Page 2 of A Cursed Heart
“Where is it?”
“Where is what, dear brother?” I feigned innocence from the safety of my cot. At least they had provided me with somethingto cover myself with. I wore nothing but a pair of leather pants. The thin blanket was only enough to hide the worst of the wounds on my chest.
Dagda sent a blast of magic at me, freezing me on the spot and simultaneously boiling my blood at the same time. The pain was excruciating. I’d had worse. My brother seemed to have forgotten it was his go to trick when we were younger. I had long since learned how to ignore the agony and keep my face blank.
“The gem,” he hissed. “Where did you put it?”
His magic relented a fraction, enough for me to comfortably ask, “Something wrong, brother?”
My brother straightened, completely letting go of the magic. The mask dropped back into place. This was my king, not my brother. His tone turned mocking. He was teasing me, showing his superiority.
“Malacoda, did you not wonder why you are here alone? Why none of my concubines are here, paying for their crimes?” He glanced around, as if looking for them.
I felt a prickle of unease. It wasn’t like he hadn’t just voiced a thought I had before. They had broken their vows, I expected some to be punished. Perhaps not the most favored of my brother’s concubines, certainly not those picked for their magic to bear him children. Those he especially doted on.
“I thought perhaps they were kept far from me, in another, better, prison,” I grudgingly said into the growing silence.
“Ah!” Dagda looked delighted at my admission. “No. They are not imprisoned elsewhere. Should I tell you where they are?” His smirk was poisonous. He stood before me, his dark hair gleaming under the lights, his robes finely stitched with gold thread. I would have no leniency from my king, nor should I expect any filial affection to lessen my punishment. Dagda had never cared for me.
“Is this where you tell me that you had them killed? Or banished, maybe?”
Dagda chuckled, his eyes dancing with mirth. “No, no.” He laughed once more at my confused expression, a full on belly laugh. When he calmed, he leaned closer, once more dropping his voice. “Shall I tell you a secret, little brother?”
All I could do was stare blankly at him. What could be worse than death or banishment? Was he about to admit to committing heinous acts of torture in revenge on his concubines for what I had done to them?
“Poor Malacoda. You truly think I am a monster here, don’t you?” He grimaced, straightening. Dagda adjusted the cuffs of his robe. “Well, one of us is, and it is not me.” He raised an eyebrow at me. “No, my concubines are absolutely fine, having done their duty to their king. They have new treasures as a thank you for their sacrifice.” He grinned, showing his white teeth.
“Their duty?” My stomach fell to the floor. Nothing made sense.
“Did you not wonder how I knew where you were and what was missing?” He paused, observing me. Again he laughed, then shook his head with pity. “No, I can tell you were surprised I had my knights there ready to apprehend you. My favored ran to me. We were waiting for you to make the attempt, after all.”
“But—”
No, it wasn’t possible!
“There is another entrance.” His grin turned smug. He casually leaned against the bars awaiting my response while all I could do was gape at him.
Fuck! All that planning. The months of work, only to miss another way out. How could I have slipped up so badly?
“It connects directly to my personal chambers,” he finally added, putting me out of my misery. “Two of my wives ran there upon seeing you like I told them to. The rest had you soaddled with lust you did not properly count them. You were so smug thinking you had them all, but you miscounted and they betrayed you.” His red eyes were lit up with delight. “Their task was to keep you there for as long as possible, let you commit treason against me, then let you leave.”
What in the seven hells? “You let them sleep with me? They broke their vows!”
Dagda laughed loudly, drawing the attention of the guards. They took a step closer until he waved them off. “Oh sweet, simple Malacoda. Don’t pretend you care about them!” he scoffed. “You were willing to let them suffer for your own ends! I don’t see you here worrying about them or pleading for their wellbeing!”
Fuck if he wasn’t right. I hadn’t given much of a thought about them, only my plan and how I could use them.
“Besides, no king ever holds true to that oath. Or rather, you learn more about it and its stipulations.” At my confused look he elaborated. “The oath is purely for love, not their bodies. They can only love me. They must keep their hearts pure for me. You see, my loves, they willingly entertain each other, developing their skills. On occasion, a few of our siblings have sampled their delights.”
“Our siblings?” Horror, betrayal, shame, embarrassment, all flooded my veins, sharpening my hatred for my family. They all knew! They let me be the outcast. Left me alone in my hate for our king and all he stood for.
“Yes! Jaashin had his first time there under my watch,” Dagda said with glee. “Elgara discovered her love for women there. My concubines were only too willing to demonstrate their love for me by coupling with them for a night.”
“So, what is the point of all this?” I sighed, defeated, gesturing to my beaten and bruised body and my surroundings.
He leaned in even closer, rage stealing over his face. “You stole from me. Now you have to pay.”
The words were ominous, giving me just a moment before he attacked.
