Page 29 of Moon Raven Rising
I don’t get to leave my room. Only Fae coming and going to ‘prepare’ me for my wedding, which is to take place in a fortnight, from what I’ve overheard. Osiris has been absent since the dinner. The dinner where he left me on my knees in front of Soren. He shouldn’t be in my room now. I heard Soren instruct his guards to keep him away. He seems to always find a way to do what he wants when it pleases him and has no problem turning away when it doesn’t hurt whatever his agenda is.
Well, I won’t be part of it.
“I wasn’t hungry,” I say, void of all emotion, as I turn to face him. His beard is trimmed closer than it has been, and golden brown hair is braided at the sides and pulled into a low pleat at his back per usual, and his blue eyes lock with mine. The prince doesn’t look like royalty, but I guess I can’t talk…
He is handsome, but more rugged than one would expect a prince to look. I huff a laugh out at the thought; maybe we are more alike than we think… Though Osiris is more like a foreign warrior coming to claim the blood of a kingdom, and in a way, he has. He’s come to claim mine. But just like him, I have come to claim blood too.
“You need to keep up your energy. Eat.” He places a tray of food that I didn’t realize he brought in on the thick stone railing of the balcony and walks away.
“Did you know?” I ask, and he scoffs not answering my question before lounging on the settee. His large body takes up more room than is available, and his feet hang off the arm of it where they are crossed at the ankle. He folds his arms over his chest and nods at the food at my side.
“Eat, Moon Raven.” Osiris says indifferently. I eye him speculatively with an eyebrow raised. We stare at each other for a long moment, neither of us saying a word.
I don’t want to give in, but at that very moment my stomach growls loudly, and the smirk that lifts the corner of his mouth has me stomping my foot as I turn around and shove some of the cheese on the plate into my mouth. I know he’s right. With what Soren has been putting me through and the fear of the unknown ahead, I know I need the fuel the food gives. It doesn’t make me want to punch his smug face any less, though.
In times like these, when we are alone behind closed doors, we almost seem to have an unspoken truce. Even with the clear secrets clogging the air between us. He doesn’t say anything else as I sulk on the balcony with the plate of meat, cheese, andbread. I eat every crumb because Soren denied me dinner last night—he didn’t like my attitude when he had come in to ask me about the shadows. Truth be told, I don’t mind the tests on my magic that they are putting me through.
I’m learning as much as they are, and I’m sure that’s more dangerous to them than it is to me, but what worries me is the fact they seem to think a wedding could even happen. Dax is alive. I am bonded fully to him, and I would without a doubt know if that bond was broken by death. Especially from what I’ve learned from the books I’ve been reading.
One thing that Soren’s help within the castle doesn’t have are tight lips, and I’ve heard talk of the journey to Valeska. The king wants his son to return with his prize.
Me.
Since they don’t know that I know—I need to learn all that I can in the time I have left here. I will not be some trophy womb for them to do as they please with. My eyes narrow on the prince, and as though he can read my thoughts, he leans forward and gestures to the seat in front of him.
“You and I need to discuss things…” he sighs, running a hand over his braids.
“There is nothing to discuss. I am not marrying you.”
“We need to discuss the real reason why I am here, Moon Raven. A marriage to you is the last thing I want.”
Chapter twenty-five
“What the fuck isthis?” Trent barks out as he stops abruptly just inside the armory. Only a moment after I follow him in, Kait is storming past both of us and slamming the door behind her. Cano stands glaring at us both shirtless and a dagger lying at his feet.
“Like she said, it’s nothing,” Cano grumbles under his breath. He turns on his heel, grabs some training gear from a shelf, and tugs the tunic over his head. “When does this mission start?” He asks, his voice never breaking over a low growl, and my eyes narrow on him before flicking to Trent. The look on his face tells me he is thinking the same thing.
“Sure didn’t look like nothing to me…” I say leaning down to pick up the blade and then spinning it in my hand. “You say that we can trust you; maybe you need to be more truthful in your ways, Cano.”
“Kait said it was nothing, and I agreed. Why don’t you two go mettle in someone else’s business?” I notice the slight downward turn of Cano’s mouth as he speaks and the tremble in his hands as he moves to strap small knives to his baldric. Stepping closer,Trent grips my wrist to stop me. When I turn to look at him, he gives me a silent shake of his head, but my senses are telling mesomethingis going on. I pull my wrist from Trent and continue up to Cano. He stiffens when I place a hand on his shoulder.
“Are you ok?” I ask quietly. When he first turns to face me, the look on his face is somewhere between shock and awe at my question, and then he rolls his lips into a tight line and grunts, shrugging my hand from him.
“I’m fine. Just ready to get on with the mission and closer to killing the bastard who gave me life.” He plops down on a bench and begins strapping more blades to his boots. “What did you guys come in here for anyway? Checking on me already?” Trent and I answer at the same time, with opposite answers.
“Yes,” Trent says sharply.
“No,” I drag out. He gives us both a side-long look before shaking his head and standing.
“I gave you my word I would cause no harm to anyone other than my father or anyone who stands in my way. If that’s not enough for you, then fine, check up on me. As you can see—I’m doing as told.” He spins dramatically, gesturing to himself.
“So was Kait in the way? Is that why you had a blade to her throat when I walked in? Is that what that was?” My gaze whirls on Cano with this bit of information.
“You had a blade to her throat?” I ask. Cano’s face changes then. From annoyed to something deeper. Sadness and hurt radiate from him, and it softens my next words. “Was it Kait who was trying to harm here, Cano?” Just as I thought, there was no anger coming from him at the accusation, but a deep pain clogs in my throat as it surges from him.
“I told you it was nothing. You know Kait hates me. She was just—reminding me of that.”
“Here,” I grab a long sword from one of the shelves and push it toward Trent. “We need to get going. I’ll meet you in thekitchen; we will pack up rations for the trip.” I tell him as I try to convey with my eyes that I need a moment to talk to Cano. Trent narrows his eyes over my head then drops his gaze back on me as he sheaths the sword at his hip.
