Happily Ever Crowned

by Lexi C. Foss

  “Who are you?” she marveled, her eyes dancing between my own, back and forth in a hypnotic whirl that drew me closer.

  Valora needed more. She required a reason to trust me, some sort of boon to attract her faith.

  And there was only one way to accomplish that.

  “I’ll tell you a story,” I murmured. “A true one, but it will be up to you if you want to believe it.” I took a step back and held out my hand. “Walk with me. Please.”

  She glanced down at my palm, then up at my face, and then back at my wiggling fingers. Her brow creased as she considered her options.

  Which were simple.

  Either she agreed to move deeper into these halls with me…

  Or I let her go.

  I said as much out loud, causing the lines of her forehead to deepen even more. I leaned against the wall beside her, my hand still hovering between us, awaiting her decision.

  “All right,” she finally agreed, her delicate palm pressing to mine. “But I want you to tell me about our telepathic link, too.”

  I nodded. “Deal.” I linked our fingers together and guided her down the murky hallway. “If you’re attached to that dress, then try not to touch too much.” These corridors would more than soil the fine fabrics of her clothes.

  Not that I particularly enjoyed the bone adornments.

  Those must have been chosen by her betrothed.

  “This is why I desire pants,” she muttered, causing my lips to curl. “Everyone else has them, even Zaya. But not me.”

  At the mention of her lady’s maid, I asked, “How is she?”

  “Still asleep,” Valora replied.

  “She’ll recover.” I’d made sure of it on my own, not that Valora would ever know. But I sensed the girl meant something to the queen, and considered it my one good deed for fucking up her life.

  Well. Not that I could take all the blame for that. Her husband was doing a fine job of it himself.

  “Did you know this palace wasn’t always inside Caluçon Kingdom?” I wondered, leading her toward the old part of the estate—the part Necros kept closed off from the public.

  She frowned. “No. What did it use to be?”

  “One of the Shadow Kingdom palaces.” My parents’ favorite estate, according to Lux.

  “Shadow Kingdom,” she repeated. “I’ve not heard of it.”

  “No, I imagine not. It was destroyed right before you were born. Graystall was next, but the king and queen traded their valuable daughter to the Caluçon King in return for peace.” I looked pointedly at her. “I’m sure you’re familiar with that story?”

  She grimaced. “Very.”

  “Well, unfortunately, the Shadow Kingdom didn’t have anyone to trade. And further, a prophecy declared that the Shadow King would one day destroy the Caluçon King. So, as you can imagine, Necros very much wanted to destroy the opposing kingdom.” I pushed against a wall along the side, revealing a dusty old library with skylights for lighting. The purple glow gave the oval-shaped room an ominous appeal, highlighted by the white sheets covering the old furniture.

  Valora stepped through the opening with an expression of awe, her beautiful gaze taking in the room all at once. “Where are we?”

  “In the restricted areas,” I said, closing the passage behind us. “Have you never wondered why Necros keeps these areas off-limits?”

  “He once told me it was old and decrepit and requiring renovation.” She ran her fingers along the dusty spines. “But all I see here is a room in need of a good cleaning.”

  “Oh, I’m sure he plans to renovate someday.” Not that he would ever get the chance, as I intended to kill him first. “But for now, the memory of the Shadow Kingdom remains in these walls.”

  “Why have I never heard about this?” She took an old text from one of the walls, her fingers running over the swirling black ink. She hissed. “Black magic.”

  I caught the book as it fell from her fingers, protecting the precious spine.

  “No. This is shadow magic.” I pressed my palm to the text, allowing the words to rise and settle, the energy pulsing in waves through my being before shuffling into a format she could read. “Here.”

  Valora studied it but didn’t touch it.

  I smiled. “Afraid, little bird?”

  “H-how did you do that?”

