Chapter 34

Chapter

Thirty-Four

SAGE

T he door swings open to our temporary accommodations. I'm ushered through the threshold by the bug-like guards and keep my distance, as I don't want their spindly legs touching me.

Wolfe, Nyko, and Killian strut inside, practically bowling over the guards. They're pissed, fucking fuming, and I can't blame them. I've been clenching my teeth since we left the holding room. Our guards from the vessel had been escorted into their own quarters farther down the hall.

Inside ours, the opulence strikes me instantly, especially in comparison to the elevator and dark underground hallway we just traveled through to get here, to avoid seeing anyone or the city itself.

The walls, a pale blue, are adorned with monster skulls as decorative pieces. There's a round dining table, chairs made from what look suspiciously like bones, and rugs dyed in dark hues over the stone flooring. An L-shaped couch sits by the curtain-covered window, and spotlights overhead chase away the shadows.

A grunt from one of the bug guards, and the doors bang shut with finality. I flinch at the abruptness of it.

Killian strolls through the place, vanishing into a hallway to my left. Behind me, I spot the other two chatting, Nyko joking about our cozy family set up in prison. Wolfe isn't laughing but sighing heavily. He meets my gaze, and the sorrow on his face mirrors my own.

I turn and follow Killian to check out the rest of the quarters, finding him in a grand bedroom with a bed giant enough to fit four, but it promises we'll be plastered to one another. Curtains cover the windows here, too.

He glances at me, then the bed. "Might just work if the other two bunk on the couch."

I laugh. "That's not going to happen. We both know it."

He's still grinning, that adorable spark in his eyes.

"If any of us get any sleep tonight," I murmur. "What if we don't pass this quest?"

Quicker than I can take my next breath, he pulls me into his arms.

"Your father has always been a cruel tyrant, and he's not going to give in, but nothing comes easy. Anyway, fuck him because you're with the three of us! And nothing is too much for us to face."

His words, meant to comfort, only tighten the knot of anxiety in my stomach. I stare up at him, my heart pounding against my rib cage.

"I just wish I wasn't related to him… I feel guilty for all the shit he's causing everyone."

Killian's hand is warm on my back, his lips pressing a soft kiss to my brow.

"Being blood-related doesn't make him family. He just happens to share your bloodline, and that's where it ends. He doesn't deserve your guilt. He wears all the blame for his atrocities."

His fingers gently tilt my chin up, making me meet his intense blue gaze. The closeness of his body, the manly, seductive scent that has me leaning against him, distracts me but not enough to forget the ache deep in my chest.

"I have no idea how my mother even ended up with him. She told me nothing about him, and now I want to ask her so many questions." Thinking about her makes me wonder if she took her medicine when she woke up. Or was she too worried after reading my note?

He leans in, our noses brushing as he whispers, "Some things are better left unknown, Sage. All you need to know is that he's a bastard, and maybe your mother didn't have a choice."

The possibility coils tightly in my gut, nausea fluttering against the sudden rush of bile. It's a thought I've considered before, but I let it go; it's too painful, too brutal, if real.

"I miss her," I whisper, the admission squeezing painfully tight around my heart. "I hope she hasn't woken up too scared with me not being there."

"It would be later in the day in Nightingale Village. A full day hasn't passed yet. You need to stay focused on the here and now. If we don't survive, she'll never see you again," he murmurs, trying to soothe me, yet it's leaving me more jittery.

I think about the hastily scribbled note I left my mother, wishing I had known then what I know now. I would have told her not to worry, that I'm safe with Viscount Killian. That night in the village feels like a lifetime ago—a different world, a different me.

Suddenly, Killian's lips are on mine, his kiss deep and consuming. It steals away my thoughts, my worries. I lean into him, letting the world fade, my toes curling in my boots. His hand slides around my waist, pulling me closer. I clutch his shirt, needing this connection, this moment of escape from the chaos around us.

Just as the intensity of our kiss deepens, a loud "Fuck!" rings out from the other room. We break apart, staring at each other with wide eyes. What the hell now?

Killian takes my hand, leading me quickly into the main living area. Wolfe has the curtains pulled back, and bright light floods the room, casting everything in golden and pink hues from the sun and the pinkish sky.

Wolfe and Nyko are both staring out the floor-to-ceiling window that takes up most of the wall. The sight beyond the glass steals my breath—it's a panoramic view of the kingdom. For a moment, the beauty of it grips my heart, squeezing tight with a promise of what could have been.

I step closer to the window, unable to tear my eyes away from the view. There's a river winding through the city down below, stone buildings with multiple floors, arched openings, and stone footpaths crisscrossing in every direction. Greenery and gardens add life and color to the place, and in the distance, grand mountains rise majestically, framing the scene.

To my right, the most beautiful castle I've ever seen stands over a long arched stone bridge crossing the river. Waterfalls cascade from its base, and spiked towers and crenelations give it a fairy tale–like appearance. Trees grow amid the building, adding to its enchanting look.

I press my forehead against the glass, absorbing every detail from the bustling markets below to the distant, dark woods that border the kingdom.

"Wow!" Stone, cliff-topped walls encircle the kingdom.

To the left, the landscape stretches into rugged mountains, their peaks lost in the clouds. But it's the castle that steals the show, drawing my attention again—a place so beautiful, yet I remind myself it's in the grip of my father's rule.

Below, Shadowfen are hurrying about, not stopping to chat or enjoy the view. It's as if there's an unspoken deadline to everything they do, or maybe they're all just trying to stay out of trouble. Guards are everywhere, their eyes sharp on everyone. Talk about oppressive.

