“The deed is done,” he murmurs as soon as he walks out of the room.
“She will remain locked inside, under guard, but no man will enter, per the King’s orders,” I state.
He dips his chin, then turns to relay my orders to the men of his choosing. Turning from him, I go in search of Henry and Lief.
I find them in the dining hall, a group of women gathered together. Some are of higher standing, judging by their clothes, some are simply servants. All are beautiful.
“Explain why there are no men here,” I demand, flicking my gaze over the women.
I hear one woman clear her throat before she takes a step forward. She is a beauty with dark hair and darker eyes. Her eyes flash with fear for a moment before she quickly hides the emotion and straightens her spine.
“I am Princess Loreena. Please do not hurt us,” she begs, but does not lower her chin, her words are a plea, but her stance is strong and proud.
“Why are there no men?” I ask.
She cringes, then lifts her chin and those defiant eyes find mine. “My father surrounded himself with women. No men reside in this castle, save for him,” she states.
I can read between her words. Her father freely used the women that I see before me, no doubt raping them over and over again for his personal pleasures. Dipping my chin, my gaze finds Loreena’s and I jerk my chin in a short nod.
“This will happen no longer. As long as you pledge your loyalty to me, you will be free.”
Her eyes find mine, her brow arches as she looks over my face, then scans my body. “What will happen to me?” she asks. “I am the King’s daughter.”
“Typically, you would not survive,” I explain and she closes her eyes for a long blink before she reopens them.
“However?”
“However, I think that you have most likely suffered enough at the hands of a king. We can come up with some kind of agreement, as long as your loyalty belongs to me, of course.”
“Yes, naturally of course,” she grinds out.
She looks almost resigned, assuredly assuming that I will use her in nefarious ways. She does not realize the man that I am, the king that I am. She will understand. She will see that I am not her father, nor am I my own, even if her siren almost tempted me to do exactly what I despise.
Turning to Merek, I grin. “Take the princess to her chamber, put guards at her door. Also, have a guard bring my bride here.”
“Yes, Your Majesty,” Merek mutters, dipping his chin.
“Your bride travels with you, to battle?” Loreena blurts.
My lips twitch into a grin. “Though my bride and I are none of your concern, she will never leave my side again.”
In a whirl of motion, my men go about fulfilling my orders. The princess is taken to her chambers, the other women remain where they stand as my men go about finding my bride and bringing her to me.
Before she arrives, I interview all of the women and deem them, just as I thought, not a threat. Though they won’t be preparing food any time soon, I will keep them in my employ to continue running this castle, as they so desire.
Much is to be done here in this castle, in this land before we can travel home to Aerilon. And we will travel home before the babe is born.
There is so much hanging in the balance, so much unknown, including the witch that has been discovered here in this place. She has something to do with the prophecy, I’m just not sure how yet.
I need Aleida and Godiva to show themselves again. They hide for too long. They have answers to my questions that need to be asked.
Narrowing my eyes, I look around the room wondering where exactly those meddling witches ran off to and when they will decide to grace me with their presence again.
Chapter Thirty-Four
SYBILLA
Frederick appears not long after we hear the bells ringing. He’s astride a horse, looking no worse for wear as he grins down at us.
“Rowan and Asher, the King requests the presence of his bride,” he announces.
My lips twitch into a small smile. I wish that I could climb on Lightning and ride toward Elias as fast as I can, but aside from the fact that Lightning isn’t here, I would probably fall as soon as she started to gallop.
There is a loud neigh from behind me. Frederick chuckles as I turn my head to see the Arion horse appear. “Let me take you to the king on my way home, fair Queen,” he offers.
I let out a shiver at the fact that a horse is talking and I understand him. It’s fucking lunacy. Looking back at my girls, they nod in a silent urge to climb on the massive beast.
“Thank you, I would appreciate that,” I say, making my way up to the giant horse.
