Page 173 of Embers in the Snow

Besides, I have the luxury of time—something most of the court don’t. With time, the people will see what kind of ruler I am.

“Not like this.” Father’s eyes bulge, as if he’s straining to change my mind just by willpower alone. “Ibuiltthis empire, boy. Without my approval, the lords aren’t just going to submit to you.Don’tbe so fucking arrogant. Without the structures I’ve put in place to ensure power remains in our family, this empire will fall apart. Do you not remember athingI taught you?”

“I remember everything,” I say softly. “And I know exactly what I should do. The second thing I’ll do is return the Vikurian territories to their rightful owners.”

Father sent his troops into Vikur shortly after he ascended the throne. Grandfather had left the empire teetering on the verge of collapse after his repeated attempts to conquer the Northlands.

So father had waged war on the Vikurians and forced them into submission, and the rich, fertile lands of Vikur were absorbed into the Rahavan empire.

It was the very thing that allowed him to consolidate his power.

“No…”He sits up and coughs violently, bringing the sheet up to cover his mouth. “I will not allow you to…”

I place my hand in the center of his chest and push him back down. “Did you enjoy it, father? Being a god amongst men? At some point, it seems you forgot that youaren’ta god. Power is useless if you can’t win over people’s hearts and minds.”

A roar fills my ears. My heart starts to beat again, thudding loudly in my head. My vision clouds red.

My hand goes around his neck.

They say I’m insane. Right now, I truly feel like I’m going mad. Memories of my mother swirl through my mind, mingling with the faces of the men that served under me—all dead now. The stench of father’s sickly blood becomes overpowering.

I want to retch.

I squeeze harder.

His eyes roll back into his head.

The roar in my ears becomes louder. It’s the sound of war-drums; the screams of men, the thunder of cannon fire.

It’s the blood soaking the marble walls of this cursed palace.

I want to raze it all to the ground.

“I’ll tear your legacy apart,” I growl. “Until there’s nothing left of your memory but the image of a traitor’s head above the gates. I’ll burn the portraits and turn the statues of you to rubble.”

His eyes bulge.NowI can see fear—good.

And hopelessness, because he knows I really can do it.

All he fought for, all he built—in the end, it’s going to come to naught.

“Stop,” he wheezes, but it’s too late. I am the very monster he made me into. I can do whatever I want.

But then a pair of slender arms goes around my waist, and the towering rage in me—that terrifies even me—is tempered just enough for me to regain a small piece of my sanity.

“Corvan,stop.”

And her glorious essence fills the chasm in my soul.

I stop. I close my eyes and drink her in, letting her scent permeate every last fiber of my being.

Nothing else in this world can douse the flames of my rage. Without her, I really would go insane.

My grip loosens. My father takes a deep, shuddering breath.

His eyes go wide as he catches sight of Finley. I almost want to kill him just to stop him from looking at her.

He shouldnotbe permitted to lay eyes upon her.

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