  “Mmm.” I tucked the item under my arm and studied her. “You read about me today in your old book, but it didn’t say much because the words are transcribed by Necros’s people. It’s exactly why you won’t find anything in that text about the Shadow Kingdom. They only write what pleases the king. And as far as they all know, I’m Lux’s second child.”

  She gaped at me. “You saw me in the garden?” Of course she fixated on that and not the very important detail I just dangled before her.

  “Yes, and I put your book back before anyone else could find it. Not that they would truly care about you reading it. Now this one?” I held up the item again. “This one they would mind quite a bit. Actually, everything in this library is forbidden. And why? Because these contain the true history of the Underworld, before Necros staked his claim. Because Caluçon never existed.”

  Valora took the historical text again, her fingers dancing over the engraved lettering. “The Shadow Dynasty,” she read out loud.

  “Mmm, how appropriate that was the one you selected first. Perhaps give it a read, little bird. You might just learn something.” Primarily about my family’s legacy. My name was toward the back, the last son born in the Shadow Kingdom. But my identity was kept a secret; not even Necros knew of my existence. Mainly because of the prophecy.

  One might say Necros brought it upon himself.

  Others would claim it to be destiny.

  Regardless, I was here now, ready for my revenge. And the perfect weapon stood eager beside me, her focus falling to the rows and rows of texts. “All of these contain kingdom history?”

  “No. Some are about the heavens. Others are artifacts from Earth—both fiction and nonfiction.” I steered her toward my mother’s favorite shelf, a pang hitting me square in the chest. “These are romance novels, for example. Mostly from human writers.” I pointed to one across the room. “And those over there are fighting manuals, which you might find particularly useful.”

  “How do you know all of this?” she asked, finally looking at me again. “Who are you really, Adrik?”

  My lips curled. “As I said, your texts said very little about me. Lux might be my mother, but not by blood. She adopted me when my kingdom fell.” I tucked a strand of her hair behind her ear. “I’m the last of my kind, Valora. A Shadow.” I purposely left out my true title. Shadow King.

  Her lips parted. “I don’t know what that means. Or what it is.”

  “Similar to a vampire, but far more powerful,” I promised her.

  “Then how…?”

  “Did Necros manage to destroy us all?” I finished for her. “He harnessed a power that didn’t belong to him. One born inside a child from Graystall. A little girl.”

  Her eyebrows rose. “What?”

  “Your people are the harbingers of justice, but how, exactly, do they deliver it?” I studied her, saw the confusion written all over her features. She truly had no idea. “Because Graystall possesses the power of the galaxies within their familial bloodline. Your bloodline. They are quite literally the children of the stars. It’s what makes your kind so indestructible. But that kind of power comes at a price.”

  “I’ve never heard any of this before,” she interjected.

  “Well, perhaps you’ll remember the miracle who was born with unspeakable abilities. So unspeakable that her parents called upon Lucifer himself to help temper the chaotic energy. But bargaining with the Devil always comes at a price, and in this case, it was the manner in which he assisted. He called upon Necros, who absorbed the gift from the stars, providing him with a seat of power unlike any other. And he used his newfound abilities to take down the Shadow Kingdom.�
�

  She sputtered, her eyes wide in disbelief.

  I sighed. “Unfortunately for Necros, the expunge of energy required to take down my people left him close to death, the power gone in an instant. He went supernova, destroying so much, too much, his body not meant to harness such strength. Which left him bereft and the little girl seemingly normal.”

  For twenty-one years, it seemed.

  “But that’s the interesting thing about stars,” I continued softly. “They are constantly growing, burning hotter every day. Thus, it’s expected that the female—the infant he stole the vitality from—will one day glow hotter than the violet sun above. And not even Lucifer himself will be able to contain her. Unless she finds someone to share that ability with, someone like a husband.” I waited for the weight of my claim to settle over her and caught the book she once again dropped. She started to sway, but I caught her hip.

  “No,” she whispered. “That’s… that’s not possible.”

