Chapter 6
6
I t’s been a week since the prince brought me back to Wylan , and I find myself growing more irritated with each day that passes. I have no idea what the Kingdom of Wylan looks like, but the castle walls are covered entirely in mirrors. Everywhere . Not a single wall is without a mirror, which is made even creepier by the fact that they are all covered in black fabric. How do I know they are mirrors if they are covered you may ask. Well , curiosity got the best of me, so I lifted the fabric to see what it was hiding. Behind it, I found a broken mirror, which made me wonder why it was covered in the first place.
Not that I mind them being covered. A memory needles its way into my mind of mirrored glass shattering, my mother’s blood pouring from her throat, an evil smile, and cold tentacles climbing up my legs. I shiver, trying to dismiss the thought, and focus back on why I was marching down the hallway to begin with.
Irritation . I’m irritated. The entire time I’ve been here, there has been a guard assigned to watch my every move, making an escape impossible. Out of the six guards I’ve had—the same six males who accompanied Prince Dax to bring me here— Asher is the one who irritates me the most.
My anger seems to reach a boiling point and overflow as I march down the hall. Today’s shadow follows behind with a cheerful whistle. He’s been following me all day. “ Asher , you do not have to follow me EVERYWHERE !” His constant happy attitude only feeds my irritation.
“ Yes , I do, Little Snow Bunny .”
I look over my shoulder to glare as I snap, “ Not my name!”
He shrugs and continues to follow me. “ I feel the name is fitting. You’re a small bunny just flitting around trying not to get caught.”
“ I have been caught!” I screech.
“ Hum … you may have been caught, but I wouldn’t say you’re trapped.”
I ignore him as I throw open the doors to Dax’s meeting room. At some point during the last week, I found some courage. I quickly realized Dax wouldn't treat me like his father had. I don’t fully understand where my courage came from, but the guards haven’t done anything to me either. Which could also be feeding my bravery. Though , some of that courage could be fueled by my fear of not knowing what his plans are for me.
He’s not currently in a meeting, only working on paperwork at his desk. His eyes briefly look up before returning to his work. “ Good afternoon, Eira . Are you in need of something?”
“ I want to leave.”
He pauses over his paperwork and looks up to meet my eyes. “ You wish to leave.” He hesitantly repeats each word as if trying to understand the meaning behind them.
I narrow my eyes at him as I state, “ Yes . I want to leave.”
His eyes flick to Asher behind me before returning to me. “ If you wish to leave the castle, you only need to ask one of my men. I’m sure Ash will gladly guard you as you walk the grounds.”
“ I do not wish to be guarded! I wish to be free! I WANT TO LEAVE ! ”
He arches an unimpressed brow as he leans back in his chair. “ Where would you go? You certainly cannot go back to your kingdom because my father is there. The other kingdoms would not take you in, considering my father controls them as well. Plus , they would dread retaliation for aiding and housing the female who was gifted to the prince by the very king they fear. So tell me, Little Raven . Where would you go?”
“ I will not be trapped in this prison!”
He leans forward, his light blue eyes dancing in the light. “ Have I chained you?”
“ No … but…”
His voice rises over mine. “ Have I locked you in your bedroom?”
My cheeks heat. “ No .”
“ Have I forced myself upon you? Have I allowed my men to rape you?”
My voice is meek as I reply, “ No .”
“ Then do tell me, how exactly are you trapped in my kingdom? I have provided you with my protection.”
“ Your protection means nothing,” I sneer.
He shrugs as he leans back again. “ It should.”
“ You are just another villain like your father. You hold just as much responsibility for murdering an entire kingdom as he does,” I spit, venom behind each word.
“ Eira ,” Asher whispers urgently from behind me.
Dax’s body stiffens as he arches a brow. “ Do I ? Have you seen me kill anyone?”
“ No . But I’m sure you have.”
“ Eira !” Asher reprimands loudly from behind me, but I pay him no mind. I focus only on the devilish prince in front of me. I can see the rage building behind his gaze, but for some reason it doesn’t scare me. Not like his father’s gaze did.