"Look at them," Killian grumbles, pointing to the streets below, where the pace of life seems frantic. "No one's enjoying this paradise. It's all just them being frantic. That's not living."

"How can something so beautiful feel so wrong?" I murmur, more to myself than to anyone else.

"That's how tyrants work, Sage," Wolfe says softly. "They build beautiful things to hide the rot inside."

"He's built a kingdom of stone and fear. No wonder he's survived so long."

Killian, staring out beside me, shakes his head. "Not for much longer."

I stare at Wolfe, his face pale as he studies the kingdom. I can't imagine the pain he's feeling. This was his family's kingdom, destroyed and rebuilt by my father, who shoved Wolfe out of the way. The anger, the jealousy, the unfairness would eat me up, so I move closer to him, taking his hand in mine. I don't say anything but let him know I'm here for him.

"I never expected it to look like this," he says with a tight voice. "This… beautiful. I fucking hate your father for making it so perfect. For excluding us, for taking my father's life…" His arms are tense, breaths heaving.

My heart aches at his suffering. Seeing him like this, so torn, fills me with a sorrow I can hardly bear. "I'm sorry," is all I manage to say.

He glances at me, shaking his head. "Nothing for you to be sorry for."

I embrace him, wrapping my arms around his strong chest, knowing he needs me. "I'm not afraid," I admit. "I'm ready to face anything he throws at us."

Nyko and Killian stand close, their presence a comforting reminder that we're not alone in this.

"Well, if we're going to reclaim a kingdom, can we at least do it after food, sex, and sleep? In that order because I don't fight well without those things." Nyko grins because, of course, he'd say that.

Killian snorts, a half smile tugging at his lips. "Always thinking with your stomach and cock."

I turn back to the window, watching the people below. Wolfe moves away and crashes down on the couch.

As I stare out at the city, I think of my sister's happiness in the gardens from the visions she sent me. The thought that we're sitting ducks crosses my mind, but I'm trying my best to find hope. With me here, I doubt my father will attack us outright… at least not yet.

Breathing heavily, I watch the people below. They're moving fast, too quickly to enjoy their surroundings. What's the use of having everything if you live in fear?

I sigh, pulling away from the window.

"I'm going to rest," I tell the guys as they discuss our next move. "I'm exhausted."

I leave them talking strategy and head to the bedroom. Pulling back the curtain, I'm greeted by a breathtaking view of the mountains in the distance. I crawl into bed, curling up and trying to stop the panic stabbing my stomach. The worry is almost unbearable.

Staring out at the mountains, the edges of my vision blur, just like before. In seconds, I'm thrust into a vision. This time, I know what's happening.

E lara stands outside an ajar door, peering into a meeting room. Inside, our father is pacing, angry, hands clenched into fists. He smacks his cane hard against the stone floor with each stride.

"That idiot thinks he can come here and demand land for him and those traitors on his vessel. They never supported me when I took over, so fuck them all. I'd rather burn it to the ground before I let those fools remain here."

"My King," a tall monster covered in white fur says. "What of the King's Oath? It must be adhered to. Someone's already leaked their arrival and the call of the oath to the locals. They're asking questions, wanting to see a fair trial."

"Who the fuck leaked it?" my father growls, gripping his metal cane like a weapon.

The monster doesn't respond.

"Find them. Find out who leaked it. Interview every one of those fucking guards, then kill them for betraying me."

T he vision ends abruptly, and I'm back in bed. My head feels fuzzy, and my eyes shut as I try to make sense of what I saw. The dread and horror grip me.

I know your real reason for coming to our kingdom… to kill our father. Suddenly, Elara's voice echoes in my head.

My eyes fly open, my heart squeezing with terror. I'm alone in the room, searching for any speakers. "Elara?" I whisper.

I won't tell him, you know.

Wolfe said she has a psychic link with me because of our shared lineage. Is she speaking to me through her mind?

"What do you want?" I say out loud.

You don't need to speak your response. Say it in your mind. There's a hint of mirth behind her words.

All right , I think. So why are you telling me this?

I never knew my mother. I saw in some of your visions that yours loved you so much.

Wait, did you see all my thoughts? You saw everything?

She laughs, sounding eerily like me. I didn't have enough time to see a lot of your memories during the blood connection. Only a few, but I focused mainly on you and the three Shadowfen you're mated to. And how much they chase you.

My cheeks flush, thinking of the intimate moments she might have seen. I'm uncomfortable.

Don't worry, I've seen far worse from a young age. Not much shocks me anymore. But now that we're connected, I can only see the memories you send. I can communicate with you when I open up the channel between us.

Can I talk to you when I want to?

Not really how it works.

So… why won't you tell the King about our real mission, then? I ask, unable to hide what she's seen in my thoughts. When she doesn't respond, I press, Is it because he mistreats you? I know how it feels.

You wouldn't, she snaps.

I grew up in a village where everyone hated me because I was different, so I know a bit about being pushed aside, never accepted.

At least you had your mother. I don't remember mine. I have a few friends, but they're too afraid of my father.

I'm sorry.

Silence.

Do you want us to help you get away from our father?

She laughs bitterly. That's never going to be possible.

Yet I hear a sliver of hope in her voice. Why else would she reach out to me to show me those visions if not a cry for help?

I will try to help, I promise.

Then, the fuzz in my head is gone. She's disconnected from our chat. She's gone. I lie on the bed, blinking up at the ceiling, set to help Elara. But first, we need to somehow survive my father's madness.