  “Your parents traded their star because they believed Necros still possessed your energy, and they feared for their lives. However, it was the wedding he needed to tie himself to the star he desired to corrupt. And when that didn’t work, he chose a new method, one he hopes will shatter the bonds containing her power. Your power.”

  I slid the book back onto the shelf to better hold her upright.

  She wanted a story.

  I gave her one.

  And it seemed she no longer cared about the telepathy, her mind racing over everything I just said.

  “You can imagine, perhaps, why I seek to destroy Necros and all that he represents,” I whispered, lifting her into my arms. “Because he took everything from me. Yet, he truly stole even more from you.”

  She shook in my arms, her frail form rejecting the facts I presented to her. But I sensed her mind working through the logic, the foreign heat growing inside, the early memories of her life, and the way Necros had almost trained his people to degrade her from the beginning of her time here.

  “He always saw me as a threat,” she whispered, blinking rapidly. “I thought I was a toy, but now…”

  “You realize you’re a weapon,” I replied, brushing her hair from her forehead.

  “Why has everyone kept this from me?” But before I could reply, she was already answering. “Because they don’t want me to threaten his rule.”

  “Even more, they want to prevent you from ruling them all.” Even Lucifer himself had to fear her power. It was the only reason I could see him bargaining with Necros. They both benefited from keeping her weak.

  “You seek to use me, too.” Not a question, but a statement.

  “I do.” I wouldn’t lie to her. “To destroy Necros.”

  “And then?” she asked, her gaze meeting mine as I settled onto one of the clothed couches. “What happens after you defeat him?”

  “I go for Lucifer next,” I said. “He orchestrated all of this, killed my entire kingdom, and he will pay for his sins.”

  She considered everything for a long moment. “Let’s say I believe you.” She swallowed. “What would you have me do next?”

  “Learn how to use your power. Sharpen it. Cultivate it. Control it.” I palmed her cheek, drawing her face closer to mine. “I can feel how volatile you are, how the energy is pressing at the surface, begging for a release. Right now it seems your emotions—darker ones—unleash the gift. I can help you learn how to harness it, Valora.”

  “How?”

  “By giving you the release you need.” I nodded at the center of the room, which I’d purposely cleared to give us ample floor space. “We can train here. Spar. Bounce magic back and forth. Learn. But it’s up to you. I can’t train you if you’re unwilling. Because I won’t go easy on you.”

  “What about the other men?”

  “We handle them one by one,” I said. “Garul was easy. Tomorrow you have Sven.” A sadistic dragon breather who would no doubt scorch her skin to a crisp before fucking her nearly to death. “I’ll handle him. Then you have Jives. He’s a stone giant. Lethal. But I’ve heard he actually prefers males, which is why he’ll go for the back door. Perhaps we can find someone else to entice him with in the interim.”

  “No,” she said, adamant. “I will not subject anyone else to my fate.”

  While admirable, that wasn’t how we could play this game. “Then we find someone willing,” I conceded. “Trust me, there are many soldiers in this palace who would happily entertain Jives for a night. Which leaves us with Gareth.” I grimaced, not at all a fan of the slimy, three-eyed prick. “We have a few nights to figure him out. I’ll work on it.”

  “And me? What do you want me to do?” she said, sounding a bit miffed that I was handling all of this for her.

  “I want you to learn, Valora.” I gestured around us. “I want you to come here during the day to read. And meet me here at night to spar. But be prepared to bleed, because it’s going to hurt, little bird. As the only way I know how to teach you to fly is to break your already clipped wings.”

  Information swirled through my mind, all accumulated over the last few days of reading in the library Adrik showed me.

  He’d kept his word and helped me avoid torture the last two nights.

  Sven hadn’t been able to perform—his dick had shriveled and seemingly hid at the thought of attacking me. Then he’d fled Caluçon in horror at his unexplainable reaction. Fortunately, my husband didn’t replace his position.

