“Maybe you are the one who needs to learn some respect, to the future king of this court, and to the man you are hoping to marry. Know your place.” He towers over me, and that’s when I work out his game. He wants us to submit, to show that we are weak and unworthy of him. So, I brace myself and stand.
“My place, your highness,” I spit, “is not on my knees, or at your feet.” I stand tall and take him face on. “No queen of your court or mine is a submissive coward. I was not raised to cower before you, but to be the strength and power at your side.”
His father claps, and the audience roars with cheers and applause. This farce is insane, but I swallow down my disgust at the ridiculousness of it all and smile sweetly as Cade takes his seat by his father again. I wait quietly for the room to quiet, when Queen Lanora smiles at me, but her smile gives me shivers.
“Are you a virgin, Emilia?”
“I’m not sure why that is of concern here.” I hide my clenched fists in the fold of fabric in the skirt of my dress and try not to show my anger at such a personal question in such a public forum. I know Rowan told us they would try to humiliate us, but this is just unnecessary.
“It is of concern because I asked you the question.”
“And would you respect your future queen if I actually answered your questions in a forum like this? I know I wouldn’t. So, you can ask your questions, but I do not have to answer them.”
“Touché. But still, you have not answered my question. Maybe you’ll answer this one, what would you sacrifice for your place here as queen?”
“More than you know,” I tell her with a heavy heart, knowing I’m already sacrificing my love for Oberon, my chances of a life far from here.
“Would you sacrifice the life of your last living brother?” She waves her hand and two of the guards disappear, reappearing with Erion, bloody and beaten, in those god-fucking-awful magikal binding cuffs.
“Erion.” I gasp and take a step forward, but I am pulled backwards by Cade and locked in his grasp. I can do nothing as my brother is thrown to the floor at my feet, and Lanora stands over him. I watch in horror as she takes a handful of his knotted, dirty hair and yanks his head backwards exposing his throat. She places her metal-clad finger at his throat, the sharp point of the tip glinting in the light. I can almost feel the bloodlust from the people in the room, hoping beyond hope that Lanora will slice through his flesh, and drain him.
“You must decide, is his life worth more to you than your position here?” she taunts me, and I struggle in Cade’s grip, but he tightens it. I look down at Erion, who doesn’t really look like my brother anymore. The man I remember stood tall like a giant; he was strong and passionate. A protector. But this man, he seems small and weak. The fire that once burned in his green eyes is nothing but dull embers, and my heart breaks over what they might have done to him to have broken him as much as they have. Seeing my brother reduced to this makes the fire inside me burn stronger, and I can feel the fire inside of my raging, desperate to be released and reign down my own version of justice and revenge for what they’ve done to him.
“Careful, Emilia,” he whispers into my hair. “Stay true to yourself; all is not what it seems.”
“I will not risk his life. He is the reason I am here. Him and so many other innocent lives fighting in our stupid war. I am here to stop the inane fighting and unnecessary bloodshed that continues because our courts cannot seem to grow up enough to find peace and stop sacrificing those who have nothing to do with the disagreements of our ancestors. Why should my brother, or any of the many others we have down at the borders, lose their lives for such an unnecessary and archaic argument that none of us were even present for? Hell, I don’t even know why this craziness originally started, the insane hatred between our courts, but if I have the power to end it, I will. But not with more bloodshed. I will not be responsible for that.”
Lanora’s eyes dance in the light as she releases my brother, who looks up at me like he’s already dead. All these years, we thought he was at the front, so how is he here? How long has he been here? Did my father know he was here? So many questions swirl through my mind as Cade releases me, and I fall down to my brother and wrap him in my arms.
“I am so sorry, Erion,” I tell him as I hold him tightly. He doesn’t return my embrace; he just kneels lifelessly. “I’ll bring you back, just you wait and see.”
“Please just let me die,” he murmurs as I let him go, and my heart breaks all over again, my rage simmers just under the surface at what these people have done to my family.
“Release him,” I demand from my crouched position by my brother in front of Lanora.
