Page 57 of Wicked Prince of Carnage
The door opened, and Sterling looked over her shoulder to find Amalli staring at them with what seemed to be approval. “The carriage is about to leave for the castle, Your Highness.”
Cyan grasped Sterling’s wrist. “Can I come with you?”
She wanted to say yes, to have him at her side, but even if Prince Winter agreed, she couldn’t bring her brother inside those wicked walls of the king’s home. “No, you are safest here,” she answered softly. “The castle isn’t like the prince’s manor.”
Cyan leaned closer and spoke in a low voice, “It’s the king, isn’t it?”
Sterling nodded. Even though Amalli worked for Prince Winter, King Valco still ruled the court, and she would have to obey him. She didn’t want Valco to use Cyan against her either. “I’ll come visit you soon, and once it’s allowed, I’ll stay here with the prince. We’ll be a…” Family wasn’t the right word. “Well, we’ll be together again.”
Cyan circled his arms around her, squeezing her tightly. She returned the embrace before meeting Amalli in the hallway.
“He’s a remarkable child.” Amalli smiled.
“Not frustrating at all?” Sterling drawled.
“No, but extraordinarily inquisitive.”
“He is.” Sterling always believed her brother to ask too many questions, but oh, how she’d missed them. She wished she could stay to hear more of them.
“Prince Winter won’t be accompanying you since he had to leave, but he should be meeting you at the castle shortly.”
She wondered what he had needed to attend to, and if she would be in his bed again tonight.
Sterling parted ways with Amalli and descended the stairs, the manor’s walls quiet and peaceful. Once outside, the fall breeze rumpled her hair and Lijah helped Sterling into the carriage. He remained across from her with neither speaking to one another, but his gaze didn’t hold an ounce of hostility toward her. The horses’ hooves beat against the earth as they took off through the forest toward the market.
She leaned back against the seat, unable to stop herself from thinking about the night before … and that morning. Her touching herself in front of Winter, then riding the prince’s face as she pleasured his cock, tasting the salty flavor of him entirely. What occurred between them wasn’t only for her brother’s safetyor to unite the court, but because she’d wanted to. Because she’d liked it, yearned for the prince’s touches and sultry kisses.
Sterling stared out the window, watching the world pass before her. Would the court truly unite under her and the prince? Perhaps it would. Perhaps humans and wolves alike would want better. Perhapsshewanted better.
The carriage eventually drew to a stop, the castle looming above the foliage. Unease washed over her, and it was the first time an unsettling feeling truly had.
“I’m to take you to your room and remain outside your door until the prince arrives,” Lijah interrupted her thoughts. Only, there was something about the way he said it that made Sterling believe it wasn’t to hold her prisoner yet to keep her safe. But why? And where had Winter disappeared to?
“Thank you, Lijah.”
He bowed his head, and they crossed over the threshold into the castle when a familiar, gaunt-faced man stopped them.
“The king would like to speak to you, Your Highness,” Caston grunted.
“Of course.” What would he want to speak to her about? How to go about uniting the court? Or something else…
“Alone,” Caston added when Lijah trailed behind them. Lijah frowned, but his position rooted in place since Valco would most likely reprimand him … or murder him for being disobedient.
Caston led Sterling up the winding staircase to a door engraved with the king’s crown. “We aren’t going to the throne room?” she asked.
“No,” he answered simply.
Sterling pursed her lips as Caston opened the door for her, and she entered Valco’s bedchamber. An opulent bed was tucked into the wall with heavy red velvet curtains sweeping down from the canopy. Golden wolf statues hovered around the edges of the room, howling up at the skylight. A small sitting area wassituated in front of an unlit fireplace where an enormous gilded mirror hung above.
The king stood from behind his writing desk, wearing nothing but a pair of tan trousers. Peppered hair covered his chest, his taut stomach sporting the fresh scar that had kept him bedridden for so long.
“You wanted to see me?” Sterling asked as the door shut behind her, leaving her and the king alone together.
Valco stepped around his desk and prowled toward her. “I did. Tomorrow, you will travel north to the first human village to show them that we are indeed united. You will make them see that they can trust their king.”
Trust their king. Not the prince. Not her. But Valco.
Sterling halted her eyes from narrowing. “I will.”
