“It’s not her, just the principle. What Necros is doing to her is wrong.”
Grigory stood, his seven-foot frame towering over me by a good eight inches. “And I’ll remind you again, brother. You’re the one planning to truly break her. Which one of you is worse?” My fist cut upward of its own accord, only to be caught by his waiting hand. “Go watch over her, but watch yourself first.” He shoved me backward, a warning in his gaze. “And don’t make me come over there to rescue your ass, or I’ll kill you myself.”
“You can try,” I taunted, knowing it would be a fairly even fight even if he bested me this time.
“I’ll more than try,” he vowed. “You owe me a boon, Prince of Shadows.”
“And you owe me a blade,” I retorted.
He grinned, tossing me the knife he’d taken from my pocket during our minor spat. “There’s hope for you yet, brother.”
I shook my head and sheathed the dagger. “See you in a week.”
“I’ll be here.”
“I know.”
“I don’t think your time with my lieutenant will be as much fun as your night with Prince Adrik was.” Necros raised the goblet of scarlet liquid to his mouth and took a large gulp. His lips turned up into an evil smirk around the ornate glass. “His tastes are a little more violent.”
I ignored my husband’s comment and concentrated on my barely touched dinner of raw meat and spices. He designed his words to hurt me, and I refused to allow him to rile me up. It was what he wanted, and he would not win.
“See, Lavios? Unruly.” Necros whipped his hand under my plate and flipped it up in the air, the bloody steak hitting me in the face before flopping onto my dress. I didn’t move, although in my head I cursed painful murder on my husband.
Why don’t you choke on your steak?
Treasonous thoughts but I didn’t care.
Lavios merely smiled, his gaze oozing lethal intent. “Don’t worry, My Liege. I’ll work that out of her.”
My stomach churned at the words. “I’ll go change,” I managed to say, my throat aching with each word.
The wooden legs of my chair screeched across the marbled floors of the banquet room as I pushed myself backward. It was only Necros, me, and Lavios here. My husband’s followers were to join him later for continued debauched behavior.
Assholes. All of them.
Thankfully, Zaya wouldn’t be a part of it tonight. She’d barely survived the torment inflicted upon her by my husband’s orders and now rested in a guest bed within my quarters, lulled into a state of sleep aimed at giving her body time to heal.
Once her parents collected her—which they were on their way to do—my conscience would be clear. And I would be officially alone with no one my husband could hold over my head.
“You don’t need to change.” Necros grabbed my hand and tugged me hard toward him. I stumbled on my high heels and fell into his side, knocking my leg into the table. I gnawed my lip to stifle the cry of pain. “Lavios doesn’t mind a little blood, right?”
“On the contrary, I love it,” Lavios replied, his licentious gaze roaming over my cleavage with obvious need.
“Hmm, yes, I believe he wants you now, Valora.” My husband’s lips twisted into a cruel expression. “And frankly, I would prefer a woman at my side who’s more willing to accept my advances and not a frigid, barren bitch.”
I hope you die a painful death with rats eating your genitals, I thought at him.
He threw me across the floor to where Lavios sto
od, the lieutenant’s arms folded over his strong chest, the medals of his victories—bones, skin, and hair—decorating his black uniform. Bile rose in my throat, and I was suddenly glad I hadn’t eaten much.
“We’ll see you in the morning, My King.” Lavos bowed to my husband and then threaded his fingers through my hair and yanked me across the marble ground.
I tried to scramble up onto my feet, but he was too quick. He dragged me through the corridors, demons jumping out of his way and gaping at my squirming form behind him. My scalp ached from the torture, my nails begging for purchase on the ground, anything to help me stand. But Lavios had no care for me at all, bumping me into wall after wall and covering my body in soon-to-be bruises.
“Let me go!” I screamed. Several people in the corridor leapt away from us, not one person coming to my aid. I was their fucking queen, but they acted as though seeing me hauled around the palace was a normal occurrence!
The sad truth—it was becoming one.