Reaching out, I let my hand graze his soft mane and neck. He turns his head toward me and buries his face in my neck with a snort. I let out a laugh, wrapping my arms into his mane.
“What’s your name?” I whisper.
“Leo,” he answers back in his own whisper.
I run my hand down his mane one last time and take a step back as he lowers his front to the ground so that I can climb on his back.
Once I’m seated on his back, I look over at the warriors who watch me. They’re smiling, knowing that I’ll be with Elias in just mere moments instead of at least an hour’s ride to his side.
“Take me to My King please, Leo,” I say.
He neighs as he stands. My fingers grip his mane as he begins to gallop and then he jumps before he extends his wings and with just a few flaps, we’re up in the air and gliding toward the castle on the hill.
Closing my eyes, I let the air whip my hair all around me, feeling free. This ride is nothing like the last time I was on Leo’s back.
This ride is fun, not bathed in terror. Leo swoops down, tilts to the side, then without even a single bump, or jiggle, he lands softly on the cobblestone.
Merek is standing at the entrance of the castle, his smile is blinding when he realizes it’s me riding in on an Arion. Petting Leo, I lean into him and thank him for the ride.
“If ever you need me, Your Majesty, just call out for me, I will listen for you.”
I slide off of him as he speaks his offer, but before I can answer him, he bends his knees and propels himself into the sky, his wings expand and in just a single breath, he is gone. I watch the beauty that is the massive Arion in flight. That is, until I feel Merek’s hand wrap around my elbow.
“He waits for you in the throne room, Sybilla,” he murmurs.
Turning to look at him, I see the question in his eyes. “Katrina is well, I assume that Frederick, Rowan, and Asher will bring her and Jasmine as soon as they can.”
“Ellyn?” he asks.
I shake my head, unable to say the words aloud. Merek understands my meaning, thankfully, and doesn’t demand that I tell him anything else.
Silently, we walk together, side by side until I’m in what I assume is the throne room. Lifting my gaze to the back of the room, I see him. Elias is sitting in a large chair, his hands loosely resting on each arm of the chair, his gaze pointed directly at me.
Sucking in my lips, I take a step toward him, noting that there is an aisle, benches set up on either side that I assume is for the king to come and go. My feet move, one in front of the other as I make my way toward him. Merek’s hand falls from my elbow and I assume that he’s left us alone in this room.
“Come to me, My Queen,” Elias demands, his voice deep and sultry.
My feet carry me to him, I don’t even have to think about it, there is nowhere I would rather be than at his side. My panic from earlier has all but vanished at the mere sight of him. Elias is my family, my home, my life now. Sure, I miss my parents and my sisters, but Elias is where I belong.
“I am now the King of Llyne,” he softly exclaims as soon as I arrive at the base of the stairs that lead up to his throne.
Lifting my chin, I look at him through my lashes, his lips turn up into a smirk and I don’t miss the way that his hands move at his hips.
I bite my bottom lip as I think about what his hands at his hips is going to mean in just a few moments.
“Come to me,” he demands roughly as he finishes unlacing his tights and I watch his fingers curl around his hard length.
Licking my lips, I watch as he strokes himself for me. Slowly, I climb the few steps toward him. Gathering my nightgown in my hands, he spreads his legs and I sink down to my knees between his thighs.
Elias reaches forward with his free hand, sliding his fingers through the side of my hair, gathering strands before he grips them at the back of my head. I expect him to pull me down toward his waiting hard cock, but he doesn’t. He continues to stroke, his black glittering gaze focused on me.
Lowering my head, I keep my eyes on his as I open my mouth and touch my lips to the tip, before I open my mouth and take as much of him inside of me as possible. He groans, but his eyes never waver, never leave mine as my head bobs along his length.
“You are my goddess, Sybilla. My Queen,” he rasps, his fingers tightening in my hair.
I hum around him, watching as his eyes widen a fraction before his lips twitch into a small smile. He allows me to suck and lick him for a few moments, completely enjoying my power as much as my submission.
