Page 72 of The Crown of the Dark Prince
The shapes on the parchment began to meld together, almost unconsciously, until I realized I was staring at the likeness of Caldrius.
I blinked, startled, and something bubbled inside of me—something absurd and ridiculous. Laughter erupted from my throat, unbidden and uncontrollable.
“Oh Gods,” I groaned, dropping my head into my hands.
It wasn’t a bad depiction of him, in all honesty. I suspected he’d have opinions about my shading, but there was no denying it was him. The darkcurls that framed his ears, the large, expressive eyes, the full lips curved into that too-knowing, teasing smile. It was undeniably Caldrius.
Supreme Lieutenant of the Underworld. Second in command to Hyrax, God of Death. The Descendant King responsible for the tragedy that had birthed Athenia.
He’d refused his arranged marriage.
But he’d also lost everything because he chose love over politics.
“One day, these secrets are going to eat me alive,” I whispered to the drawing, folding the parchment neatly before tucking it into the bottom of my chest of belongings.
ChapterTwenty
Istared at my reflection in the mirror as Nessira twisted my long blonde waves into intricate braids, tucking them away from my face. My lip ached from the constant chewing as I worried over what Clay had said the night before, but I couldn’t seem to stop.
His plans didn’t even matter, anyway.
Based on Clay’s conversation with Prince Damon, his plans wouldn’t be coming to fruition anytime soon. My marriage to Veric, however was imminent. Whatever Clay had intended for the Council—whatever sparks might have lingered between us—were irrelevant now. If Clay was planning to change the laws, it wasn’t for us. It was for the next pair of star-crossed lovers who would finally be able to allow themselves to embrace the spark that secretly burned between them.
“You seem distant this morning, my Lady,” Samsa noted as she slipped my feet into the hard-soled shoes I’d be wearing today.
I glanced down at her, then met Nessira’s eyes in the looking glass as she stepped back to admire her handiwork. I stood, smoothing my skirt with trembling fingers, and took a deep, cleansing breath.
“All is well, Samsa,” I said, my voice steadier than I felt. “We should go. Veric is likely waiting for me.”
Clay was a future that didn’t exist for me. I needed to embrace the one I would have.
Veric stood by the exterior palace doors, waiting as we descended the last steps from the guest rooms. His gaze met mine, and his wide smile softened something in my chest.
“You look absolutely stunning, Theadora,” he said, taking my hand and bowing deeply. “Tenebris suits you.”
Once again, Nessira and Samsa had chosen an ensemble from this country’s fashions for me to wear. The cropped blouse, fitted beneath my breasts, displayed intricate beading and embroidery on the dusty rose fabric. Its neckline was scandalously low, requiring extra preparation time for Nessira to paint the Mark of Hyrax across my chest. My matching skirt flared with golden flowers expertly embroidered along the hem. Dangling gold earrings completed the look, along with a delicate veil folded seamlessly into the braids of my hair.
“Thank you, Veric.”
Veric himself looked striking in a long white tunic with elaborate golden thread work and a high collar. His bare arms—exposed to adjust for the heat—were impressively defined. In the daylight, his thick hair shone darker, his eyes even brighter. And he grinned at me with a genuineness that made my heart ache.
He tucked my arm into his, keeping that smile plastered on his face as he led me outside into the warm embrace of the day. The heat wrapped around us like a heavy blanket as Nessira and Samsa followed at a respectable distance.
As we reached the edges of the palace property, I frowned, glancing around. “Will the guards be joining us?”
Veric tilted his head, his confusion mirroring my own. “Why would they?”
“I’m a Princess of House Hyrax,” I said simply. There hadn’t been a single day in my life that I didn’t have a guard attached to my hip.
Veric’s grin widened, his voice dropping to a conspiratorial whisper. “I suspect your Crown Prince will be displeased when he finds out, but let’s just say the guards owed me a favor.”
“You convinced them not to come?How?”
“I meant what I said last night,” he told me earnestly, his grip on my arm tightening slightly as he tugged me to continue our walk. “I want to know my future wife, not my future Councilwoman. That distinction is important to me.”
Exploring Tenebris with Veric by my side was exhilarating, if only because I got to see it through his eyes. Every corner we turned ignited his excitement, his voice animated as he rattled off facts about the history and architecture of every street, building, and monument.
He walked me to the school where he had mastered his magic and introduced me to the elderly mentor who had taught him. He showed me the courtyard where he and his friends had spent their boyhood afternoons, laughing as he recounted stories of pranks and mischief. His life unfolded before me, piece by piece, and I listened to each story with rapt attention, allowing myself to see the world the way he did.
