Page 82 of Shadows of Fate

We entered the immense-sized round room with the domed ceiling Raiden had told me about. The beige curtains hung haphazardly around the open windows, and a few chaises spread throughout. Visions of this room came back to my mind.

“You removed the pillows,” I muttered before I could think better of it.

Everyone in the room stopped and stared at me, but Keres’s gaze was cutting. There was a flash of rage in his eyes that I’d seen many times before, but it was gone before I could be sure it had been present at all.

Raiden squeezed my hand briefly.

“Quite the female you have there, Raiden. I don’t think we’ve been introduced,” Keres said, his voice glowing—ever the perfect host.

“She’s my mate and my queen,” Raiden replied. Nothing about his tone gave way to how much he hated this male.

Keres stared at us, the rage back in his eyes, this time less contained. “Your mate? The Fates have blessed you both. I hate to say that I am quite jealous. Sometimes I feel as if that is what my life truly lacks. Love. Family.” He shrugged as if this was to be expected from his mouth. “Anyway, I’m very happy for you both. I know Paine has been equally as blessed, although I haven’t had the pleasure of meeting his lovely female as of yet.”

“Ah, yes, she doesn’t fare well in the colder climates, I’m afraid,” Paine said.

Viktor was standing off to the side of us right now, still bound in Raiden’s shadows. Keres hadn’t even acknowledged his male yet. I was curious to see how Viktor felt about that. He hadn’t attempted to speak since we’d entered the Court of Ice. Almost as if, again, he expected this to be his end. As if Keres had prepared him.

“So, Keres. Is this your male, or not?” Raiden asked, cutting to the chase.

Keres looked over at Viktor for a moment, a malicious smile curling his lips. “I’m afraid I’ve never seen him before, Raiden. What are his crimes again? Do you wish to see him executed?”

Raiden started explaining the Eternal Outcasts and their crimes in the other three courts, not pausing once to answer questions.

“Have either of you spoken to Oren?” Keres asked, an eyebrow arched. His eyes told me he knew the answer already. It was confusing already seeing and knowing what every expression on his face meant. As if my subconscious fell right back into what it was like to know this male.

“He’s been unreachable as of late,” Paine said.

Keres nodded his head. “Well, we’ve all heard what trouble his court has been facing lately. Maybe it was his doing?” Keres shrugged. “Either way, I’m not sure I can help you. I haven’t had any issues in my court that have been brought to my attention, but then again, I run a tight ship here, so I can’t say I’m surprised.” He smirked, the arrogance dripping off his entire body.

I felt the shadows leaking from Raiden’s body before I was able to see them. They slithered across the floor and up Viktor’s body. The male didn’t move a muscle as the shadows went into his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears and dissolved his bones, organs, and then his skin in a matter of moments. Raiden never broke eye contact with Keres as he killed Viktor—quickly and painfully. As if he was sending Keres a message from all of us.

“Well, now that that nasty business is taken care of, let’s have a meal. Shall we?” Keres asked, a bright smile on his face. “Might as well have a bit of fun since you came all this way for no reason.”

He stood from his chair and walked through the pile that used to be Viktor and down a hallway.

“I think we’re supposed to follow him,” Bastian said quietly.

“Lovely. Can’t wait,” Paine muttered.

Cedar squawked from where he was still perched on my shoulder, his wings fanning out for a moment as he drove his talons into my shoulder.

“Ow, Cedar, fuck,” I muttered, tapping his back. “We hear you.”

Just then a female walked out from where Keres had disappeared to, and my heart stopped as I jumped to my feet. Cedar flew from my shoulder and circled her a few times before returning to my shoulder.

“Keres will see you in the dining room now, and then I will show you to your rooms,” she stated. Her voice was just as gentle and ethereal as I remembered. She looked around the room at the males, and her eyes stopped on me for a moment before she turned and walked away.

“Cora?” I whispered.

“Come along please,” she replied, her voice now devoid of any emotion. So, I did the only thing I could think of, I followed my sister down the hallway.

* * *

The meal was uneventful. Keres mostly talked about himself, his court, his plans, and so on. He tried asking Raiden and Paine about their courts, armies, and how things were going, but he was politely shut down.

He offered everyone a human tosnackon, as he called it, and we all politely declined and consumed from glasses instead. My sister had disappeared the moment we entered the dining room, which was more like a lounge where you laid about than where you ate a meal. She hadn’t looked at me once since that first moment. I wasn’t sure how to feel about it.

Should I be hurt? Angry? I was more devastated than anything. Devastated over the fact that she was still here, and I had no idea how to bring her with me. To get her out of this cage. Maybe she didn’t even want to come. Maybe she hated me for leaving her here.

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