Page 10 of The Crown of the Dark Prince
Caldrius tilted his head slightly, studying me as if I were some riddle he’d already solved. “You will,” he said—not a question, but a promise.
I didn’t answer.
Iwokefeeling uneasy. My trip to the Underworld was supposed to bring clarity, to explain why I could do the impossible and what Hyrax truly wanted with me. Instead, I left with even more questions.
In all my prior visits to the Underworld, I’d only ever seen Hyrax. I had assumed—obviously—that his realm held other souls, but actually seeing one was… shocking. And that someone being Caldrius made it worse.
Caldrius’ life was legend. During my written trial, I had to memorize the tale of how he stole Hyrax’s Bident, a relic of immeasurable power. He had been one of the first Descendants of Zion, chosen by the King of the Gods to aid in banishing Hyrax to the Underworld during the Second War of the Gods. Of all the souls to stand as Hyrax’s right hand, Caldrius was the last reasonable choice.
So how had he found himself in such a position?
Then again, Caldrius’ greed for power had driven him to madness when he tried to wield the Bident’s magic. Perhaps that madness had forged a bond with Hyrax—an understanding deeper than lineage.
A knock at my door pulled me from my spiraling thoughts. Rising from the bed, I wrapped my robe tightly around my shoulders and padded through my suite to pull open the tall wooden door.
“My Lady,” Emeryn greeted me, dipping her head respectfully. “You look well-rested.”
I doubted that. The shadows under my eyes and the unease in my chest begged to differ. I may have slept, but it certainly hadn’t left me feeling any better.
“I wasn’t aware of any engagements this morning.”
“You have none,” she confirmed, her tone brisk. “However, the Royal Council is meeting this afternoon. They have requested your presence.”
“For what purpose?”
“Council matters are confidential, my lady. I am not told such details.”
Right. Of course.
“Very well,” I said, suppressing a sigh. “I intend to have breakfast with Iris this morning. Ensure the Council knows I will attend promptly.”
Emeryn nodded in approval but paused, her mouth opening as if to say something and then shutting as she decided against it. I watched it all with raised brows. Finally, she turned, ready to leave, and a wave of guilt washed over me.
“Emeryn!” I called after her. She turned, her eyes narrowing with suspicion.
“Please instruct Nessira to evaluate the potential Ladies-in-Waiting and employ whomever she sees fit.”
Her brows lifted slightly in surprise, but she recovered quickly, dipping her head once more. “At once, my Lady.”
Iwatched her retreat, her footsteps fading into the quiet corridors. Nessira would be happy to receive that message, happy that I was returning to my senses. It’s not that I felt particularly confident about my next steps in this castle, but even I could recognize that I needed to stop avoiding reality. Ignoring the court, refusing sleep, and avoiding the sting of Geia’s betrayal wasn’t sustainable. It was over now. Camilla was locked up, Geia was gone from my life and Lorelai wasn’t coming back.
I needed to accept those things and start moving forward with my life.
Chapter Four
Breakfast with Iris had been… awkward. We were both clearly interested in attempting to reconnect, but the heartbreak and trauma between us made that process anything but easy. Most of our meal passed in uncomfortable silence, broken only by the occasional attempt at small talk.
When she’d first arrived in my parlour, we’d greeted each other with a stiff, formal hug. Nessira brought out food on a tiny cart and we’d both taken our time carefully picking which pastries to settle onto our plates, both commenting on how beautiful the spread was. From there, our conversation had lingered on the weather: it’s really getting colder, and the food: the pastries are very sweet. Nothing either of us said seemed to distract from the tension that lingered between us. The uneasiness of the entire encounter ruined my appetite, but I’d found myself eating just for something to do to pass the time.
Finally, when it became all too unbearable, Iris rose abruptly, tucking her hands behind her back. Her movements were sharp, deliberate.
“I should get going,” she said.
I scrambled to my feet after her. “Of course. I... I have to prepare for the Council meeting soon, anyway.”
Her lips curved into a tight, polite smile that didn’t quite reach her eyes. “Good luck with the meeting.”
“Thank you.” I walked her to the door, the distance between us feeling larger than ever. “Thank you for joining me.”
