Page 9 of Wicked Prince of Shadows
Some said that the pieces of such a soul would be scattered so far across time and space that it was not until the end of time that the Maker could even begin to draw them back to any semblance of wholeness while others said that they would be forever lost like ash in the wind.
He cut his eyes at me again, his manner sharpening. “Because you aren’t an innocent. And because if you aren’t actually the princess and this isn’t some desperate plea for your wretched soft life, then it is far less than what your queen stole from my people and me. Do you know how many have died in this place? Do you understand the innocents that she cast aside to protect herself and those she called her people?”
My gaze darted to the wall and to the table. There were several weapons scattered about the room. Some looked more ornamental than others, but most had sharp points. The closest one was a scrimshaw bone dagger. My fingers twitched.
“You want to fight me?” He faced me fully now. The smirk on the left side of his face pulled higher and tugged at the stitches, revealing his fangs. “Please. Be my guest,princess.”
The way he spat the word out like it was a curse irked me even more than his refusal to accept who I was. “If I kill you, do I get to go free?”
“No. You’ll be imprisoned, and instead of wedding me, you will be sacrificed at the center of the chasm, and we’ll pray it will be enough to sate the curse. Of course when I say we, I mean the raging mob that will be my people.” His smile turned bland and his eyes colder. “Your fate is sealed, princess. You can be a bride or a corpse. If I were in your shoes, I’d certainly rather have a wedding than a funeral, but really that’s up to you. As far as I’m concerned, we could always do both. In the proper order of course.”
“One would think you would want a willing bride.” My mouth had gone dry, and I struggled to keep my voice steady.
He scoffed as he passed by me. “Don’t flatter yourself, woman. This has nothing to do with you except the blood that flows through your veins. I don’t recommend you test my patience on this matter further. After the wedding, your life is entirely expendable. Try my patience enough and I give you my word that our union will be short, bitter, and unpleasant.”
“From the looks of you, I’d bet everything involving you would beunsatisfying. It’s little wonder Queen Tanith rejected you.” I lifted my chin, the words spilling out with more force than sense.
His stance locked. The air thickened as his shoulders stiffened and his wings flared wide, wispy shadows curling from their edges. His jaw flexed hard enough that the stitches along his cheek pulled taut, straining with the motion. For one heartbeat, he didn’t move. Then the world snapped.
He closed the space between us in two long strides, his dark heavy boots striking the marble with sharp finality. My back hit the cold stone wall as I backed up, my hands lifting to shield myself. He slammed one clawed hand into the wall beside myhead, so close the air stirred against my temple. I flinched, bracing for the blow.
His other hand caught my chin, claws digging into my skin as he wrenched my face upward and forced me to look up at him. Pain shot through my jaw, sharp enough to make my eyes water.
He bent close, his burning amber gaze locking with mine with merciless intensity.
"Careful, princess," he snarled, his face inches from mine. His right hand shot up, clawed fingers gripping my chin with painful precision. The tips of his talons dug into my skin, not quite breaking it but only a fraction of pressure away from piercing the skin. "You know nothing of what happened between Tanith and me."
I couldn't move my head, couldn't look away from those burning amber eyes. His breath ghosted across my face, smelling of cloves, myrrh, and cedar.
"What stories did they tell you? That she was a hero? That she saved as many as she could and mourned the cost? That the cost was counted, and it wasgood.Or was there no cost at all because it wasn't her people who had to pay it?" His voice dropped lower, a rumble that vibrated through me. "Your fate is tied to my people now. Mock me if you wish, but understand this—if you continue to test me, I will make your remaining a short and exquisite misery." He flexed his fingers against my chin. “Do you understand?”
The claw at the edge of my jaw pressed harder. I refused to look away or plead even though I couldn’t think of one thing to say in response. I scrunched my nose at him.
He squeezed tighter. “I said, 'do you understand?'” All of his claws pricked deeper as he pressed them harder against my face and gave a small shake.
I nodded, bitterness coating my tongue. “Yes.”
"Good.” He released me and stepped back. “Run away now, little bride. I don’t like being bored, and you’ve stopped being interesting for the day.” He gestured toward the door with a dismissive wave of his hand, then turned his back to me and strode to his viewing position on the balcony.
My upper lip curled, a smart response rising within me, but the ground vibrated as a deep throaty roar shook the air.
CHAPTER FOUR
My head snapped toward the roar as chills shot down my spine. Tremors raced through my body. Another bellowing wail ripped through the air. It sounded as if something massive was screaming and sobbing at once. My chest tightened.
The Hollow King spun to face the double doors that led from the chamber. His gaze snapped to me. “Get over to the northern courtyard and into the middle. Stay there with the others until you’re sent for.” He snapped his fingers. The four eels in the pool levitated up out of the waters and glided toward him as he strode into the hall.
Another shrieking bellow shook the walls and made my head ache. Dust sifted down from the ceiling, followed by aCRAAAAAAACK.
It sounded like solid stone ripping apart.
I peeked out into the dark hall. The Hollow King had nearly reached the end, his smoky wings flared out and his beasts keeping pace with him. Several guards ran past him, gripping halberds in their right metal-gloved hands. The heavyclank clankof their steps rattled forward. They rounded the corner toward the left.
“The behemoth has breached the eastern wall,” someone shouted down the left side of the stone hall. “Bone beetles and grief worms sighted on the southern side.”
I staggered forward, fighting for balance as the floor lurched beneath me. My legs braced instinctively, muscles tight and burning, while my arms shot out to steady myself against the cracked wall.
I had to get out of here.