“We will do no such thing at this time.”
“Mother,” Rowan interjects but is silenced with a look from Lanora. I hear the murmurings around the room, but I don’t care.
“Please, look at him! He cannot take much more of whatever has happened to him. At least let me take him back to my rooms and care for him,” I beg, my voice little more than a whisper, desperation winning over my rage.
“I said no. You are a guest here; you should remember that.” She signals, and the two guards who brought Erion here lift him, one on each arm and start to drag him away. Cade releases me and sits back down with his family, his face unreadable.
“This is not right. He is a Prince of the Summer court.” My fire burns bright as my hands feel the lick of the flames that surround them. I look over at the Vasaras as Earon whispers to Cade, who doesn’t look happy, but he nods, nonetheless.
“A queen should be able to control her temper, Emilia. Apparently, you cannot. Look at you; anger is an undignified response and nothing like the girl I once knew. Your time here is over,” Cade announces, and shame fills me, distinguishing my flames. What have I done? Have I just sacrificed the lives of my brother, and Oberon, just because I couldn’t get my way?
“No, please. I’m sorry, I didn’t mean . . .”
“Enough, Emilia. Leave here now.” I look frantically over to a forlorn Rowan, whose face shows me just how much I fucked up, and I try not to act like a spoilt child as the guard comes to escort me away. There has to be a way I can fix this. There just has to be.
Chapter Seven
I pace in my room, waiting for someone to arrive, to escort me home. It feels like hours since they took Erion away, and Cade cast me out. I wonder if my father has heard, and what his reaction will be if he has. I pull at my dress, not caring about damaging it. I just need out of its confines. I need to breathe. I need to be able to think. Maybe if I speak to Cade, he’ll change his mind. Who am I kidding, he’s never going to change his mind? I tear the material binding me and frantically rip the dress off of me, grabbing a gown and draping it over my shoulders, so I’m not half-naked when whoever is coming appears.
I’m very aware I need to compose myself, but I feel like I’m spiraling so I sit on the stool at the dressing table and pull the pins out of my hair and take the golden leaf crown from my head, placing it down as gently as I can before I wipe this crap from my face. I’ve never really been a fan of makeup, but it gives me the mask I so desperately needed here, but even that didn’t help.
I stand as a knock on the door sounds, and it opens. Rowan appears before me, looking more than a little flustered, slamming the door behind him.
“Emilia, fuck!” He pushes his hand through his hair, and I can feel just how off-kilter he is. “What a fucking nightmare. I didn’t know about Erion, I’m so sorry. If I’d have known, I would have told you.”
“It’s okay, Rowan. I believe you.” And I did. Rowan doesn’t seem to be much like his father and brother. He’s more like me than I’ve ever realized, being the odd one out. I place my hand on his shoulder, and he pulls me into a hug. I can almost feel his power humming under his skin, and his desperation gives me something else to focus on.
“It’s going to be okay,” I tell him. I’m lying, and he knows it, but I think he also needs to hear it.
�
��They’re going to send you home in the morning; it’s too late to pull out the horses, but that might give us some time to salvage this. Those other girls, honestly, Em . . . None of them are fit to be queen. If you’d have seen the things they did, the way they debased themselves for him. It turns my stomach. Who does that to their future wife? I swear I don’t even know my brother anymore. I know this was mainly my father, pulling his strings as ever, but to do what they did to those girls. I don’t even want to be near them, but I also know that someone needs to stay here and keep Cade true. Remind him who he really is underneath it all, outside of my father’s whispers and lies. You can’t leave Emilia; you’re the only one who reminds him of who he used to be. The man he wanted to be. The king he wanted to be.” He paces in front of me, and I let him rant.
