Page 107 of A Warrior's Heart
“Why did you kill him?”
Triton released his grip on Lorcan’s tunic. “Because he wasn’t going to stop there. He was on a rampage, causing hurricanes and earthquakes, destroying countless lives. The already fragile treaty with the human king at the time broke when my father attacked his homeland. He was hellbent on ridding the world of humans. My mother tried to stop him. And he killed her for it. That’s when I stole his precious trident and drove it straight through his cold heart.”
The trident hummed at his words.
“Yet, no matter my reasoning for taking Poseidon’s life, the trident rejected me because I killed its master.”
“And what of the curse placed upon you because of it?” Lorcan asked. “One that says one of your sons will kill you, just as you killed your father? I hold no love for Ezra, but I felt truth in his words. Tell me he was lying. Tell me that you haven’t killed your own sons.”
“The truth matters not,” Triton said, turning away from Lorcan to refill his goblet with more wine.
Lorcan knocked the goblet from his hand, the wine sloshing across the floor. “Tell me!”
“Yes!” Triton roared, his eyes flashing bright blue. “I killed them all to escape my fate. Is that what you wish to hear?”
My breath stuttered in my chest. I couldn’t believe it.
The prince stumbled back a step. “Why did you let me live?”
“Because I loved your mother,” he answered, voice shaking. “She showed me what it was like to love someone selflessly, to put them above yourself. She changed me for the better. When we learned that you grew in her belly, she showed me a vision of you as a toddler, your silver hair just like mine. It made me desire another life, one not filled with atrocity and bloodshed. I didn’t want to become like my father. Your mother was the last woman I ever bedded; thus, you and Ezra are my only living sons.”
“Would you have killed Ezra if you knew about him?”
“Yes.” The ease in which the king admitted it was unsettling.
Lorcan flinched before grinding his teeth together. “You deserve to die.”
“Perhaps.” Triton stepped toward him. “Do you plan to take my life? The trident answers to you now. I’m sure it’s begging for you to avenge its former master.”
Lorcan flung around and snatched the trident from where it rested against the wall. He aimed the three-pronged tip at Triton’s throat.
I stepped forward, and Triton lifted a hand to me.
“Stop, Malik. If my son wishes to kill me, I order you to stand by and let him do so.”
Duty forced me to obey his command. But it wasn’t only the king that I wished to save. If Lorcan killed his father, he would have to live with that for the rest of his life. It would haunt him forever. Anger was driving him now, yet once it faded, there would only be regret.
The prince’s hands shook as he held the weapon, spittle flying from his lips as he roared, “I have always seen you for the cruel bastard you are!”
Triton angled his head back, his blue eyes pinned to his son. “You have the power to kill me. To punish me for all those I’ve wronged.”
Lorcan pressed the trident to the king’s neck, and my heart dropped into my stomach when I saw the weapon draw blood. It was proof that the trident was the one—and only—thing that could kill King Triton. Nothing else could break his skin.
“I should slit your throat right here,” Lorcan said, tears spilling from his angry eyes. He jerked the trident away. “But I’m not you. I willneverbe you.”
I released the breath I’d been holding.
Triton swept a finger along the small cut on his neck and looked at his blood, curious. “So it is red. I always wondered.” He sucked his thumb into his mouth to lick off the blood. “My father’s blood was so dark of a red it almost looked black when I killed him. They say the darker your soul, the darker your blood. Perhaps I’m not as monstrous as I thought.”
“My king?” Zander said, walking back into the room freshly bathed and smelling of musk and cloves. He gasped when he saw the cut on Triton’s neck and rushed over, placing his hand over the blood. “I’ll call for a physician right away.”
“No need to fuss over me, my beautiful boy.” Triton lifted Zander’s hand to his lips and kissed each of his fingertips. “It is only a small cut that will heal on its own.”
Lorcan stormed out of the king’s chambers, taking the weapon with him.
“Give him time,” Triton said to me, holding Zander close to his side. “Though he’s a man now, he is young and impulsive. He’s angry at me and rightly so. I’ve done horrible things in the past, committed unspeakable acts. He needs time to process and cool his hot temper, which he gets from me.” A sad smile touched the king’s lips. “But when the anger leaves him, he’ll need you by his side.”
“Yes, Your Majesty.” I bowed my head and turned to leave.
