Kingdom of the Cursed

by Kerri Maniscalco

  I wasn’t sure what it said about me, about the entity I was becoming, but there was a deep sense of primeval desire that sparked when Wrath took that blade to Makaden, defending me.

  For a little while, it seemed like we were partners again. I didn’t think I’d miss our time together in Palermo, and wasn’t sure what it meant that I did. I felt his attention shift to me.

  “What’s the second offering?” I asked, meeting his gaze. He was closer than I expected, his attention briefly falling to my mouth as if it intrigued and beguiled him. My heart kicked up its beat. Wrath drew his brows together and shook his head, seeming to recall I’d asked a question. Whatever realization he’d just had had thoroughly entranced him. “You said the wine was only the first. What’s the second-best thing about this realm?”

  “The Crescent Shallows.” He hesitated. “It’s a lagoon.”

  That strange tension hovered between us like a spell that refused to break. I raised a brow, my lips half–turned up at the edges. “Let me guess, since this is Hell it’s frozen over?”

  “No, actually. It’s one of the few places in the Seven Circles not touched by ice. It sits above a lava field, so the water is warmer than bathwater, regardless of the air temperature.”

  “Do we have to fight a three-headed dog to get there?”

  “No.”

  “Is traveling there like going through the Sin Corridor?” Wrath shook his head but didn’t elaborate. I stepped closer, eyes narrowing. He was being more tight-lipped than normal. Which meant he was definitely concealing something. “Where is it?”

  “Forget I mentioned it.” He refilled his glass and took a strong pull of wine, refusing to meet my inquisitive stare. “It’s late.”

  “Blood and bones. It’s here, isn’t it? Have you been hiding a hot spring from me?”

  “Not hiding. There are rules that must be followed before entering the water. I doubt you’d like them. And even if you did, I don’t think it’s a good idea.”

  “I see.” Wrath straightened at my tone and slowly glanced in my direction. When his full attention settled on me, I continued. “Instead of asking my opinion, you decided for me. Since I am to marry the devil, that makes me your future queen, doesn’t it?” He didn’t answer. “I would like you to take me there. Now, please.”

  “Nothing made may enter the water.”

  “Nothing… you mean clothing?”

  “Yes. You’ll need to fully disrobe before entering the water, my future queen.” His smile was pure wickedness. “I didn’t think you’d want to bathe with me naked.”

  “Is that all?” I highly doubted it. He’d seen me without clothing on more than one occasion over the last few months. That would not be a deterrent. This was about self-preservation. For him. “I imagine there’s something about the water you’d like to avoid.”

  He looked me over slowly. It was impossible to tell what he felt. “On occasion it seeks the heart of those who enter. And reflects their truth.”

  I held his gaze. Maybe it was the wine, or this world and its proclivity toward sin, or the way his eyes glittered with triumph, but I refused to cede this battle.

  I recalled what Anir said about challenging him. If I had to give up some of my truth to gain some knowledge of him, it was a small price to pay.

  I jerked my chin at the bottle and glasses. “Take those and let’s visit this magical lagoon. I could use a warm, relaxing bath after tonight.”

  Wrath’s grin vanished. “You’re certain that’s what you want?”

  “Yes.”

  It was a terribly dangerous answer, made apparent by the thick layer of tension that swiftly fell between us again, but it was the truth. I did not want to go back to my chamber alone, nor did I want to part ways with this prince just yet. A night adventure to a magical hot spring sounded like the perfect distraction. I wanted a pleasant memory to cling to before bed. I did not want to replay the staked tongue incident over and over until sleep claimed me. And if I went back to my chamber alone now, that’s exactly what would happen.

  Instead of walking me there, Wrath took my hand in his and magicked us away. The familiar sensation of burning was replaced by a slight, warm tingle across my skin. It was far from unpleasant. I gasped as solid ground formed beneath us a moment later.

  Wrath let go once he was sure I wasn’t about to tumble over. “Transvenio magic isn’t as jarring when we’re traveling in this circle.”