“ Oh , I have, Little Raven . But I guarantee they deserved it.”
I snort. “ I doubt that.”
His eyes narrow as he says, “ You seem to be under the impression that you are the only one my father has hurt on his path to devour the kingdoms. You are a naive child if you think this world is anything but consumed in gray. Are you so enamored by your sense of justice that you believe this world is black and white?”
I stiffen at his words, my gaze narrowing on him. “ Right and wrong do exist. That is all. And what could your father possibly do to you? You are his son.”
He lets out a humorless laugh as he stands abruptly, causing me to jump. “ You think that just because his blood runs through my veins, I was spared his cruelty?” He rips open his shirt, and underneath I see hundreds of scars. Each knife cut leaving a bright pink scar against his creamy skin. There’s also a visible handprint scar on his chest. It looks blistered against his skin. “ I have felt the cool kiss of his knife as well as the burn of his magic.”
He buttons his shirt back up as he looks away. “ Do not assume you or the people of these kingdoms are the only ones my father has mutilated. His cruel hands forged me into the man I am. I rule with an obsidian heart because there is no other version of me.”
His eyes meet Asher’s as he says, “ Take her to see the kingdom. Maybe she will understand how the new world works when she sees the amount of damage my father has done.”
I look over my shoulder to see Asher’s eyes turn sad. “ Yes , Your Highness .”
My eyes jump back to the prince when he says, “ She needs to learn that one must change to fit the world. The world will not change for anyone , let alone a naive princess. Adapt or be killed.” His eyes flash black before returning to their ice blue. “ I’ve had to adapt because there was no other choice.”
“ Why are all the mirrors around the castle broken and covered?” I ask, unable to stop the words from tumbling out.
He arches a brow, and a smirk tilts his lips. “ Mirrors give my father power. I do not wish for him to have power within my castle.”
“ What’s the point of covering them if they are already broken?”
His smirk disappears, and he says darkly, “ Even broken things have power, Eira .”
I open my mouth to ask more questions, but Asher grips my shoulder. “ Eira , please. You have said enough.”
Arching a brow at his use of the word please, I give him a sharp nod before turning back to the prince. “ I shall take my leave, Your Highness .”
He looks to Asher and orders, “ Take a few others with you. There has been activity around the walls.”
“ Is it wise to take her outside, then?”
He shrugs before turning to face the windows, which allows him a view of the kingdom as well as the large wall surrounding it. “ She needs to understand the world we live in now. This is no longer the world she grew up in as a child.” He turns to look at me over his shoulder. “ It seems her mother kept her in the dark about many things. And my father kept her locked up for too long. If the raven wishes to use her wings and fly, I’ll allow it.”
He turns back to the windows, heaving out a heavy sigh. “ I’m sure she will learn that the outside world will not give her the freedom she seeks. We live in a cage of death and destruction. At least my cage provides comfort and protection.” Running a hand through his dark, tufted hair he continues, “ Take Kasim and Benedict . They should provide enough protection for you to leave and come back quickly.”
Asher steps up beside me as he whines, “ Dax , come on. Why do I have to take Kasim ?”
Dax smirks at the man beside me. “ Because he is the only one I trust to keep the three of you in line and not do something stupid.”
Asher’s cheeks pinken as he huffs out, “ I won’t do anything stupid with Eira with me.”
“ Yes … well, he will be there just to make sure.”
Asher groans. “ Fine .” Turning to me, he gives me a smile and offers me his elbow. “ Shall we go?”
I’m not sure what’s going on here, but the banter between these two has completely thrown me. Why does the prince allow his subordinates to speak to him that way? It isn’t normal to speak to those in lower positions like that.
Narrowing my eyes on Asher , I take his offered elbow anyways. Just because I don't like being here doesn’t mean I should be rude. My parents raised me with manners. Right before we exit the room, I hear Dax call out, “ Please do not stray too far outside the walls, Ash . I do not want a repeat of what happened last time.”
Asher sucks in a breath beside me and looks a bit guilty as he nods. “ Understood .”