I blinked, startled. “Don’t call me that.”
“But you will be my Queen,” he said, shoulders stiffening once more. This time, they nearly bunched all the way to his ears. “You already have been.”
I stared at him, unsure how to processhimsaying that, but I didn’t have the mental space for it.
Not when all I breathed was fury.
And sorrow.
Chest squeezing tightly, I closed my eyes. Acid pooled in my stomach. Nyktos…his blood was a part of him he likely never would’ve shared with her if she hadn’t discovered who I was. It was coercion whether he’d offered it or agreed to it. Blackmail. I hated that he’d been in that situation. Loathed that it was because of me, and I hadn’t even known.
Why would he do that for a Consort he’d never wanted?
That went beyond goodness and into a realm I couldn’t even fathom, one I knew beyond a doubt that I didn’t deserve. Hell, I could only think of a few people whowoulddeserve that. Ezra was one. Marisol. My breath snagged.Nyktos. No one should ever have to do such a thing. But he deserved the same kind ofsacrifice.
Guilt festered, and not because I felt responsible for what Veses had forced upon him. Because, like Bele had said, Nyktos and Veses hadn’t made sense. I’d known that, but my hurt feelings had overshadowed what was right in front of my face.
But I never would’ve imagined that this was why. I wouldn’t have wanted to.
“How many know?” I asked. “You and Ector?”
“And Nektas.”
I wasn’t surprised to hear that. There seemed to be very little Nektas didn’t know. But he wouldn’t have shared this with me.
“You level?” Rhain asked quietly.
“No,” I whispered, opening my eyes. “I…I don’t want him to have done that for me—for anyone.”
“I know,” he said, watching me. “Veses was here…” Understanding flickered across his features. “That’s what set you off that day. You saw them.” He cursed, shoving his hand through his hair. “I couldn’t figure it out—what obviously had changed between you and Nyktos. It was her.”
There was no point in lying. “I saw them.”
“And he didn’t tell you why he was with her.”
I shook my head.
Rhain’s jaw tightened. “He wouldn’t want you to know his shame.”
“That’s not his shame.” I stiffened until all the many tiny diamonds felt as if they were cutting into my skin. “It’s hers.”
His eyes shone more amber than brown. “You and I know that, but would either of us feel like that if we were in that position?”
“No.” I didn’t need to think about it. And, gods, that…that broke my heart. I could barely bring myself to talk about how Tavius had behaved toward me. I’d even downplayed his actions because it was too hard to speak of them. And what he’d done was nothing compared to what Veses had to Nyktos. I pressed my lips together as I blinked rapidly, trying to clear away the dampness there.
A knock on the door interrupted. “Everything okay in there?” Bele called out.
Rhain looked at me.
Dragging in a deep breath, I nodded as I exhaled slowly, forcing my hands to relax at my sides. “Nyktos is waiting for me.”
He turned for the door, then faced me. “Do you love him?”
The floor felt as if it shifted under my feet. Love? Nyktos? My mouth opened, but I couldn’t find any words to speak.
Rhain tilted his head back. “I…I think I was wrong about you.”
“Did you all notice anything strange?” Lailah asked as we entered the foyer. Shoulder-length braids fell back from her face as she glanced up at the glass candles. “I swear the entire palace was shaking a couple of minutes ago.”