บททั้งหมดของ The Bride Wore Blood: บทที่ 61 - บทที่ 68

‘Who told you?’ Lana nudges her horse a step forward, even though Ember lifts her head, tossing her mane. I nudge Koal alongside her, unwilling to let my wife out of reach. Did she plan this? She certainly doesn’t seem afraid or surprised as I would have expected. ‘Never you mind, Majesty,’ the man smiles from where he stands. He’s holding a mace in his hand, the large spiked metal end is a menacing threat that he taps his fingers again. ‘But you’ll be coming with us.’‘No I won’t,’ Lana replies before I can signal her to stop. I’m impressed by her courage, but the Lana I know is usually quite timid when faced with danger. ‘I won’t be going anywhere,’ she sounds certain and as confused as I am I can only respect her audacity.‘We don’t want to hurt nobody,’ the man looks over to me with a sneer. He could have been the brother of the drunk who fell against our bedroom door. He has the same protruding belly and greasy hair trying to escape from his head. The same dark eyes. I sniff th

My footsteps falter and Rune raises a quizzical brow. I squeeze her arm in reply.‘Like I said,’ I try to assure her. ‘I’m just tired, it was a late night before we travelled back.’‘I’m not happy about you leaving without telling me,’ Rune admits. She ushers me forward towards the royal suite and I feign a yawn. It wouldn’t be unusual for Timian to accompany us to the study or any of the parlours, but he wouldn’t follow us to the bedroom.‘I’m going to rest, you’re welcome to come? Although I don’t imagine I’ll be great company,’ I offer, hoping that Rune will join me in the bedroom, and we can continue talking without Tim. ‘I really want to hear about your adventure,’ Rune smirks, watching me sidelong. I flush, cheeks crimson as I realise that Rune really wants to hear about my bedding Thade and whether or not we have consummate our marriage. How can I possibly tell her, that that particular ship sailed two years ago. ‘I have news for you as well,’ her smile brightens as she direc

The silk of the wine-red dress hung on the hook like a fresh wound against the pale walls of the suite. It was a beautiful, terrible color, one that seemed to mock the current air between us. Thade stood near the heavy oak door, his silhouette imposing, his posture a fortress of rigid duty. He hadn’t looked at Rune when she left, hadn’t even acknowledged her departure. His entire universe had narrowed down to the space between where he stood and where I waited.‘Where did you go?’ I find myself asking, confused about his disappearance once we arrived back in the Palace. 'I had a meeting arranged, our journey last night jeopardized my attendance, but I was able to make it.’I cold shiver runs through me, he never mentioned a meeting but I don’t want to be suspicious about his every action. He’s the King, he does have things to do. Thade paces the room with the measured, silent grace of a predator. He was careful, though. He kept his distance, a physical border that hurt more than his

Thade’s POV The weight of the crown felt heavier tonight, a literal band of iron pressing against my temples, but it was nothing compared to the weight of the hand currently resting in mine. Beneath the table, out of sight of the circling hawks of the Illurian Court, I kept my grip on Lana’s hand firm. Her skin was warm, a sharp contrast to the sudden, icy dread that had settled in my gut the moment Valerius walked through those doors.I could feel them watching us, the vipers, the sycophants, and the predators. The Court was a fractured thing, split down a jagged middle. Half of them looked at Lana in her wine-red dress and saw a tether, a way to pull my leash if I ever bit too hard. They thought her a weakness, a soft spot in the armor of a King they still didn't entirely trust. The other half, the ones with sharper instincts and longer memories, saw her for the threat she truly was. They wanted her removed as a threat to my power. Duke Valerius of Boren took his seat with a pract