Sapphira’s nose wrinkled as if she smelled something bad, but was simply the expression she made when understanding flew over her head. “But why would anyone wish to live there? That kingdom is cursed.”
“So am I, sister,” Echo said dryly. “Would you not call it a good fit?”
“Too good a fit, sister. The undying scourge came from Crolum. With you as a queen, we would live in fear that kingdom would produce worse.”
“But I trust that General Bane, of all men, would make certain such a dire threat would never arise again,” her mother said and aimed a smile at the general. “He will protect us all.”
“What say you, brother?” Tamas tossed out. “You will likely die in those cursed lands.”
“We will marry,” Bane declared, gently squeezing Echo’s hand. “And we will take Crolum to rule.”
“You will rule over nothing but rotting corpses.”
“So be it, brother.”
Tamas glanced at her parents, who shrugged. “So be it, then. Crolum will be yours.”
Then Echo would have a crown, after all. And she would have the best of men as her husband. A perfect, happy ending to a disaster of a plan.
Except the best of men had mistakenly bound himself to an evil twin.
And he was in love with her sister.
4
Bane
“I should have you killed,” Tamas said casually upon entering Bane’s quarters the next day as Bane was preparing for his wedding. “Not only for trying to steal my bride and Phaira’s crown, but to slay the monster you’ve become.”
Bane grunted an agreement. Tamas should kill him for his treachery. But his brother would have little success. Few warriors and guards in Gocea would attack Bane on the king’s orders. Instead Tamas would find that most of the warriors and guards were leaving the kingdom with him.
“Have you told your bride of the venom? Have you confessed that you are no longer fully human?”
His bride. Echo.
A smile curled his mouth. Clever, scheming Echo.
The lump of dread and remorse that had pained him so fiercely was gone. Because he’d deceived her—but she’d deceived him, too. His perfect match, in every respect.
Though not as eager to marry as he was.
Tamas scoffed at Bane’s continued silence. “The people call you a hero. Brainless sheep, all of them. They would look at you in horror if they knew what you’ve become.”
He’d become that horror while saving them. As had too many of his warriors.
And more people knew what Bane had become than Tamas realized. They called him a hero because of what he and his warriors suffered.
The only surprise was that Tamas had heard. Usually he paid no attention to the commoners. But the king had a few spies here and there. One might have told him of Bane’s affliction.
But his twin had no hold on him. Not that he’d ever had much of one, but now Tamas had nothing at all. The marriage settlements were signed, transferring rule of Crolum. As soon as Bane married Echo, he would be his own king.
And his brother could go fuck himself.
“Perhaps I should tell her myself,” Tamas mused.
Irritation clawed its way up his chest. Bane would tell her himself. One day. When it was absolutely necessary.
It was not absolutely necessary on his wedding day.
But once again, he said nothing. Ignoring his brother had always been the best way of making Tamas so infuriated that he’d leave Bane alone. Just as Tamas did now, muttering and slamming out of Bane’s quarters.
Bane glanced toward the sitting chamber, where Jorin had been waiting to speak with him. “Did you know of Princess Sapphira’s twin?”
Once a warrior who’d served under Bane in Gocea’s army, now Jorin would be captain of Bane’s royal guard. Steel gray in his hair declared his age. The scars of battle declared his experience. His ease with Bane declared how long they’d been friends.
“I did not.”
So they’d hidden her away like a dirty secret. Because of a few superstitious omens, they’d believed the worst of her. They’d said the worst of her. Bane had been so near to tearing out their throats as they spoke. Only the sight of Echo on that bed, back stiffened and chin lifted—yet looking so painfully vulnerable—had kept him where he was. At her side.
Where he would be from this day forward. “Is everything prepared?”
“The carriage can leave directly after the ceremony. You’ll have a full company of warriors to ride as your guard.” Amusement glinted in the older man’s eyes. “You’ll also have most of Gocea following you.”
“Not all at once, I hope?” And not only the warriors who’d served him. They’d also need farmers, millers, cobblers, bakers, innkeepers—people of every background and skill. Because Crolum wasn’t truly a wasteland. It was simply…empty.
But they’d fill the kingdom with life again.
Jorin shook his head. “Those who come will leave Gocea when it best suits them. I’ve urged warriors with family living in their home villages to join them and help them prepare to go. We expect most will wait until after the harvest.”