Page 9 of City of Snakes
I knew in the depths of my heart that I couldn’t let Em marry me—not when he was bound to lose me, not when he could potentially find an immortal woman to accompany him through eternity.
“Yes.Us.This alliance can help strengthenbothof our rules.” I needed to frame this politically.
“Our rules...” He’d never been able to stay angry with me for long—and I hoped now would be no different.
“Yes. I will soon come back to Luz. We can still—”
Before I could finish, his arms wrapped around me. I let my former Constable, my late father’s secret ward, and my dearest friend, hold me, not knowing when the next time might be. “I’m still so angry with you,” he whispered.
“I know.” Letting my nose nestle into the space between his head and neck, I clung to him, having missed the warm steady feeling of being in his arms.
My lips instinctually found his pulse. He groaned as I trailed a kiss down to his collarbone, and I said, “You need to focus on the North. You are theirKing.You cannot keep avoiding council meetings.”
He abruptly pulled away from me. “You always have an angle, don’t you? Did you come up here to apologize or to seduce me onto a throne I don’t even want?”
I stiffened.
Had that been what I’d done?
“Will you ever consider anyone else’s desires but your own?” he continued—his words like rocks pressing on my chest.
My temper flared. He could not think that of me.
Immediately missing his warmth, I watched him turn and brace his palms down on his weapons table. His broadsword lay flat there—rubies encrusted its pommel.
“Be mad at me, but don’t let your fear turn you into a coward. Those people deserve a King who can rule them fairly, not a scared boy running with his tail between his fucking legs.” As soon as the words left my lips, they felt wrong.
Emmerick sucked in a breath. “You’re really something, Sybilla.”
I wanted to scream,“Look at me!”
He added, “You had no issue keeping my identity from me when it was convenient for you. Now you care about the people of the North? What do you want me to do? Step into my father’s shoes like I have any right leading a Corridor?”
“I can help you—”
“No, Sybilla.” He cut me off with a raised hand. “You can’t. I need to figure this out on my own. You need to give me the space to do so.”
Through tears that threatened to spill, I huffed a short laugh. “You don’t mean that. You’re just angry.”
He scoffed. “Of course I am angry. You leaving? It’s a terrible idea, Sybilla.”
“We were almost decimated out there, Emmerick! Wake up. I am going to secure us a powerful ally.”
“No, Sybilla. You are going to secureyoua powerful ally. There is noweorus,” he said with a shake of his head.
“This has nothing to do with me,” I shot back. “We don’t all get the luxury of doing things for ourselves. You will learn that when your people need something from you that requires compromise to obtain.”
He needed to understand me.
He turned toward me and braced as though he wanted to throw me across the room. He wouldn’t, of course. Yet there was an intent in his posture that I’d never seen before, and the shimmer of gold in his eyes winked out.
“Leave,” he said with a tightened jawline.
A lump grew in my throat as I pressed, “I will see you at the next council meeting, King Mattock.”
He only glared at me.
I left the room with shaky knees.
