Page 125 of Heir of Illusion

My mouth drops open as my head swings in his direction. Even his advisers throw him curious glances, wondering if he’s lost his damn mind.

“You’ve grown rather fond of my pet, haven’t you?” Baylor asks, his tone deceptively soft.

My nails dig into Thorne’s hand, still resting on my thigh, as fear worms its way through my body. Baylor is going to make me pay for this later.

Thorne shrugs. “Perhaps I’m impressed by her talents, and I want to use them for myself.”

“And why should the collar stand in the way of that?” the king asks innocently. “Surely she could perform whatever tasks you need done while wearing it?”

“Come now.” Thorne gives Baylor a patronizing stare. “There are rumors about what that collar does. If I have any hope of using her services for myself, I’ll need it gone.” He leans back in his chair, appearing completely at ease. “And besides, it would still be her choice. Even without the collar, she could always refuse me. So, I guess it comes down to how much you trust your fiancée.”

Baylor is silent for a few moments, his unwavering stare glued to the God at my side.

“It’s something we can discuss, but you’ll understand if I need time to consider it,” he responds finally. “She is to be my queen, after all.”

“Of course.” Thorne’s hand disappears, leaving me suddenly cold. For a moment, I have the wild urge to pull it back.

He rises to leave, and his companions follow suit. When they reach the door, he turns back, sparing me a brief glance.

“My lady.” He inclines his head in my direction, ignoring the others.

Once they’ve all departed, leaving me alone with Kaldar and Baylor, the room grows silent. No one moves as I keep my gaze down, avoiding eye contact with either of them. Whether Thorne knows it or not, he’s left me in a precarious position. This wasn’t his mess to solve.

Kaldar is the first to speak, using his words to strike a blow at me. “Iverson appears awfully comfortable with the God of Death. Too comfortable, I think.”

Baylor stays silent, watching me with interest.

“Forgive me for suggesting this, Your Majesty,” Kaldar carries on, “but is it possible our dear Iverson has been compromised? For him to ask for such a thing, she must have given him reason to believe she would be open to his advances. For all we know, she could have already spread her legs for him. Infidelity does run in her blood.”

Barely a second passes before I lunge across the table, driving my dinner knife into the space between his fingers. The metal cuts clean through the tablecloth, digging into the wood below. For a moment, everyone is silent as the blade wobbles back and forth.

“You little bitch!” he shouts, leaning forward to retaliate.

“Leave,” Baylor orders, his tone cold. “Now.”

Kaldar sputters as he rises from his seat, storming out of the room. I move to follow him, but the sound of Baylor’s voice stops me in my tracks.

“Not you,” he snarls. “Sit back down.”

Doing as he demanded, I return to my seat and stare straight ahead.

“Is it true, pet? Have you been compromised?”

I shake my head.

He leans forward, his finger trailing over my arm. “Have you betrayed me?”

“No, my love.” My heart gallops, but I keep my voice even. “He’s only trying to drive a wedge between us.”

“Perhaps,” he murmurs, his tone deadly soft. “I was under the impression it was impossible for him to be close to another in that way, but maybe I’ve been misled. Have you allowed him to touch what belongs to me?”

A truly reckless plan forms in my mind. The risks are exponential, and even if it’s successful, it would change our relationship forever. But still, I can’t think of another way to throw off his suspicions.

“I’m loyal,” I insist, pausing to take a deep breath as I prepare to drop a bomb that could annihilate me too. I turn to face him now, my eyes brimming with accusation. “Unlike you.”

His head snaps back, and his hands slam against the table as claws sprout from his nails. “What’s that supposed to mean?”

I lean forward, my voice low. “What do you think it means?”

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