself to eat despite my uneasy stomach. Kaldar drones on about training schedules for new guards, a property dispute between two lords, and some issue with a vendor for Baylor’s anniversary ball.

“And, Your Majesty” —Kaldar pauses, his gaze flitting my way to ensure I’m paying attention— “Lady Bridgid requested to meet with you today for atastingto finalize the desserts.”

Based on his tone, it’s clear dessert isn’t the only thing on the menu. Kaldar has been pushing his niece toward the king for some time. Enlisting Bridgid to help with the ball is merely another desperate attempt to capture Baylor’s attention. Though judging by the self-satisfied smirk on the adviser’s face, it might finally be working.

Baylor’s eyes flash crimson as his gaze narrows on Kaldar, a small glimpse of the terrifying beast he hides within. Baylor isn’t like me or Darrow. His type of illusion magic is calledvertere. There are someverterewho can change their features, making themselves more beautiful or even stealing the face of someone they know. Others can take on the form of an animal, such as a bird or fox. But Baylor is different. He shifts into a monster… a beast.

Shivers trail down my spine, and a dull ache builds at my temples. I’ve only seen him fully transition into that form once, but it was enough to ensure I never want to see it again. Whenever he’s truly angry, he’ll give us a small peek behind the curtain at what hides inside of him. A terrifying reminder of what could rise to the surface at any moment.

“Anything else?” Baylor demands, his tone icy.

Kaldar shakes his head and the king’s focus shifts to me. His blood-colored eyes scrutinize my face, searching for any sign that I understood the implication behind Kaldar’s words. Ignoring them both, I pretend to be oblivious while I focus on my breakfast. If Baylor is having an affair, I need to be cautious in how I handle it.

There was a time when I would have been seething with jealousy at the mere thought of Baylor with another woman, but those feelings have long passed. When he first began pursuing me, he made a big show of getting rid of his other mistresses. Even before we became intimate, he made it clear to me I was the only one he wanted. It made me feel treasured and important, reinforcing that what we had was different.

Special.

“Yes, sire.” Kaldar’s voice takes on a nervous quality. “There is also the matter of the Angel of Mercy.”

Baylor goes still. “You’d better be here to tell me we have him in custody.”

For the past several months, a killer known as the Angel of Mercy has been carrying out their own vigilante justice all over the city. The victims have virtually nothing in common except for rumors of their abusive nature. Each one of them was suspected of harming their loved ones, but no proof was ever found.

“Unfortunately, not.” Kaldar lowers his eyes. “There have been no updates on the murderer’s whereabouts.”

Pretending not to notice Baylor’s rising temper, I reach for my table knife and scoop some strawberry jam from the dish in front of me, smearing it on my toast.

“You still don’t have any leads on that?” I ask innocently before taking a bite.

“No.” Kaldar’s gaze flashes toward me, simmering with hatred. The way he clenches his fists makes it clear he’d rather be using them on me.

“Six murders and not a single witness or lead,” the king seethes, pushing his plate aside. “It’s ridiculous. I’m meant to be hosting a ball in two weeks, yet I’m having to take time out of my schedule to deal with these incompetent fools who can’t even catch one random criminal.”

“If it would make you feel better, I can look into it for you?” I offer. “That way you can focus on preparing for the celebration.”

His eyes soften, shifting back to their usual deep blue as his temper wanes, and an indulgent smile curls his lips.

“That won’t be necessary,” Kaldar interjects, shaking his head forcefully. “I have this investigation perfectly under control, sire.”

“I’ll decide what’s necessary.” Baylor sends a warning glance to his adviser before returning his attention to me. “Thank you, pet. But this matter is far beneath you. A waste of your talents.”

I beam up at him, preening from the compliment like a good little pet. As he leans in to kiss my hand, I catch Kaldar’s fuming face turning red with a mix of humiliation and fury.

Without glancing at him, Baylor waves his hand dismissively. “Go do something useful with your time.”

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