His hand gently tugs my head away, his grin widening as he looks down at me. “Come and sit astride me, sweeting. Ride me on this abhorrent king’s throne.”
Standing, I climb onto his lap, straddling his hips as I look down at him. “Maybe we shouldn’t, not here,” I breathe.
Elias smirks, lifting one hand, he cups my jaw, the other he wraps around my waist and without a single word of warning, he pulls me down along his length, filling me like only he can. I let out a gasp, my eyes widening in surprise as his thumb gently glides along my bottom lip.
“I will take you in every single room of this castle. We rule here, he will be naught but a fading memory not only in this castle, but to the people of Llyne,” he grinds out.
I’m too lost in the feeling of my body being stretched by him, wondering how I’ve survived these past hours without him buried inside of me, wishing that I could keep him with me every minute of every day. Elias’ thumb slides along my bottom lip again.
My eyes find his and I give him a small smile. “Whatever you need, My King,” I breathe.
He grins, lifting his hips, and I whimper with a roll of my own. “You love me,” he rasps.
I nod, my eyes rolling slightly as my hips begin to move, finding a rhythm that I know will bring me toward my climax sooner rather than later. Elias chuckles, his hand moving down to curl around the side of my neck as his thumb strokes the center.
“I love you as well, Sybilla.”
His eyes are glittery and black, they are all-consuming and my breath hitches at the sight of him as I continue to ride, continue to roll my hips and just feel him, all of him inside of me.
“Soon I will take all of you, sweeting. Every part of you will belong to me,” he rasps.
A moan escapes my lips at the thought of Elias taking every square inch of my body as his own. The hand at my waist travels beneath my gown, gripping my thigh as his fingers dance up and then wrap around the globe of my ass.
I shiver as his fingers make their way toward the crack of my ass, then begin to rub firm circles there. “Elias,” I breathe.
He grins, his fingers continuing to work me as I continue to take his cock, working myself closer and closer toward release.
Wordlessly, a finger slips inside of my back entrance and I let out a sharp cry at the sensation. “Push back, take my finger, and soon you’ll feel my cock back there, you’ll beg for it, sweeting,” he breathes, his jaw clenched tightly.
Sinking my teeth into my bottom lip, I nod and I do exactly what he wants. I fuck his cock and his finger, over and over I take him inside of me, loving the way that it feels.
He is watching me, lids lowered, jaw clenched, eyes glittering through his lashes and I know that he’s just as affected as I am by this intense moment. A muscle jumps in his jaw and I take that moment to lean forward.
My lips touch his, my tongue slides across the seam of his, and I tilt my head to the side as I press my mouth against his, my hips bucking and jerking as I fuck him with all that I have, my body no longer under my control.
He growls, his fingers flex against my neck before he lifts his hips, meeting mine until I cry out as my climax rolls through my entire body.
Elias growls, swallowing my cries, his fingers continuing to work my ass as his hips lift and then he stills inside of me, growling against my lips as his cock fills me with his own release.
I rip my mouth from his in an attempt to catch my breath. “I love you,” I breathe. “I want all of you,” I admit.
He nods, his face serious, so serious as his glittering black eyes turn indigo. “You shall have me, My Queen, always.”
There is a moment of silence as we catch our breaths, our eyes connected to one another’s as we just watch each other. I almost tell him how scared I was when he went off to break into this place, when he left me at that camp in his tent.
I almost admit that I was seconds away from completely losing my shit and running away from him as far and as fast as I possibly could. I don’t tell him any of those things. Instead, I touch my mouth to his.
ELIAS
The Queen’s chamber is oddly dusty and unused in this castle. It should not surprise me that this unmarried king would not put any woman in his queen’s chambers, but then again, I thought that some paramour would have had access to it at some point over the years. However, it looks as if it has been untouched for at least two decades.
