Page 40 of Bonded to the Fallen Shadow King

I unfastened his surcoat and loosened his tunic so that he could breathe easier. Then I removed his boots and set them at the foot of the bed. “Rest. You’ll feel better in the morning.” A morning would come when he didn’t, and that knowledge cut through me like a knife.

“You should go now.” More tears rolled down his cheeks, and his jaw trembled as he ground his teeth.

“Father—”

“Go!” His voice broke near the end of that single word.

I bowed my head then and started for the door, the weight of it all crushing me. My boots made no sound on the thick rug.

"Vad…” Father slurred, and I turned back toward him. “Vad, there’s something I need to tell you." He stared up at the lifeless black canopy that stretched over his bed, his hands folded over his chest.

Head spinning, I inhaled sharply at Father’s vulnerable tone. He hadn’t used that tone with me since I was a child, before Mother passed. "I'm here, Father."

"There’s something I need to tell you—about that night."

ChapterThirteen

Vad

Amaelstrom of emotions seemed to crush me. Briar’s face popped into my mind. I met my father’s murky gaze, his eyes dimmed with age and illness, but now there was a rawness there.

His throat bobbed, and a muscle jumped in his jaw. Then his expression twisted, and he turned his face away. "Nothing. Go. And don't ever speak of this."

The words struck me like a punch to my face, and every muscle in me knotted.

I braced myself and fisted my hands, then strode away. My father was dying. Why couldn’t I hate him more? After all these years, the coldness of our relationship ripped through me.

I strode down the hall, hands still gripped in tight fists. It didn't matter. I had to see Briar and ensure she was dressed and clothed. Why? The feck if I knew. But my feet were already carrying me from my father's quarters to the main family hall to the general hall—

Silus appeared from around the next corner, his expression grim. He strode toward me and grabbed my arm as he blocked my path. "No."

I jerked back, glaring at him.

"I know what you're doing." His voice was low and his grip unyielding. "Elara is managing everything, and you need to stay away."

The words hit me like ice as I jerked free. "I don’t know what you’re talking about."

His dark eyes narrowed, and he straightened his posture. "Don’t speak to me like I’m a fool. You're getting attached to Briar. It's obvious to anyone who knows you. And you can’t pick her. Even if Fate choses her, I’d tell you to reject her."

Blood pounded through my veins like a drum, and dread pooled with rage in my stomach. Between Thalen and Silus, Silus’s counsel was usually wiser, and I’d encouraged both to speak with me freely in private. “You think you know better than Fate?” I demanded, drawing back from him. “If Fate—”

“Fate won’t choose her, but you might. You swore you’d take the strongest. That that was all you wanted, but your resolve seems to be changing now—”

“Nothing has changed. I have made no decision.” I braced my hands against my belt, willing myself to respond in a calmer fashion. “I am simply concerned for her well being.”

“No, you’re drawn to her, even if I can’t fully see why. I suppose she’s brave, but like I said, her mouth runs faster than her sense. She is foolish, and her magic is wild. Unknowable.” He released a long breath, then shook his head. “She turned into a weird version of the shadow beast, Vad. Just as Kaylen has shown herself to be too treacherous to be a good queen, Briar is too emotional and unpredictable to be a good option. If you chose her, her power would infuse with yours and either strengthen or weaken the entirety of our kingdom.”

My spine locked straight, every fiber within me screaming to contradict him and argue that Briar would be good for this kingdom. Even so, fear twinged within me, warning that I didn’t know what else she could do or how her shadow beast magic would merge with mine. Besides, I didn’t want love or a longing for companionship to influence my decisions. I had to be a strong king.

Still, I couldn’t stop myself from gritting out, "You should not underestimate her. Nor should you underestimate me. I will always do what is best for this kingdom, and I’m insulted at your insinuation.”

His expression hardened. "Then cut her out of your heart and mind. You were right from the beginning to avoid becoming attached. She has no chance of winning, and forming a connection will only wound both of you in the end. Fate will choose Rhielle or Kaylen, mark my word."

I flexed and then refisted my hands, and my fingers scraped over blisters—burning proof of how I'd tried to break through the veil to get to her. My voice was tight when I finally spoke. "You truly believe it would be better for that calloused harpy to win over Briar?”

“It’s not about what I think. Rhielle seems the best choice, but who’s to say how it will play out in the end? Kaylen may redeem herself. What I am saying is that it will never be Briar, and if you are the prince I think you are, you will not give her any further attention.”

Rage poured through my veins. I wanted to throttle him, but the worst part was that I feared he was right. My heart clenched so tight I couldn’t breathe. “Get out of my sight."

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