  I wanted to ask him more about the magic but found all logical thought had been stolen as I took in our new location. We stood on the dark, glittering shore of a lagoon. It was shaped like an enormous crescent moon, and the water was a milky, glacier blue.

  Fog drifted lazily above its surface. I managed to tear my gaze away from the sparkling pool long enough to glance at the obsidian walls that surrounded us. This lake was subterranean.

  “Where are we, exactly?”

  “Below House Wrath.” He strolled down the shore a little way, then pointed out a stone arch. “The Lake of Fire feeds into these shallows from over there.”

  I looked up, expecting to see more stone, and sucked in a quiet breath. Stone did indeed cover us, but someone had painted the phases of the moon across it, along with a smattering of stars. Breathtaking was hardly the most accurate description. Ethereal, maybe, did it more justice.

  I went to stick my toes in the water when the demon prince carefully hauled me back. “No cloth of any kind can taint the water. You need to remove your gown or hold the skirt up.”

  “Why?”

  Wrath lifted a shoulder. “See those?”

  I followed his gaze as it landed on a mammoth piece of driftwood. I leaned closer and squinted. “Is that… are those bones?”

  I dragged my attention away from what remained of the unfortunate creature and focused on the prince at my side. The glint of amusement in his face was almost as sinful as he was. “Still want to go for a dip?”

  “What happens if you bring the wine and glasses in?”

  “I wouldn’t. Come,” he offered his hand. “I’ll take you back to your room. You can keep the wine. It will relax you just as well as the lagoon would have. You’ve got a large private bath of your own. That will have to suffice.”

  Either he was worried about the lagoon revealing a truth he wanted to keep hidden, or he was convinced I’d change my mind and go back to bed. I gave him my own taunting smile as I deftly undid the enclosures on my gown. He watched as I slipped out of the silky red material, his throat bobbing a little as my lacy undergarments hit the ground next.

  I took his ring off and set it on a smooth, flat rock. Then I straightened and held his gaze.

  I stood bare before him, feeling anything but shy. I raised a brow. “Are you going to get undressed so we can swim, or are you planning on watching me all night?”

  ELEVEN

  Wrath’s clothes vanished, leaving him standing naked and proud.

  Any hint of smugness I’d felt disappeared when his clothing did. Devil curse me, I tried and failed miserably to not feed his ego by openly admiring him.

  Great artists might try to capture his likeness but would undoubtedly fail. There was a certain mastery about him that defied his true form from ever being cast in something as mundane as bronze or carved in marble.

  My gaze drifted across his broad shoulders, down his sculpted chest, then slowly inched lower, over each ridge of his abdomen, across his hips and lower until I finally took in his…

  I jerked my attention back to his face. He was very obviously attracted to me. Clearly the sinful magic that thrummed below the surface of this world affected him more than I’d imagined. Though given his comments at dinner and the way our kiss had turned hungry and full of primal need earlier, maybe it wasn’t so simple. For either of us.

  My traitorous attention dropped again. I tried not to stare too long, but his left thigh had an interesting design inked onto it. Pointing downward, a dagger spanned from his hip to his knee. The blade loo
ked like it had a close-up of roses on its surface, while geometric patterns were etched onto its hilt. Unlike his other metallic tattoos, this one had been done in grayscale.

  I pulled my focus back to his eyes and waited, heart pounding, for him to drag his attention over every inch of my exposed skin. My nerves hummed with anticipation; it was the first time I’d disrobed in front of him without it being the result of something clinical needed to revive me from near-death. Wrath’s gaze remained fixed on mine as he offered me his hand, palm up. Something inside me deflated a bit.

  I went to unhook the cornicello, but he shook his head. “That may stay. Along with the flowers and bones in your hair.”

  Confused, I dropped the amulet and wound my fingers through his. Technically, since they were the devil’s horns, I supposed they didn’t count as something made. And the bones and flowers were also organic material, so hopefully Wrath was right and all would be well.

