Page 102 of The Curse of a Kingdom
Her hand tightened around the hilt of her weapon, and Orion wondered if these women, who he had always sensed were bitter about his return, were looking forward to whatever might come out of this.
“Nava and Devon won’t stay in this castle after tonight,” Orion said, shifting back half a step, and Fael's still-warm body grazed his leg. Not dead . . . yet.
“Of that, we are in agreement.”
Orion’s stomach churned, his head prickling with worry. He hoped his wards would keep them safe for a while, but things weren’t looking too positive here with so many Dark Ones waiting for him.
Nava should have left by now; even if she were tracked, her Beekeeper magic would keep her a step ahead. He doubted the king would kill him, but her . . . that was another story.
His jaw tightened hard enough that his temples throbbed. “I won’t allow you to hurt them.”
The king's smile didn’t reach his eyes. “I would love to see how you intend on doing so.” His voice wasn’t mocking or happy. “I’m sure you have noticed I have the power of a kingdom behind me . . .”It wasn’t quite the power of his whole army, though he guessed some had gone out to battle the demons.
“You promised.”
“You like to bring up the promise I made to you. Yet you broke yours of returning to our kingdom ten years ago. Instead, you went to live with my enemy in that pitiful town you called your home.” The king had abandoned all masks of politeness. His facial features twisted with anger, revealing aged skin and wrinkles that hadn’t been present before.
“I wouldn’t remember that I broke any promise since I have no memories of the last decade.”
The king scowled. “You made peace with the man who helped your mother escape and took you away with her.”
He had to be talking about Roman, the high commander of the Iron City’s army. A soldier who once had been a high-ranking member of his father’s guards. The only human he knew who’d been one.
From what he could remember, Orion hadn’t seen the man since they had been in the Iron City, and they weren’t close. Roman was busy with the armed guards for the kingdom and had little dealings with the Society of Crows. Orion’s brows knitted, and he took another step back from his father.
This wasn’t buying him any time; there was no way to get what he needed from that room and leave unharmed. The room’s shadows moved as if listening to a mental command he was not privy to. Maybe he could call on the keys magically instead. If the castle already recognized him as the heir and prince, perhaps it would allow the keys to come to him.
It was something he hadn’t even tried.
He pictured the aged brass skeleton key in his mind and called to it. His body warmed; the energy of his surroundings responded to him. The castle did recognize him—but the keys didn’t come to his hand.
The king’s smirk grew wider, but this time his eyes shone with a delight Orion didn’t share. He lifted his hand, opening his palm wide. “Is this what you are calling for?”
Dammit.
“Our magic is interconnected, Orion. I can sense what you are trying to do. Whether it’s to ward your room or call onmythings.”
Orion swallowed, and the weight of stones settled in his stomach. “I don’t want to fight you.”
“Of course you don’t,” the king said and took a step out of the room, his black aura increasing in size. Much like it happened with Orion’s when he was ready for a fight, the shapes of people came out of the mist. Arms, faces—a trail of nightmares. “You will lose. But worry not, son, I will take away these memories, and tomorrow you will be free of them.”
Them.Orion didn’t think his father was referring to his memories, but having both Nava and Devon disappear. Orion’s wings popped out with the increase of tension running through his body.
He gasped when a surge of energy hit his body, draining whatever it could take. The king's eyes shone brighter with unnatural cerulean light, while the storm of his inky power mixed with his.
His legs wavered, but he pushed back. The voices of the fragments of souls became louder once again. Probing in anger, demanding bloodshed. He took a step toward the king, flexing as their magic pushed against one another.
Then the extra waves of magic pushed onto him all at once as five—six—other fae attacked him with the same shadow magic. He struggled not to fall as the pressure extended down his muscles. An angry cry left his lips before he fell to the ground, pain extending from his knees to his hips.
“Coward.” The word left his lips before he could think twice; the claws of magic fingers wrapped around his mind, and the memory of the night he’d arrived here flashed behind his closed lids. It had been too similar to this. Many powers used to subdue him while his mind was stripped open.
“I don’t need to be just to save my kingdom.”
The floor beneath his hand shook and he twitched forward, closing his eyes and focusing all his power to peel away the inky fingers that clutch his mind’s shield. His head throbbed as pain extended through his temples.
“You learned to shield me,” the king said with a strange waver in his voice that could be mistaken for pride, had he not been torturing him alongside his concubines. Orion’s anger burned deeper in the pit of his stomach as flashes of what they had done to him before came back.
He pushed against their hold, stumbling up to his feet and leaping toward the king, who looked surprised for the first time. Orion’s fist connected with his father’s cheek, and the energy of his adrenaline drained with the contact.
