Page 4 of A Fate of Wings
She turned her back to me and stared into the fire. “You’ve thought about this.”
“I have.” I stood and watched the tight muscles of her shoulders contract with each deep inhale.
My sister might not agree with my decision, but she’d have to live with it.
“I’m the queen. I need to produce an heir to the throne. It’s what Mother and Father would have wanted, too.”
She turned to face me. Shadows from the fire flittered over her face. Her lips spread into a smile.
“Of course,” she said. “They’d want you to be happy too.”
“I’m happy the way I am.”
She dropped my gaze and walked from the room. I settled back in the chair and picked up the discarded book. It didn’t matter how many books I read, I still couldn’t find the reason my father had died, but I’d keep searching for the rest of my immortal life. One day I’d discover who killed him, and when I did, I’d get vengeance for Mother.
One day soon, I’d have a mate of my own. A tingle of excitement filled my stomach at the notion of a man to call mine.
Chapter two
Rozronuuk
The Winter Court
Awhite dove flutteredthrough the open window of the throne room in the Winter Court castle and settled on the golden perch upon the dais. The Demon King, my brother, clicked his fingers, the only movement he made while he sat on the throne of melded gold and bones. A royal servant dressed in attire as black as the midnight sky and silver stitching hustled to the dove and extracted the rolled paper message from around the bird’s thin, pink leg before hurrying back to the king and sinking to a low bow.
“Your Majesty.” The servant held the small scroll between his trembling fingers.
I stepped forward from my brother’s side and retrieved the yellowed paper. A warmth I’d never experienced before shot up my arm in an unexpected response to touching the parchment. Ifrowned a little while handing the note to the king. He unrolled the delicate scroll with his thick fingers. His gaze perused the words, an infinitesimal tick of his eyebrow, the only sign that the note was perhaps bad news. He glanced at me, ebony eyes turning to darkened black orbs, as I returned to stand by his side. His hand curled into a tight fist over the note, crumpling the paper into the secrecy of his palm.
A moment passed. Then another. The receiving room was quiet as the crowd of various demons waited for the king to speak. He flicked open his hand. The paper disintegrated into ash, into oblivion, and fell over his black robes in a sooty gray powder resembling the flakes of snow outside the castle’s wall of our Winter Court. He cast another look at me from the corner of his eyes. Concerned. Wary. I knew the look well. He stood, his presence even larger, more commanding across the room of his vassals.
“The siren queen has issued an invitation to anyone willing to compete in her trials of subjugation to become her mate, and King of the Sirens.” The king spoke with a thunderous voice so those in the back of the enormous room would hear, but there was more to his tone, a warning, and a command to obey him.
My spine straightened like his words rammed a bolt of steel down my back. The siren queen wanted to choose a mate. My brother didn’t glance my way again, even knowing how much his words would affect me. Hope surged through my body at this unexpected announcement.
His eyes narrowed into slits. “I’m sending my brother.” He nodded at me. “As a tribute. An alliance with the siren queen will stand us demons and the Winter Court in good stead.”
He quietened the room to a hush at his announcement.
“Any demon who wants to compete in the trials… well, let me say this once and only once. You won’t have my backing.”
A collective of shocked gasps rang out and echoed as they rippled through the room in a wave of never-ending sound. Sirens were exquisite and their queen even more so. For one to choose a mate was rare, and a treasure to fight for. I almost sagged in relief, but I stayed as unmoving as the hideous statues of carved granite gargoyles staring back at us. The enormity of the king’s words filled every demon’s face with horror. If the demon king didn’t back you, it was a death sentence.
The king nodded as though satisfied they’d received his message, then he strode through the red velvet curtained timber door on the side of the dais. I gave the crowd of demons one last openly hostile stare, letting them see if they didn’t follow the king’s orders, I’d be happy to compete against them in the trials. The rage demon inside me loved a good fight. Almost too much.
I followed the soft pounding of my brother’s footsteps through the hallway. The click of his boots grew louder down the stone stairs and into the tunnels lit with torches along the walls. The enormity of the situation weighed each footstep. I understood my brother’s direction to our secret chamber. We needed seclusion to discuss this turn of events in private, with no prying ears.
He paused at the end of the tunnel, tossed his robe to the side, and slid a large brass key from his inner pocket. As he placed the key in the intricate lock, he turned his head to grin at me over his shoulder.
I scowled and shoved him aside, forcing the door open, and stomped into the room.
His laughter surrounded me as he closed us in and locked the door.
“You think this is funny?” I rounded on him, my fingers curling into fists.
“It’s entertaining.” He clutched his stomach as he fell into the plush chair. “Did you experience the telltale warmth?”
“Yes.” I ran a hand through my hair, avoiding my horns with great care. Which only made him laugh harder.