Page 30 of A Reign of Malice
“Julian as in Aeson’s brother?” Confusion fills her words.
“Yes.”
Her brows knit together, disbelief flickering across her features. “That’s not possible. He was killed centuries ago after murdering his brother’s mate and was never reborn.”
A bitter laugh escapes me, harsh and jagged. There’s no hiding my disdain for the stories Aeson has undoubtedly shared over the years. “I didn’t die, but Iamdying. If I don’t get out of here, my wolf spirit will continue to fade away, and without him, I’ll be basically human. Once that happens, a few weeks without food and water and that’s it. No reincarnations, just death.”
I expect more of a reaction out of her, but she stays composed. Her hands clasp in front of her and her posture is straight as she stands before me in a stunning green dress that hugs her curves, teasing my resolve nearly to its breaking point.
Her ebony hair is loose and flowing around her shoulders, and her crown—elaborate twists that create seven distinct points—shimmers even within the darkness of this cave.
“How did you get here?” she asks again, her voice filled with determination.
I don’t know how long we’ll have this time, so I’m glad she’s getting right to the point. I grip the chains at my wrists, the metal burning my skin. “Aeson. My twin. The King of Venaris that never should’ve been.”
She doesn’t flinch, but her lips press into a thin line. “What does that mean?”
“I am the first-born son,” I say with confidence. “But Aeson had me convinced I didn’t want the crown before wewere even considered adults. I willingly let him take my place without realizing he still saw me as a threat regardless of what I did or didn’t do.”
There’s no response from her, and I want to ask what she’s thinking, but I continue instead. “He wasn’t always this way. As boys, we were inseparable. He had the charm, I had the strength. Still, for him, it was always a competition. He was determined to make everyone see him as the flawless prince. A need for perfection that eventually began to rot his heart, making me realize too late that he wasn’t the king I thought he could be.”
“So, are you telling me you didn’t kill his mate in a jealous rage, but you did try to take your crown back, and he locked you away for that?” she asks, her tone mostly even, but I can see the disbelief in her eyes.
I shake my head. “Not exactly. His fated mate Lira, she was as pure as they came. Her kindness knew no bounds. At least until she also started to see Aeson’s darkness. I never wanted Lira, never lusted for my brother’s mate as he convinced people I did. I was only trying to protect her, but Aeson came for me before I could stop the worst of his actions.”
The memory claws at me, but I push through. My mate needs the truth before it’s too late.
“He poisoned me. Something I could’ve overcome, but before I had the chance, I was trapped.” I lift my hands and shake the chains. “They’re enchanted to dull my strength, stealing my wolf’s essence a little more every day. And the water is spelled, too. If I channel enough energy to shift, it reacts, sending an electrical current through me, strong enough to stop my heart.”
“You haven’t shifted in over two hundred years?” This time, the incredulity in her voice gives me hope.
“Not since the night he betrayed me.”
I let her process this information, staying silent as she does, but my restraint only lasts for so long. I know she needs answers, but so do I.
“May I know your name?” I ask, not bothering to hide my desperation to know anything and everything I can about her.
She blinks and her fingers twist, but she stays still otherwise. “Sloane, Queen of Alcaris. Though, I guess that’s not exactly true any longer.”
A queen? What is Aeson up to? Gods, I hate that she’s likely being used, but if she wasn’t capable of thinking for herself, she probably wouldn’t be here.
“What about Lira?” Sloane asks, her face paling as if she already knows the answer. “If you didn’t kill her…”
“Aeson. She found him dragging me into the basement. He threatened to trap her here with me, but then he gave her a choice.” My throat tightens as I remember the heartbreak in her eyes. “He told her she could die quickly as long as she vowed never to be reborn, or she could suffer alongside me for centuries. As I said before, Lira was pure. I knew her decision before she did. What I’ve endured, it wasn’t something for her to survive. I just hope she’s resting now and at peace with her choice.”
Sloane’s gaze narrows. “But there’s no way Aeson could be sure she wouldn’t choose to be reborn. That seems like a risk he wouldn’t take.”
“You’re right. It would’ve been a risk, but only with anyone other than Lira. I don’t know how she ended up fated to my brother, but when that woman gave her word, she meant it. There was no deceit in her. Something Aeson used to his advantage until the very end.”
She goes silent again, gaze flickering away from me andinto the abyss of the cave. Shadows cling to her, swirling at the edges of her shimmering form like tendrils of doubt. I search her face for judgment, disbelief,anythingthat might mean I’ve lost her trust.
But there’s none of that. Only sharp, assessing focus. Sloane doesn’t flinch easily, and gods, if that doesn’t make me want to fight harder.
“I don’t know how much time we have, Sloane,” I plead with her. “Do you know how you’re getting into this room?”
When her eyes meet mine, my world turns on its axis. Her strength and determination alone make my heart race, but her beauty takes my breath away. I don’t know how I’m getting out of here yet, but I do know that I won’t ever stop fighting for this woman.
As she starts to talk, I’ve already forgotten the question until her words begin to take root.