  We walked to the lagoon’s edge and water lapped at my toes, warm and silky.

  He watched me, waiting to see if I wanted to continue. I took another step and lavished in the way the water felt like a million tiny bubbles on my skin.

  Once we were deep enough out, Wrath let go of my hand and bobbed under the water. He exploded up a moment later, whipping his head back and pelting me with droplets. His laugh was full and rich and his smile was one of the most genuine I’d ever seen from him. It made my heart stumble a bit. I dove under the water before he could see my expression.

  When I broke the surface and pushed the tangle of wet hair from my face, I caught him staring. Unlike me, he didn’t attempt to hide what he was feeling now. I thought about the Wicked, about their sinful games. The stories of their kisses being addictive enough for a mortal to sell their soul for the chance at another. The danger in gaining their attention. I’d undeniably gained Wrath’s full attention. And the only danger I sensed was how powerful it made me feel.

  Here lay a choice. Wrath, temptation incarnate, waited, as if he knew where my thoughts had drifted. I swore there was something about the forbidden that made it sweeter to taste.

  Or perhaps that was just a lie I told myself. Maybe I simply liked the taste of him, against my better judgment. I waded closer and slowly reached for him. His breath caught as I turned him away from me and tentatively traced the lines of Latin tattooed across his shoulders. I’d been curious about the ink from the first moment I’d summoned him in the bone circle all those months ago. Goose bumps rose on his skin with each gentle pass of my fingertips.

  “Astra inclinant, sed non obligant.” I bit my lower lip, trying to translate it. “The stars…”

  He rotated until we faced each other again, his eyes glowing softly in the dark. “The stars incline us; they do not bind us.”

  “Beautiful.”

  I did not miss the significance of him permanently inking onto his body that he did not want to be bound by anything. I thought of our betrothal bond, of how I’d forced it on him without knowing. Then I’d bound him to the summoning circle for days, refusing to set him free. No wonder he despised me then. It was a wonder he didn’t hate me now.

  “I’m sorry.” The words were so soft, I wasn’t sure he’d heard me. “For binding you.”

  He reached over and tucked a wet strand behind my ear, his touch lingering before he stepped back. “Fate may deal its hand, try encouraging our path or intervene, but we are ultimately free to choose our own destiny. Never doubt that.”

  “I thought you were without free will.”

  His smile was tinged with sadness. “Choice is granted to all. But for some it comes with a price.”

  “Did you get that tattoo to remind yourself of your choice?”

  “Yes.” His gaze fastened onto mine. “I believe John Milton, a mortal poet, said it best. ‘Better to reign in Hell than serve in Heaven.’ I told you the power of choice, the appeal it holds for me. I would do terrible things, unforgivable things, to choose my destiny. Cursed and wretched though it may be. It is mine. Unless you’ve been without true choice, you can’t understand the allure it holds.”

  “What of the serpent, was that another choice?”

  “All of the ink on my body, with the exception of our tattoos, were my choice.”

  My attention fell to his lips and lingered before something a little lower caught my attention. Faintly, in silver ink, another phrase was scrawled under his left clavicle. I’d never seen it before. Without thinking, I ran my fingertips across the writing. Acta non verba.

  I had no trouble understanding that one. Actions, not words.

  “And the design on your thigh?”

  Wrath went still, and it was only then that I realized I’d drifted near enough that our bodies were almost touching. I forgot my question, forgot everything except the fire in his gaze as it slowly consumed me inch by inch. I didn’t think he could see much because the water was nearly to my neck, but it certainly didn’t feel as if that were any true barrier.

  When he looked at me with the heated intensity he was now… any lingering hatred or animosity between us burned away. Perhaps that was the truth he did not want revealed by the lagoon. The world’s magic took hold, encouraging my emotions until I could no longer deny my growing desire, either. His wet-slicked skin slid against mine as I closed the distance.

