"You need to leave," Luca said to Marcellus. Scarlett's eyes darted between the two, sensing the hostile tension between them mounting.
"Oh, I'll be right out. I just need to speak with Scarlett," Marcellus said, giving Scarlett a smile.
"No, I mean you need to leave Arandana. And you should be grateful I'm letting you leave at all," Luca said, stepping closer to Marcellus.
"I guess I can say what I came to say even with you here," Marcellus said, shrugging. "We both agree that I have to leave, but I wanted to discuss where we are going."
"To find Mimbi and the girls," Scarlett interceded.
"I think we need to make a stop before we head straight to where they're probably keeping her," Marcellus said, raising his eyebrows. Scarlett had the suspicion that this had something to do with what happened in the courtyard with the Hova attackers.
"No. You said we would go find them," Scarlett said. "The more we wait the bigger
"That's impossible," Scarlett said. "No one can wield lightning." Marcellus began to fiddle with some of the knickknacks on the boudoir, examining the hairpins and accessories that the maids had been so insistent that Scarlett wear to the dinner party the other day. "Hello?" she said a little louder. "Sorry, I was just thinking that we're living in interesting times," Marcellus said, facing Scarlett again. "Interesting? You call everything that has happened to the Karainas interesting? There's nothing interesting in seeing the people you grew up with, cut to pieces and burying dozens in the same day. There's nothing interesting about leaving the place you call home to search for your best friend and children because they've been kidnapped. CHILDREN!" Scarlett began to yell, and she didn't care who heard her. "You really do have a flair for the dramatic, don't you?" Marcellus said with a stoic look on h
After climbing a spiral staircase that hugged the stone walls of the tower, they made it to a circular room that somehow was very fitting for Prince Marcellus. It was full of telescopes, books, and strewn about papers and maps. "What is this place?" Scarlett asked once Marcellus closed the heavy wooden door behind him. "They moved me here from the dungeons. It was just as messy as you see it now," he said, shrugging. "I'm guessing it was some scholar's room and is now the temporary guest room of prisoners they don't want to keep too close to the castle, but also not in the dungeons." He set the book down on a desk whose surface was barely visible because of how much clatter covered it. "Technically, the language is called Faeish, as those who wrote it called themselves Fae. We call them elves because they no longer exist, and they were from a time that Hovania was somewhere else," Marcellus said, taking a seat on the chair in front o
Edda's hand was beginning to get cold despite Luca holding it in his.He didn't know how long he had been sitting on the bed by her side, but he didn't want to let go.She looked asleep, albeit a little pale, as if she was bound to wake up any moment now. But no amount of wishful thinking was going to bring her back. Luca was no stranger to death; he had become a soldier at thirteen and captain of the Golden Company at seventeen. He sat with many a soldier until they gave their last breaths. But Edda was her aunt, and the closest relative he had. Even if they had grown distant throughout the years—she being too busy ruling the kingdom and him with his soldiers—she was family, nevertheless. The door behind him opened and the soldier part of his brain told him he had to turn around immediately. Rule number one: never give your back to a door when you're vulnerable. Especially now when the kingdom was without a monarch. He didn't think anyone would oppos
"There's another reason why I came here," Prince Marcellus said when Luca was about to kick him out of his room."What?""I need to ask you for a favor.""A favor?" Luca raised an eyebrow. "Don't you think sending you off with my men is enough? No, in fact, you should be grateful I'm letting you leave at all.""It's not for me. It's for Scarlett," Prince Marcellus said.Luca felt a pang of jealousy that he hated himself for feeling. Scarlett was going away, possibly tomorrow, and either way, nothing could ever happen between them again. She was a Karaina, or had been one, and would probably never even consider staying here once everything was over. Any other woman could be enticed with being a queen and all the dresses, jewelry, and things they would ever want. Scarlett would laugh in his face if he told her all he could offer her."What?" Luca repeated, this time softening a bit."I'm going to leave behind a letter for he
"I never thought I'd see a coronation," Voty said, as the girls headed towards their rooms. "It was a bit underwhelming, though. I thought it'd be more of a ceremony."Marcellus had left them once Luca left to greet the people who awaited him outside the castle, and they had stood there for a while, not really knowing what to do. So, Voty had waved at the nobles and then scurried out, followed by Pakuri who looked bored, and Scarlett who didn't know what to think of the whole thing."I've had enough of queens and kings for a lifetime. I just want to leave," Pakuri said. "And I want to know things. Like what you did to the Hova." She turned to scowl at Scarlett. "I don't quite believe you knew nothing of your magic.""What? I had no idea. Besides, we don't even know what it was.""You burned four Hova," Pakuri said matter-of-factly, taking a defiant step towards Scarlett.Voty stepped in between the two and gently pushed them apart, giving Sca
The steady creaking of the carriage's wheels lulled Mimbi to sleep several times throughout the bumpy journey, and she dreamed of fire and warmth, trying not to think of where she was and the situation she found herself in.Finally, when it came to an abrupt stop, she opened her heavy eyes with difficulty, only to see Lord Galax stepping out of the carriage. She sat up and the exertion made her dizzy, so she held on to the seat to steady herself. A cool breeze wafted in from the open door, sending chills through Mimbi's body.Lord Galax popped his head inside, startling her."Good. You're awake. We're here," he said, stretching out his hand towards her. She didn't want to take it, so she stood on her own, bending her back to avoid hitting the carriage's ceiling. The heaviness of her legs, however, made her stumble, and Lord Galax stuck his torso in, and outright picked her up by the waist, setting her down outside.Now she understo
The second Lord Galax had left, Mimbi's legs buckled under her, sending waves of pain through her body. She accidentally knocked the table she was holding onto, sending a white vase rolling across the room. It was sheer luck that it happened to roll over the think patterned carpet, or else it would have shattered.She heard quick footsteps running over."Oh, dear! Are you all right, miss?" Lorna stopped when she saw Mimbi on the floor and then ran to her, immediately grabbing her under her arms and helping her stand."Yes, thank you," Mimbi said, but she wouldn't be able to stand for much longer, let alone climb the stairs without feeling excruciating pain."You're freezing," Lorna said once she pulled away from Mimbi.A second later, Mimbi's legs began to shake again, threatening to drop her again."Oh dear, something is really wrong. Can you stand at all?" Lorna said, putting one of Mimbi's arms over her shoulder. "Let me help
The previous interruption from the other day seemed to have incited Luca to not take any chances this time. A split second after kissing Scarlett, he was already taking off her clothes as she backed up towards the bed, fumbling with his buckles.He sat her down on the bed and kept kissing her as his fingers moved towards her thighs and then inside of her, caressing her softly and then with more intensity.Scarlett couldn't think of anything but the pleasure he was giving her. Then he abruptly stood and finished the job she had started, taking off his clothes and tossing them behind him.A long while later, they fell asleep in each other's arms, exhausted and sweaty.Scarlett woke up when the sun was beginning to come out, only to feel his hardness close to her back. She turned and climbed on top of him, waking him up."You're insatiable, Karaina," he said to her teasingly, slowly opening his eyes."Well, something told