Page 19 of A Realm of Dark Fury

“In you go.” He wouldn’t look at me. “King’s waiting for you.”

I nodded my thanks and walked slowly into the library. Black shelves towered either side of me, almost reaching the cavernous ceiling, holding shelf after shelf of brightly bound books. Under normal circumstances, this room would have thrilled me. I’d have spent hours exploring, reading, marveling at the artworks and the beautiful stained-glass windows.

But today, it simply felt as though I was on a death march. Panic rang in my ears as I rounded the corner and spotted Theron sitting at a deep mahogany desk. His brow was furrowed as he inspected the papers scattered before him, and if he heard my approach, he didn’t acknowledge it at all.

I moved to the edge of the desk, pausing for a moment before I dropped into a brief curtsey.No sass. Remember your manners. Don’t put up a front.

“Your Majesty,” I said quietly. “I hope I am not disturbing you.”

Theron huffed out a breath, pushing the papers aside and looking up at me. “Certainly not, dear one. I am more than happy to make time for you.” He looked me up and down, leaning back in his leather chair. “Are you quite well? You look rather drawn.”

“I’m not sleeping well, Sire.”

Theron frowned. “I’m sorry to hear that. May I be of some assistance?”

I shifted on my feet, taking a shaky breath. “I don’t wish to train with Norahi anymore.”

Theron’s eyebrows shot up, and he rose from the chair. “Is that so? May I know the reason why?”

“He tried to kill me.” I replied. I pulled aside the shawl I had slung around my shoulders, to show him the enormous purple hand mark on my neck. “He called me a witch and said he wanted to be free of me, then he tried to kill me.”

Theron’s lips twitched pensively as he clasped his hands behind his back. “It’s a lovely room, isn’t it?”

I blinked, the sudden change in topic catching me off guard. “I-I’m sorry, I don’t -“

“The library.” He gestured grandly around the room we found ourselves in. “It is such an inspirational space, don’t you think?”

“I-I… Yes, it’s lovely.” My head was still swimming after Rook had slammed it into the ground the day before, the residual headache lingering. “But I don’t understand what the library has to do with Norahi.”

“Did you know he speaks 5 languages?” Theron opened a book, flicking absently through its pages. “The Night Demons, they’re incredibly well educated. Not that you’d know it.” He laughed cynically as he slammed the book shut. “Barbarians.” He muttered the word so quietly I barely heard it, and his eyes narrowed as he looked back at me. “So, he tried to kill you, did he?”

“Yes.”

“And how did he do this?”

I swallowed hard. “He-he slammed my head into the ground, then he tried to strangle me.” I bit down on my lip as it trembled, determined not to show just how shaken I was. I’d engaged in combat before. I’d looked death in the eye plenty of times. But for some reason, being face to face withRook, having him spit blood in my face as he declared his intention to end me, had shaken me so violently to my core that I could scarcely look at Theron as I recounted it. “H-he said he’d tear my head off, if he got the chance.”

Theron exhaled heavily, steepling his hands before him. “Gods. You really got under his skin, didn’t you?”

“I seem to have, yes.”

“The guards have reported his odd behavior to me,” Theron said, walking to a tall window that looked out over the neatly trimmed palace gardens that sprawled below. “Training at all hours of the morning, pacing his chambers for hours at a time. Like a caged animal.” He turned, spreading his wings behind him as he leaned against the window frame. “He seems rather unraveled since you arrived.”

“He -“

“Perhaps you are a witch.” Theron crossed his arms over his chest. “Perhaps you have cast some horrid Fae spell on him, to drive your enemy insane.”

“Rook is not my enemy.” I said it too quickly, and didn’t even know why. I picked at my nails, trying to find the right words. “I-I have no quarrel with him. Not directly.”

Theron rolled his eyes. “Yes, you would think that.”

“What do you -“

“And what did you do, in this supposed attempt on your life?” He interjected. “Did you stand idly by, or did you fight back?”

“I-I fought back.” I drew in a short breath. “I mean… I thought he had the upper hand, and I…”

“You gave up.” Theron finished when I would not go on, dipping his head to meet my eyes. “I’m told you begged for death.”

---