  Maybe it was the dreamlike beauty of the celestial scene painted on the ceiling, or the sultry steam of the Crescent Shallows. Or maybe it was simply yearning made flesh, but I craved the sensation of his hands on my body. We were two consenting adults. And I wanted him to unleash all of his sensual power on me.

  I thought about my earlier fantasy of him taking me against the wall or table.

  Never, in all my life, had I reacted to someone in such a carnal way. I’d had crushes, dreams of kisses and more, but this was no small infatuation. This was desire in its purest form.

  My longing was growing out of control. I wanted to touch him, no longer content with denying myself or my passions. All I needed to do was take that first step.

  I rolled up onto my toes and brushed his damp hair back in gentle strokes.

  I waited to see if he’d put distance between us. If he’d tell me I was the last creature in all the realms combined that he’d want. His expression was almost as tense as his body. I couldn’t tell if he was fighting attraction, or if he was dutifully allowing an enemy to seduce him.

  I leaned in and pressed my lips against the ink along his collarbone, giving him another opportunity to move. Instead of stepping aside, his hand splayed across my lower back, holding me in place. I knew, without a doubt, the mighty warrior would let me go if I decided to stop or walk away. My mouth moved to his other shoulder, kissing him there.

  “Emilia.” He said my name softly. It was so close to the version of him I’d conjured in the Sin Corridor, but this wasn’t another fantasy. This moment was real.

  “I know you won’t tell me your true name.” I trailed my hands down his chest. His intense gaze tracked each of my movements. “But it feels a little odd, murmuring ‘Wrath’ at a time like this.”

  I flicked my attention back up as he closed his eyes and leaned his forehead against mine. The mighty general of war was struggling with some inner battle. Perhaps he was worried this was another game of strategy, one he’d lose if he started playing by my rules.

  I no longer knew if his fear was warranted. For once, we were on equal ground.

  “So maybe we shouldn’t worry about talking anymore,” I continued. “At least not tonight.” I explored the ridges of his abdomen, and he did not move away or flinch from my touch. “Maybe we can both choose to communicate a different way. Without words.”

  I thought about our last kiss, how savage and unrestrained it had turned. It was fueled by primal need and lust. I guided his face down to mine and brushed my lips across his. It was whisper soft, sweet. There was a question in it, one I wasn’t sure he’d answer.

  This time I wanted things to be differe
nt. Even if it wasn’t meant to last. We could have tonight, this moment, and surrender to whatever magnetic force was pulling us together.

  There was no past or future, simply the present.

  This encounter did not have to mean more than what it was. We did not have to fall in love or forget our schemes. Tonight we could form a truce, one that lasted only until sunrise. For one night, we could stop pretending this wasn’t what we both desired. If I faced this unfamiliar part of me now, maybe the realm would stop tormenting me with so many sensual illusions.

  I broke away from our embrace. “Unless you don’t want this.”

  For one heart-pounding second, he didn’t react. I thought I’d misjudged the moment. Then Wrath answered with a tender kiss and it didn’t feel like he was my enemy. Or as if he was kissing me for any reason other than the fact he wanted to. Down in this chamber, far from the watchful eyes of his court and the roles we were supposed to play, we could simply be.

  He chose this. Just as I did. And choice was power.

  His strong hands slid down my sides as he stepped closer, bringing us flush together. I was suddenly surrounded by him, his scent, his massive body. All of his power and attention. He felt like living magic—maybe even more so than our last two encounters.

  Something inside me came alive.

  This time, when he swept his tongue into my mouth it was all I could do to not buckle from the sheer bliss. My hands drifted to his hips, and his inched down to mine, slipping under the warm water and gliding along my back as he anchored me against him.

  I arched into his touch, forgetting any notion of going slowly. I needed pleasure. And I wanted him to give it to me as much as I would give in return.

  He smiled against my neck before pressing a chaste kiss below my ear. I didn’t have to see his face to know he was amused by my response. “Your highness is quite demanding.”