Page 44 of A Kingdom of Shadows

He looks away, tense all of a sudden. "My mother didn't want anyone figuring out I was a shifter."

I narrow my eyes. There is clearly more to it that he won't say. "Is that all?"

He slowly lets out a breath before facing me. "No," he says, which surprises me, but he does not add to that answer. "Now, if you'll excuse me, Goldie, I'll be heading for a bath. Feel free to join me, though."

I glower at him. "Only in your dreams."

He chuckles musically, penetrating my ears. "My dreams include more than just you joining me."

My eyes widen at the boldness of his words, and I'm sure my pulse is about to burst from how fast it's beating.

He leans forward. "Only messing with you, Goldie. Always fun to see you blush," he says and winks, sauntering back to the castle.

He is an absolute nuisance of a man.

"Dragon pig," I mutter with a frown.

"Foul mortal," he calls out as if he'd heard me.

Chapter Nineteen

The feast indeed came, and though I wish I'd stayed in the guest chambers I'd been assigned to; I'm now leaning against an ornate sage wall in the vast throne hall instead. A great table of sizzling dishes is set out in front of me, and a group of female Elves play harps and violins. I've only been starring at every Elf who enters the palace for a few hours. All crowded together in their gorgeous jeweled green tunics or jackets. At least, focusing on them is better than attempting not to look in Darius's direction the entire night.

I lightly groan, shaking my head as I stare at my crystal glass of red wine. Even when I try to actively avoid him, mentally and physically, he still manages to interfere since... since he is the only person in the room wearing the color of night. A dark, lustful look that has all the Elves looking his way.

Glancing up as I hear a group of girls admiring how Tibith can talk in one corner, I chuckle, watching him flap his ears. I then spot Aias by the feast, munching away at different platters while Darius speaks with Faye.

My look turns sullen, and I absently pout. He grins as Faye laughs at something he says before his gaze catches mine, and his smile dims when he sees I'm alone. My skin heats, so I force myself to look away, and quickly, my eyes settle on a painting at the right side of the hall, catching the light as people breeze past the crystal candlesticks on the walls.

A tree with marigold leaves at the center of the City of Flames.

I frown, shoving away from the wall, and walk over to it. Light brushstrokes of gold adorn the leaves, and I'm more than perplexed as to why this is here, in Terranos of all places.

"The Neoma tree." Dusan's pleasant voice comes from beside me, and I look to my right. "Beautiful, isn't it?" His gaze focuses on the painting as he drinks from his golden goblet decorated with glowing leaves.

My hand is stretched out toward the painting, barely touching the surface of the tree. I look back at it and lower my hand to the side. As I turn to face the king, I cock my head. "Forgive me for asking, but why do you have it?"

His chuckle is short, amused by my question. "Well," he says, pointing his index finger at the painting. "There was once a time when I could visit Emberwell, and the Neoma Tree mesmerized me straight away that I had to get it painted."

Yes, much how I was when I arrived in the city. Even now, I often think of the tree and the harm it caused Darius.

"You mentioned you couldn't leave Olcar," I say. "Why is that?"

His pale lips curl into a grim smile. "Your queen." He takes another sip, his woven crown shimmering as I stare at it. "She cursed me to never be able to leave this place."

My eyes jerk wide.

Cursed.

Sarilyn has known no mercy upon her enemies. Why she cursed the king of Terranos is something I don't think I will get an answer to just yet, not with the look of absolute hatred and forlorn intertwining within Dusan's jade eyes.

"Is there no way to break it?"

His chuckle leaves a bitter trail behind. "She did it so that it's almost impossible to break."

A breeze of silence passes us. I think about Sarilyn, how she must have also taken up the task of fetching the elemental stones when she came here. Or... she didn't. Someone cunning like her might have had another way, something that ended up having her trigger this curse on the king.

"You've heard of the myth behind the Neoma tree, haven't you?" Dusan says, and I lift my head up, not realizing how hard I was biting my bottom lip. "Solaris's and Crello's blood," he prompts.

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