Page 104 of Blood and Fate

Despair spread through Satori, her hands beginning to shake as she dropped into a seat by a small table. “This is my fault.”

Maci and the other girl moved to her side, dropping to their knees. “It’s not your fault, Your Highness. I don’t think any of us realized what he was really like.”

“He always seemed so charming.”

“Zari,” Maci chided the other girl.

“What?” Zari asked. “He did.”

“No, you’re right,” Satori said. “He is. And horrible. So, you must help me get ready. Or he’ll punish you.”

“You can’t marry him,” Zari whispered, as though someone might overhear.

“Zari,” Maci snapped again.

“Maci,” Zari snapped back. “She can’t marry him. You saw him. You heard what he’s doing to Tessa.”

“Thank you, Zari.” Satori placed a hand on the girl’s arm. “I appreciate your concern. But I do have to marry him. He’ll take it out on all of you. If he has me, he’ll have a place to focus his attention.”

They stared, mouths open, clearly appalled at her reasoning. Satori twisted in her seat. “You can start with my hair.”

There was silence for a beat before they both began to move, gathering their things and getting to work on her hair.

Hours later, Satori stood in front of the full length mirror in her room. Her hair had been curled and pinned in an elaborate crown-like style with small white flowers placed all over her head. It was loose, and tendrils of hair fell around her face. It was beautiful. She was wasting it on Henrik.

Her dress was white, with layers of tulle and lace and a bodice that barely covered her breasts. No doubt Henrik had chosen this dress himself. Her shoulders and upper arms were also completely uncovered, the sleeves attached just slightly under her arms and were sheer, draping lightly just above her elbow, falling nearly to the floor with a slit for her arms.

She sat and waited, shoving all her thoughts and feelings deep inside her, unwilling to let anyone, especially Henrik, see her weak. Eventually, there was another knock at her door.

“Come in.”

She didn’t bother to ask who it was. It didn’t matter, she was no longer her own person, anyway.

The heavy door pushed open, and her father appeared. A grin spread across his face as he stepped into the room.

“Satori, you look beautiful.”

She attempted to force a smile for his benefit, but her face would not cooperate. “Thank you, Father.”

His grin fell, and his eyes dipped to the floor. “I know this isn’t what you wanted, but I really do think this will be a good match. Henrik is intelligent and will make a good king consort as you rule. He has much wisdom to offer. And I think he does care for you.”

Satori bit down on the inside of her lip. How could her father be so blind to Henrik? Most likely because she had done a good job of shielding him. At first, Henrik had made threats to keep her quiet, but eventually, she just didn’t want anyone to know what was happening. She didn’t want to think about it any more than she had to.

Her Father approached her, taking her hands in his. “Oh, Satori, it will be good. It will be.”

A thought struck her, and she suddenly had to know, even though she knew it could very well break her. “Father, after I was taken, did you receive a marriage proposal for me from King Lexon of Evandor?”

Her father looked confused at her question at first. “I did. It seemed like a decent match. That is, until Henrik told us that it was the prince of that land who had kidnapped you.”

His words repeated in her head, sinking in. “Henrik told you that the Prince, Kais, had kidnapped me?”

“Of course he told us,” her father replied. “We were all so shocked. The nerve of the man, especially after his father had requested an alliance. It would have been good for our countries. Why he would take you and leave Henrik for dead . . . It made no sense.”

As her father spoke, Satori’s head shook. “No. It wasn’t the Prince. It was bush thieves. Nothing more. The Prince saved me. Henrik . . .”

As she spoke, the true meaning of the words became clear. Henrik. Henrik had set the entire thing up. Henrik had her kidnapped. She knew he didn’t truly care about her, but to put her in that kind of danger...Of course, he could then present himself as both the victim and the hero when he swooped in to save her. Had he intended for Kais to be involved at all? Or was it just so that Henrik could blame it on him?

“Henrik lied. He set it up. He—“

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