“You have to remember who he once was. Yes, he was an ass, but underneath it all, he was good. He hated the games my father played, the cruelty of it all. Once upon a time, he wanted to change things for the better. He wanted to join the courts, to bring peace to the realm once and for all. But my father has twisted him, used the guilt from Edimere to create a monster. Cade doesn’t think there’s any good left in him; he doesn’t see how lost he is. When I saw your name on that stupid list, I foolishly had hope. I should’ve known they’d come up with any reason to cast you out. My father was never going to let you stay. You’d have either been too strong-willed, too submissive, too disruptive. God I’m such an idiot, I should’ve seen it coming, I never should’ve brought you here. I’m so sorry, Emilia. I will get Erion out of here alive and back to your family. Don’t ask me how, but I will do it. This craziness has to stop.”
“Can you get Cade to change his mind? Or at least agree to see me?” I ask him once he stills.
“I can get him to see you, but you’ll have to change his mind, Emilia. They already know I’m biased when it comes to you. They think my guilt fuels me to champion for you, but they can’t see the truth.” He looks at me, and I have to look away, unable to face what he’s telling me without saying a word. I don’t have room for complications, and that’s what this is.
“I forgive you, Rowan. I already told you that, but I’m here for Cade, for my brother, and for the realm.” I take a deep breath, preparing to trust one of the people I swore I would never trust again, but I find that my words aren’t a lie, and I have forgiven him. Rowan was just a child, and I think Lily was right, it was his father who was responsible for the situation he was placed in. Being back here and seeing Erion the way he was tonight has given me a sort of clarity about the real monsters here.
A knock interrupts us, and Rowan opens the door.
“A package for Miss Emilia, sir,” a deep voice says, I don’t see whoever is there, blocked by Rowan who takes the package and closes the door once again. He strides across the room and gives it to me, where I sit on the bed. I look at the note attached.
“Remember what is at stake, Emilia. Here’s a little reminder to encourage you to fix your mess.”
I undo the ribbon on the gold box and lift the lid before screaming and dropping the box. My stomach turns as I try to stop the bile rising up. Rowan reaches down and opens the box showing me the piece of bloody, torn flesh with the tattooed mark of the Hunter. His face flits with confusion as he reads the note before he looks at me again.
“Emilia, what the hell is going on?”
“Rowan, I can’t . . .” I might have forgiven him, but can I trust him with this? Will he still look at me the same?
“Emilia, I might be the only person inside this fucking place on your side, so be honest with me right the fuck now.” He puts the lid back on the box and places it on the dressing table across the room, so I can’t see it. I can still feel myself shaking. Oberon, what have they done to you? I am so sorry.
I can feel the tremor in my hands, the fear for Oberon, the anger at my father for his rash actions, and hopelessness at my position right now.
“Rowan . . . If I tell you, you can’t tell anyone. I need you to promise me,” I utter, preparing myself to trust one of the people I swore I would never trust again.
Rowan stares at me, trying to take in everything I just told him. How my parents changed after Edimere. What life has been like, and what they made me do to that poor girl at that stupid party. Oberon. The reasons I really came here. Once I started, I couldn’t seem to stop, and now there’s nothing left for me to say, but he’s just sitting there staring at me like I have two heads.
“You fell in love with a . . . Hunter?” His words are slow, and I can almost feel the confusion.
“Hunters are people too, you know. And just like us, they’re not all the same. Not at all what people think they are.” I half-scold him, but it’s not his fault. We’re all taught that Hunters are beneath us, nothing more than dogs at our beck and call.
“Hey, I didn’t mean it that way. I just never would’ve pictured it, that’s all. Plus, everything you just hit me with . . . that you were just going to leave everything behind. It’s a lot to take in, Em.”
“I know, but god, if you’d seen the people my parents had really become.”
“I got a good look that night I picked you up. I didn’t know why you’d gone all flamethrower on the party, but now I do, and it all makes a lot more sense. I’m sorry everything got so bad for you.”
“It’s not your fault, Rowan. They’re grown-ass people; they knew what they were doing, grief only excuses them so far. It showed me where Edi got it from, ya know, I always wondered because back then, my parents weren’t like they are now, but I guess the darkness was inside of them all along. But my main problem right now is convincing Cade not to give up on me.”
