Page 101 of A Kingdom of Fire and Fury
“You two aren’t going anywhere,” a voice said from behind us. I turned to see an individual with a long black cloak on with the hood pulled over his head, casting a shadow over his face.
“You’ve got to be kidding me.” I looked at Kieran. “Tell me they’re not this stupid.”
“They are.”
“Hey!”
But with a flick of Kieran’s hand, shadows from underneath the hood wrapped around the man’s neck, andcrack!The man’s head whipped to the side, and he collapsed to the ground.
“I bet Andova hired some poor ignorant fool to take you out without informing them of my Gift.” Kieran used his boot to pull back the man’s hood. I grimacedat the bone sticking out of the man’s neck. Given his features—his hook nose and dark skin—he must’ve been from one of the isles technically under Andova. And judging by the gauntness, Kieran’s guess was probably accurate.
I knew I should’ve felt something seeing this bastard dead in front of me, but I didn’t. Maybe Kieran was right. Maybe I was already on my way to becoming a monster. “We can’t let them shake me.” I frowned. “We should get back to the festival.”
Kieran eyed me, an unreadable expression crossing his face before it faded. With a flick of his wrist, shadows enveloped the man. If I had to guess, Kieran probably dropped him off at the castle or a prison. “Keep your guard up. This one was a moron, but it might’ve been a suicide mission meant to lower our guard. Andova wants you dead, Selena, don’t forget that.”
“How could I?” It wasn’t just Andova after all. The rest of the Noble Houses did too.
CHAPTER THIRTY
“You’re simply stunning,” Lord Taro Markos said, appearing by my side the moment Kieran and I returned to the heart of the festival. “That red rouge of yours is practically begging to be kissed off.”
“Hello, Lord Taro.” It took everything I had not to scowl at the older man. Despite looking exactly like Ben but older, the pair couldn’t be more different. For one, when Ben flirted with me, it was sincere, and I knew his proposal was meant for us both to get pleasure from it. Lord Taro was only interested in himself. When he looked at me, he didn’tseeme. Like with all other women, he probably only saw a set of holes.
“Would you do me the honor of dancing with me?” Taro purred. So gross. I wanted to tell him to go fuck off but held my tongue. “I was utterlydevastatedwhen I thought I missed the opportunity to dance with you.”
And I’m devastated you’re here.Heaving a sigh, I accepted his hand, though I made sure to keep as much distance between us as possible. Already, I wondered if I messed up by deciding to be responsible. I should’ve kept playing hooky with Kieran.
But this was the right move. I needed the Noble Houses to back off. Them seeing that I was willing to play their game would help. I couldn’t help but scan the room. How many spies were here at this moment? What would they report to Raven? Was Raven here?
Taro kept trying to lower his hands, and a few times, I even had to grab his palm and bring it back to my waist. The man had absolutely no respect for me, and he clearly wasn’t used to rejection. Umara growled in the back of my mind, and I was sorely tempted to unleash her on him.
“I would love to make you my first wife,” he murmured in my ear.
I almost vomited then and there. “Gross.” The word slipped out before I could force myself to be polite. I froze, and though I couldn’t see Umara in my mind, I felt her increased attention shoot down the bond.
But Taro laughed, an even more infuriating action. “I’m not distraught by your tone, Selena. It isn’t your fault you grew up in the streets. Believe me, I’ve seen much worse cases than yourself. No matter how pretty you dress a stray, they remain wild in spirit. Some might even say dirty.”
My blood boiled. “Listen here—”
“My turn to dance with Selena!” Ben called, appearing between the two of us. His jaw flexed as he stared Taro down.
Lord Taro broke into an easy smile. “Of course. I’m not interested in chasing anyone who isn’t interested.” Finally, his hands slipped away. “But if you change your mind, send a raven. We could have a lot offun together, you and I.”
I wrinkled my nose and watched as he disappeared into the crowd. Once he was gone, Ben turned to me. “We could dance so no one else bothers you. Or I could help you escape if you need some time to cool off.”
I smiled. “It’s fine. I can’t do anymore sneaking away or Luther will pitch a fit.” I offered my hand and after searching my eyes, Ben took it. “Your dad is so gross.”
Ben grimaced. “I know. I’m sorry about him. Just be careful. Dad won’t complain to Luther, but if the wrong person complains to him… Luther’s not known for his compassion. Bit of a dick, that one.”
I groaned. “I know. But in this case calling Taro gross was justified. He wants me to be hisfirstwife. Not even his exclusive wife.”
Ben stiffened. “He’s an idiot. He always has been. Besides my dad, how’s the event been?”
I glanced over Ben’s shoulder and scanned for Kieran. “I, uh, took a break. So I need to do some shmoozing before I can leave. Preferably not with another asshole.”
“You’re out of luck. They all suck. I used to think the Caddels were decent, but how they treated Kieran is… awful. No child should be punished for something they couldn’t help.” The ferocity of his gaze surprised me. But given his history… all those sisters that went unclaimed… it made sense. “It’s the same nonsense every festival, though. They bitch about their problems, so they feel important. Our job is to shut up, look pretty, and smile.” His lips quirked. “I don’t mind that, but I get the feeling you do.”
“Damn right I do. It’s degrading.”
