Page 81 of Shadows of Fate

“Anything for you, Silv. Always,” he whispered back.

Cedar stayed at my back as we crested over the last hill and the castle of Whitbourne came into view. It took everything in my body not to gasp at the sight.

I wasn’t sure what I was expecting the castle here to look like, but this wasn’t exactly it.

The building itself was set down in a gully below us, surrounded on all sides by massive ice-covered mountains. Unlike the manor Raiden and I lived in, or the old stone castle Paine and Arabella lived in, this was opulent. It looked as if the castle was made of a type of stone that reflected off the little bit of moonlight we had right now, making it appear as though it was crafted entirely of ice, instead of a dark stone like most were. It was easily thrice the size of the manor we lived in. The spires reached almost as tall as the mountains themselves, the windows made of stunning blue and gold-stained glass. Everything was covered in ice and snow, except the narrow road to the castle walls.

The walls kept everyone out, including the town surrounding it. The town started at the top of the mountain pass where we’d entered and ended near the walls crafted of ice. The homes were small and made of graying stone. Each crafted with narrow windows and chimneys. Blankets of snow made each of them look quaint and homey, as if small children would dash out at any moment for a snowball fight. Periodic larger buildings that served as inns, taverns, blacksmiths, bakeries, and so on popped up as we rode along.

I buried the sense of longing emerging from my chest at the simplicity and focused ahead. We were nearing the gates, and Paine had cut ahead of us to announce who we were and that we wanted to speak with Keres.

“They don’t look surprised to see us, Raiden,” I said through the bond.

“No, I suppose they don’t,” he replied.

The gate into the castle of Whitbourne opened, welcoming us. However, instead of feeling relieved, it felt ominous. I looked up at the castle ahead, and there, standing at the base of the steps to welcome us, washim.

He wasn’t as tall as I’d pictured in my head all these many years. Straight ebony hair fell over his ears, stopping at his sharp jawline. His eyes were an unusual shade of dark blue. It didn’t feel natural. Nothing about him felt natural. Where I expected to feel an immense amount of power, I just felt a deep-seated loathing.

“Welcome to my home,” he said, a condescending smile plastered to his face.

And that was when it all came flooding back.

Chapter41

My Gilded Cage

Silvana

“Come along, Silvie. I’ve been waiting, little dove. Should I get Cora instead? Do not look at me unless I will it so. You will kneel here until I tell you otherwise. I expect an heir from you, nothing else. You don’t deserve love.”

I had to squeeze the reins on my horse and let out a slow steady breath to keep from reacting to the male in front of me.

“Breathe, my ice queen. I’m right here. You’re not alone,” I heard through the bond. His deep, gravelly voice brought me back to the present and I felt myself relax somewhat. I could feel the anger radiating from him, and I knew he could feel my shock and anxiety.

My brain was still trying to catch up when I realized Keres and Paine were speaking to each other, but I still couldn’t fully grasp what was being said. It was as if all the scenes of my nightmares were sliding back into their appropriate slots of my timeline.

“There are still blank spots, but also a lot of it isn’t blank anymore, Raiden. I-I remember him,”I whispered, my voice feeling uneven.

“You will not be staying. You don’t even have to speak to him if you don’t wish to, darling,”he replied.

I nodded my head in agreement and tried to focus on what was being said beyond the two of us. Cedar had shifted before we’d come through the gates and was now perched on my leg. As if he could pluck Keres’s eyes out if need be, he just had to stay between us to ensure my safety.

“What are you trying to say, Paine?” Keres asked.

“I’m trying to say, that one of your inner circle is responsible for a full-on rebellious group who were kidnapping female vampires and humans, forcing them to try to procreate and using them as blood bags,” Paine said simply.

Keres eyes narrowed on Paine. “Maybe we should have your party join us inside where we can discuss this over a nice meal, instead of out in the blistering wind and cold. Give your horses a break.”

He turned to the side and flourished his arm toward the entrance as if to be a welcoming host. My skin crawled at the thought of walking into this castle, but I knew there was no way around it. I wouldn’t let Raiden go in without me, or Cedar. I wanted to see Viktor fully punished for his crimes. I wanted to know if Keres was involved.

So, I pushed myself off my horse with Cedar now on my shoulder, took Raiden’s hand in my own, and I walked into the place that used to be my gilded cage.

* * *

Once again, this place left me speechless and feeling trapped all at the same time. Raiden had told me how it looked in his dreams. I remembered bits and pieces from my own. However, the real thing was simply too much.

Everywhere I let my eyes wander, it was gold. Gleaming. Intense. And somehow still bleak. But it wasn’t just the look of it all, the energy here felt raw and unnatural.

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