“You’re not wrong. It’s probably not going to be easy, but this is you and Cade. You guys were always pulled together; he was drawn to you like a moth to your flame, no matter how much he fought it. I also don’t think he knew about Erion. Those two used to be closer than he and I have ever been, I imagine it killed him seeing Erion like that.”
“I don’t know about all of that, especially if he’s changed as much as you’ve said, but maybe the Cade I used to know is still in there somewhere. I just need to reach him.”
“Come on, let’s get you in something that’s not going to expose you to half the palace and sneak you to Cade. Though . . . the robe might be a good plan.” He smiles, trying to lighten the moment, and I playfully slap his arm.
“Somethings really never do change, huh.” I shake my head and head to my closet, pulling on a pair of skinny black jeans and long gray shrug sweater and pull on a pair of boots. I sweep my hair up into a ponytail before leaving the small room and come face to face with Rowan.
“Right, I’ll do, I’m half way to presentable. Now let’s go see your brother, I guess.”
“Okay, just please be careful, Emilia. I told you, he isn’t exactly who you remember. You’ve seen. I’ll just hope you can reach him.”
Rowan walks with me towards Cade’s rooms but leaves me to face him on my own. I wring out my hands, trying to settle the nerves fighting to break through. I can do this; I have to do this. I raise a hand to knock on the dark wood door to his bedroom, but it opens before I make contact, and I come face to face with Lex, who greets me with a sneer.
“What do you want?”
“Obviously, I’m here to see, Cade, not you.” There’s just something about this guy that gets my back up. I’ve only seen him a handful of times but considering those few times, and what Rowan told me, he seems like poison. A perpetual bad mood hanging around Cade.
“He doesn’t want to see you. He dismissed you, so I suggest you scurry back to your room and get packed up.”
“Cade!” I shout, this dickwad needs to get out of my way, but I’m trying not to lose my temper. Lex steps forward and grabs me by the throat, lifting me from the floor to his eye level, about two feet from the floor. I struggle to breathe and claw at his hand, kicking out to try and make him release me, but all I can focus on
is the pain, and that I can’t breathe. He pulls me closer to his face.
“You listen to me, you piece of fucking Summer scum. You are nothing, and Cade is better off with you gone, so you’re going to be gone. And if you don’t, this is nothing. You’ve never known anyone like me, princess, I don’t care what you’ve seen, or what you’ve been through, it will be nothing compared to the hell I’ll make your life if you cross me.” He drops me to my feet and steps back as I grasp my throat and suck in oxygen. Cade appears in the doorway and takes in the scene; he looks confused but doesn’t question it.
“Why are you here, Emilia?” He drags his hand down his face, and I see how tired he is. The sharpness of his words halts me until I remember that I’m not here just for me.
“I just wanted to talk to you before I have to leave.”
“I don’t have anything else to say to you, Emilia.” He looks over me, his eyes barely taking me in, and glances at Lex before looking back to me, the harshness of his voice reflected on his face.
“Well then, maybe you can just listen. It’s been a long time, Cade. Give me five minutes, for old times’ sake?” I plead, and I can see the glee in Lex’s eyes at my pleading.
“I said no, Emilia.” He dismisses me and goes back into his room and slams the door behind him. I push down the urge to cry out in frustration; I will not show any kind of weakness in front of Lex. Instead, I straighten myself, wincing slightly at the pain of my throat, and consider my options walk. What the fuck am I going to do now?
I stay standing where I am and wait for Lex to leave, which he does after staring me out thoroughly, trying to scare me further without words. If only he knew the monsters I’ve fought, his kind of scary doesn’t even come close. “You’re wasting your time, but if you want to stand outside his rooms all day, go ahead.”
I watch as his back disappears around the corner down the hall before softly knocking at Cade’s door again. I wait, hoping he’ll open the door, but I can feel it deep down that I’m clutching at straws. I lean against the door and slide down, my jeans and jumper giving me some needed warmth. I rest my head against the door frame and wrap my arms around my knees as I settle in. He can’t ignore me forever.
Summer Princess (Dark Fae Book 1) Page 9