  And last night, Adrik sent a male to Jives who was more than willing to entertain the much bigger male. By the time I’d arrived, Jives was already spent and embarrassed, so we struck a bargain. He would pretend we spent the evening together if I didn’t mention his proclivities to Necros. An unexpected alliance, but one I accepted.

  Tonight, however, I was to go to Gareth.

  I shivered.

  The male was another of Necros’s lieutenants. Not favored like Lavios, but still a sadistic prick of a male who adored torturing others.

  This would not—

  Necros has called for you, Adrik’s voice interjected, flowing through my mind and eliciting a warmth deep inside. Try to remain calm, little bird. I have this under control.

  What do you—

  A pounding at my door jolted me upright.

  I hid the banned book I’d been reading between my mattresses and stood as the door flew open.

  Two guards forced their way into my room, their gazes falling to Zaya asleep in my bed. I’d moved her from the other room, wanting to look after her myself since her parents had not yet arrived. Strange, really. I expected them days ago.

  “Why is she still here?” one of the guards demanded.

  I narrowed my eyes. “Because she’s my lady’s maid. Not that I need to answer to you.” I looked toward the door, where it still shook with the force of the violent opening. “Why do you interrupt me in my quarters this way?”

  “The king requires your presence.” The shorter of the two guards held a spear and used it to motion for me to leave the room.

  “I am not properly dressed,” I replied, holding my head high. “I’ll join him when I’m ready.”

  “You’ll join him now,” the guard returned, his round face falling into severe lines. “It’s your choice on whether I carry you or not.”

  My eyebrows rose. “I think when addressing your queen, you should phrase your words with more sincerity due to my outranking you.”

  He snorted. “Sweetheart, Necros gave up his claim on you earlier this week. We’re free to address you however the fuck we want.”

  “And touch, too,” the bigger male beside him drawled, his coffee-colored irises gleaming with malicious intent.

  “He gave rights to the victors, not—”

  “Do you want a demonstration?” the shorter one demanded, handing his spear to the other and starting around the bed toward me. “Because I’ll happily put you in your place, little whore.”

  “But quickly because Necros requires her
presence,” the giant warned.

  I backed up into the wall as the shorter one approached, his wicked grin one I truly desired to burn off his plump face.

  “We’ll blame her insolence” was his reasoning as he reached for my arm. “Maybe the king will let us punish her publicly.”

  “One can dream,” his buddy murmured.

  Zaya began to stir on the bed, her low groan one that suggested she sensed the shifting of the air in the room.

  If she opened her eyes now, she’d scream.

  And the men would likely silence her—harshly.

  Oh, no. If they tried to hurt her, I wouldn’t be able to control my reaction. Already I could feel the flames teasing my veins where the brute gripped my flesh. “I’ll go,” I said quickly. “I’m ready.”

  “Are you?” he asked, giving me a stern shake. “I’m not certain.”

  “Please. I’ll go right now.” It grated to say the words, to force the pleading note into my tone, but I had no other alternative. Not until I understood my power. Soon, I promised myself. Soon, I’ll destroy them all.

  Yes, Adrik agreed, his hum of approval enough to straighten my spine and force me to meet the gaze of my captor.

  “Take me to Necros,” I demanded.

  He sighed, releasing me. “Pity. I’d have enjoyed teaching you a lesson.”

  I bet, I thought, wanting to melt him alive.

  I pressed an affectionate kiss to Zaya’s forehead, attempting to lull her back into a state of rest, and then left with the guards on either side. Their clipped pace and bruising hold on my arms nearly caused me to stumble in my high-heeled shoes.

  “Release me,” I ordered as we neared the throne room.

  They laughed and threw me in the doorway.

  I glowered back at them, livid.

  Control your power, Valora, Adrik demanded.

  His presence drew my gaze to where he sat in the ornate room’s corner, a look of disinterest on his face. How would you feel to be thrown about like a toy? I asked him, irritated. I could kill everyone in this room right now, but instead he wanted me to repress my power? Fuck you.