Page 39 of The Blade in the Ashes
Chapter Twelve
Thea
When we burst into the throne room, what I saw there was enough to make my blood instantly boil. It was enough to make me so furious that Ilongedfor my magic. I begged any other God listening to return it to me. I dug deep into the pit in my gut, hunting desperately for the tiniest of sparks.
None came.
Not a single tiny inkling of it as I looked at the Emperor and Empress of Tenebris on their knees, bowed before Hyrax.
“Well, this is a surprise,” Caldrius murmured under his breath to me, his head bowing towards mine.
“That it is.”
I met his gaze in my periphery, surprised to find him looking just as suspicious as I felt.
Despite everything that had happened, the monarchs looked similar to how they had when I was in their country a few weeks ago. They still covered themselves in their finery with those haughty, self-important expressions painted onto their faces even as they lowered themselves before my father. They crouched low on the white marble floors of the throne room,the light from the large windows sparkling on the diamond embellishments of their clothing.
Damon, the prince who had once pledged himself to Clay, bowed a few feet behind his parents, his eyes staring blankly at the floor in front of him. Behind him, lingered a modest-sized delegation from Tenebris.
Including one particularly familiar face.
Veric looked up as I entered and met my gaze. He had a measured and tight expression, his full lips pursed, but he subtly inclined his head at me as I stepped forward into the room.
“Theadora!” Hyrax greeted me with a smile, immediately rushing to my side to bring me to the front of the dais. “Come and meet our new allies.”
I didn’t have to don a mask when I looked down at them. I didn’t have to pretend to be the unfeeling, merciless daughter of death. No, the anger I felt was enough to fuel me.
“We’ve met,” I said, not bothering to hide my disappointment.
I had known it would only be a matter of time before word spread of Hyrax’s release into this realm. I had expected that many would rather bow to him than face his wrath, but it wasn’t until that very moment, looking at the monarchs lowered in submission, that I realized how muchhopehad still lingered in me.
I had wished, perhaps blindly, that there might be some who would be willing to stand up against Hyrax—some that might ally with Clay and the others to fight back.
Weneededthe support of other nations to get through this.
“You have?” Hyrax frowned.
“I believe my wife was once betrothed to that one,” Caldrius said beside me, lifting his free hand to point at Veric. His other hand still hadn’t let go of mine.
Hyrax followed Caldrius’ finger, tilting his head as he looked over Veric.
“An arrangement that the Dragon made, which neither Veric nor I had any say in,” I interjected.
Veric had been kind to me those weeks ago in Tenebris. He had been generous even when my feelings for Clay had been plain on my face. Even if he was on his knees for Hyrax, I couldn’t bear the thought of the God choosing Veric as the next victim of his wrath.
“And how would you say you feel about seeing him now?” Hyrax’s voice was low, assessing.
He was testing me.
I fought off the urge to tense visibly while hiding my shaking hands behind my back.
“I barely know him.” Purposefully, I walked three steps backwards towards Caldrius, resting my weight against him when his arm came to wrap around my hip. “When we met briefly, there was nothing more than friendship between us. I suppose I’m pleased to see him, but I’m more curious as to why he’s here.”
Hyrax’s brow furrowed. He took me in, considering my words, before his icy eyes left my face and turned to Caldrius.
“How would you like to handle him, my son?”
I went rigid against Caldrius, knowing he could feel it by the way his fingers tightened on my hip.