Leaving Sybilla and her girls in the room, I go in search of some men to take a tub and fill it with bathing water for the women. Thankfully, one of my men is not too far away and dips his chin before running off, all too eager to do his King’s bidding.
Merek is found easily enough at the closed door of the witch’s quarters. “Have you thought of what this means?” I ask, jerking my chin toward the closed door.
“Lief knows more of magic than I do,” he says with a nod.
Lief pushes off of the wall and tilts his head to the side, his eyes roaming over the door. “Aleida and Godiva are close, but they are cloaking themselves,” he murmurs. “I can feel them.”
“How?” I demand, as this is the first time that I have heard of Lief having any access to magic, or knowing a sarding thing about it.
“I do not practice magic, I do not hold it inside of myself, but much like Cornwall, it has been in my family. My grandmother though, not my mother. I can do naught but sense it. And I sense the women.”
Lief spins around and I watch as he narrows his eyes. “Show yourselves, witches,” he growls.
As if he’s summoned the Devil himself, two figures appear. I recognize one as the witch Godiva when she was brought to me veiled in beauty. The other must be Aleida veiled the same way. Before our eyes, I watch as they become themselves again.
“Thank you for not calling us sooner.” Godiva grins, giving Lief a wink. “Your soldiers do love to celebrate victory and we were enjoying ourselves immensely,” she admits with a shrug of her shoulder.
“Why did you leave my bride vulnerable? I should have your heads for that,” I demand.
Aleida shakes her head, taking a step toward me. “We foresaw the goddesses’ evil work. We cannot fight them. They will destroy us if they get ahold of us. The only way we could protect the Queen and you, was to go into hiding so that they could not have easy access to us. We sent her the Arion, who is now connected to her and all she must do is call his name and he will find her and rescue her from danger,” she explains.
“You did not tell us this, why?”
“The fates are all but sealed, Your Majesty. What we did, we needed to do, but we would never abandon your mission as we know it is the most important mission this world has ever known. Fulfilling the prophecy takes precedence over everything. But, we cannot he
lp it come to fruition, we cannot protect you if the goddesses destroy us.”
“What sarding goddesses?” I growl.
“The Erinyes, the goddesses of vengeance and retribution. They are servants of Hades and are trying to sabotage the prophecy, they’re very dangerous and this threat is something we’ve have only just learned of,” Godiva explains.
“What do we do?” I demand.
Aleida lifts her hand, wrapping her fingers around my forearm and squeezes. “You continue to be smart, to watch your backs and pay attention to your surroundings, while Godiva and I continue to do what we do best.”
“Now, I have one thing to ask of Your Majesty,” Godiva dares to say.
Arching a brow, I watch her, waiting to see what she is going to say.
“Release my sister,” she announces, jerking her chin toward the door.
Chapter Thirty-Five
ELIAS
“Your what?” I demand, needing to know that I have not heard her words incorrectly.
Godiva smirks. “Ryia is my sister. Born of my father and a whore he visited regularly much later in his life,” she states. “She is powerful, which is why this wretched king kept her locked away, beneath copper, until he needed to use her magic and her body,” she explains.
Shaking my head, I lift my hand and run my fingers through my hair. “She has power even in that room. She tried to use it on me. She is a siren, most likely sent by Erinyes now that I know what we’re working against.”
Godiva’s lips twitch. “Beneath that copper she has no power, King Elias. If you felt something, it wasn’t because of magic.”
My chest aches as I think about what she’s telling me. I don’t believe it. Ryia is a siren, a temptress and I’ll not believe that just a bit of copper will keep her from attempting to seduce me, the gods powers are stronger than anything man-made.
“I know what I felt. It was otherworldly.”
Godiva dips her chin. “May I speak with my sister, Your Highness?” she asks, keeping her voice softer than usual. She is attempting to make herself seemingly submissive and I wonder if both she and Ryia indeed do have some kind of otherworld powers.
Bride of the Traitor: A Prophecy of Sisters Novel Page 27
