Page 83 of Fortress of Blood and Power

With a final reassuring glance at me, Garrick slung Kinsey over one shoulder, and we resumed our journey toward the castle.

Shouts erupted at Garrick’s and my approach, and the castle gates opened to usher us within the courtyard. Hurrying footsteps rang out on the cobblestones as guards and servants rushed to meet us, scowling at the bloody body Garrick carried and the gore staining his arm.

“Come, the king and queen will want to see you immediately,” one of the guards said, leading us toward the entrance.

“Summon them now,” Garrick ordered, his tone guttural. “King Preston will want to know his betrothed has returned safely.”

My stomach turned over at those words, even if I knew it was all what they expected Garrick to say. It didn’t detract from how nauseating it was to hear him call me Preston’s.

Fae scattered to fulfill his order, but by the time Garrick and I neared the double doors, they burst open. Preston and Nerissa stood in the entrance, adorned in silver and blue with their crowns on for full effect, their eyes fiery. Their rage made my heart skip a beat, but I sauntered forward anyway, playing the role of a submissive girl relieved to be saved from her kidnappers.

As I ascended the steps leading to the entrance, Preston forced his mouth into a wide smile, opening his arms like he was overjoyed to see me safe. “Florentia Silverfrost! It is a relief to see you returned to us.”

“Prepare her rooms,” Nerissa barked at the nearby servants, who began to scatter. “It is the solstice, after all! We must prepare her.” Her dark eyes flicked toward me, and I smileddemurely, as if I were content and ready for what came next. As if they really were preparing me for a heroic act, and not hoping to use me as a way to unleash destruction.

I stepped into the castle as all but the posted guards vanished, and Garrick halted behind me. Nerissa ordered the guards to close the doors, but as they thudded shut, Preston’s attention shifted from me to Garrick. He reeled back, his expression marred with disgust. “You stupid mutt! Bleeding all over our entryway. And what isthat?”He drew back, his face paling.

Garrick stepped beside me, shifting Kinsey’s weight, who still hung, limp and unresponsive, from his shoulder. “One of Ren’s kidnappers.” His voice was cold, ruthless. “If you desire, you can use his body as a reminder that those who oppose your will receive no mercy.” He dipped his head in deference.

My skin prickled. Even when Garrick wasn’t under the siblings’ control, he played his role well.

“And what do you expect me to do with a corpse?” Preston snarled. He whirled on Nerissa, who, though she’d schooled her features into a look of careful boredom, kept her distance from Garrick and his burden. “Why don’t you keep a tighter leash on your pet? Tell him we have no use for the dead things he drags to us. Unlike him, we aren’tanimals.”

I bit my inner lip, temper flaring. I wanted to rebuke them, but now wasn’t the time. Everything was going the way Garrick had anticipated it would, and my rage would only derail our plan.

Nerissa rubbed her temple before sighing and glancing at Garrick. “Dispose of the body.” Her lip curled as she noted the blood staining his arm. “And get yourself cleaned up. I expect you to be present for our grand show.” She lifted her head toward one of the high windows in the great hall, through which twilight’s violet glow was shimmering. “You have one hour. Bythen, Florentia will be at the entrance, prepared to save us all.” Her eyes flicked to me, silent laughter dancing in them as if daring me to refute her claim and call out her lie.

“Come, I’ll escort you to your chambers myself,” Preston said.

As Nerissa turned away, she tossed her hair over her shoulder. “Don’t lose her again, brother.” She sauntered off down the hall as Preston glowered, offering me his arm. Apparently he was in a good mood, ready to pretend to be an amiable fiancé. Maybe he was enjoying the game they were playing, up until its very end.

Behind me, Garrick turned and spoke to the guards, requesting they open the door for him once more. But I knew he wasn’t going to take Kinsey’s so-called corpse off the grounds. I wished I could linger and help, but my duty was to keep Preston distracted, so I settled my hand on his arm and let him lead me up the stairwell.

“Aspen won’t be here to help you wreak havoc,” Preston murmured as we passed the second floor and rounded a bend in the staircase, climbing higher.

“But you don’t know where she is, do you?” I asked smugly.

It was only a hopeful guess, but I injected confidence into my tone, praying I was right. Despite Garrick’s fear of being involved too heavily in any of the rebels’ plans, he had known of one contact outside the castle. Last night, the Ashwoods had sent a messenger to that rebel, requesting he gather as many as he could that had escaped the ball and prepare them for tonight. None of us had any idea if Preston and Nerissa had restrained or hurt Aspen, or if she’d escaped in the chaos following the Ashwoods’ invasion and my kidnapping.

Preston froze, seizing my arm in a painful grasp and whirling on me. “What do you know?” he bit out. “Did the Ashwoods take her too?”

I smirked. “She’s safe from you. That’s all I know.”

Nostrils flaring, Preston drew a deep breath, visibly calming himself. He turned, dragging me up the steps behind him. “It doesn’t matter. Prisoner or not, she can plot all she wants. Tonight, you’ll fling the entrance to the underworld open wide and the demons will overtake everyone, including the Ashwoods and rebels. They won’t matter anymore. The living souls will face our torment, and the dead will taste life’s pleasures fully again.”

“You can’t force me to do your bidding,” I protested, fighting against Preston enough that I forced him to a stop in the middle of the hall leading to my rooms. Anything to grant Garrick more time. “You can’t glamour me, and you can’t hold back my magic. I’ll resist you, every step of the way.”

Preston sneered. “Yes, I’m sure you will.” He yanked me forward.

I dug the heels of my boots into the plush carpet. “And you won’t win.”

Preston’s grasp on me tightened, making me ground my teeth against the sharp stab of pain from his bony fingers squeezing my wrist. “It takes more than idle threats to strike fear into a soul that’s endured hell, Snowflake.”

“But I know what can strike fear into your heart,” I said quickly. “The knowledge thatIhave the power to send you back and close the door. That as long as I draw breath and this blood flows through my veins, I can continue to seal the entrance tightly shut, leaving you there to your eternal torment.”

Preston tugged one more time, so hard I could no longer resist, and he forced my feet along after him. “This grows tiring. If you want, keep hurling your threats as we walk, but nothing will change your fate, mortal. Power has gone to your head, but yours will always be limited. Lesser.”

I let his words roll off me, trailing him as we neared my door. All I could hope was that my delay had given Garrick and Kinseythe time they needed...and that Preston would descend the steps too distracted to notice anything was amiss.

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