A Kingdom This Cursed and Empty (Kingdom of Lies, #2)

by Stacia Stark

All of my muscles tensed at once. The fae prince had been in glamour. And the hybrid heir had still recognized him.

He knew. Without a doubt, the Bloodthirsty Prince knew exactly what that meant. But he was a man with secrets. According to my spies, Prisca hadn’t even known he was fae. Which meant he was still keeping her in the dark.

Grief flickered across his uncle’s face. He swallowed, took a deep breath, swallowed again. “I’m sorry. Sorrier than you can imagine.” The boy’s gaze dropped to the amulet in his uncle’s hand. And he knew.

Instead, Lorian had shed his human glamour and slaughtered half the king’s men. Fae. He was fae. And not just any fae. They called him the Bloodthirsty Prince.

I’d thought he…cared. I’d thought we had something. That night, when I’d galloped through the city streets, I hadn’t just been fleeing to my friends, my family. I’d been aiming for him.

Just when I’d convinced myself Lorian was heartless, he’d ordered that healer to look after the hybrids who were too sick to be able to make the journey on foot.

“Because once—before they left us to die—the fae were our allies.”

“What makes you think I’d be a good queen?” “Even before you knew they were your people, you were fighting for them. You got three hundred of them out of the king’s dungeon.”

“Aren’t we lucky that the Bloodthirsty Prince allowed me on to this ship?” Telean’s hand found mine on the railing. “It just so happens I was by your mother’s side for years as your grandmother ruled. And I saw how your mother led her people in Crawyth. I’ll teach you everything I know. But by the time we get to the fae lands, it will be up to you.”

And while I’m sure you’ve anticipated my needs in this matter, let me be clear: I need to speak to the hybrid heir. Bring her to our kingdom. Your appreciative brother, C

The wildcat was mine, and I would protect her until she came to that exact realization.

most humans would never believe the truth. The Eprothan king, Sabium, was over four hundred years old. His real name was Regner—the man known as Sabium’s ancestor. Regner had used stolen magic to stay alive all this time, faking his own death and taking his crown over and over again each time he secretly killed the human boys he pretended were his sons.

“You are the biggest target,” Telean said. “And the Bloodthirsty Prince has taken you by sea—something Regner wouldn’t have expected.”

“What were the fae given?” Telean smiled, and I rolled my eyes at myself. “Amulets,” I muttered. “They were given the amulets, which is why Lorian didn’t kill the king. He needs the other two.”

“Would the hourglass allow me to turn back time?” Telean’s face drained of color. “Listen to me carefully, Nelayra. You must never attempt such a thing. It would kill you. The world must be balanced.”

“You want to know if I saw him.” I nodded. “I didn’t need to, Nelayra,” she said gently. “Others saw him after the attack ended.”

“Your people don’t need another fighter on the ground, Nelayra. They need a queen.”

“Why would you do this?” Because I was tired of seeing the shadows beneath her eyes. Tired of seeing my wildcat grow depressed and withdrawn. I wanted to see her smile just once, even if she would never again smile at me.

In my darkest moments, when I missed her the most—even as she sat right next to me—I listed what I did know. And I wondered if those small details would be enough to carry me through the rest of my life.

What would it be like to be counted among those people? It wouldn’t happen. But if the coming weeks were the last we’d spend together, then I was going make them count.

“And you must be Nelayra Valderyn.” “You can call me Prisca,” I said. “Well now, I have use for Nelayra, the hybrid heir. In fact, I believe we can both help each other. But Prisca the village girl? She is useless to me.”

“The fae are possessive, obsessive, and impossible to wrangle. You’d do much better with a hybrid of your own.” Lorian let out a growl so low, it was almost soundless.

Eighty thousand men and two thousand ships? Oh, we were doing this. Hopefully, this vow would be the beginning of a productive relationship for both of us.

“That was embarrassing,” Few things made me feel alive like seeing Prisca in a rage.

I’d known better, and yet I’d allowed myself to be consumed by her anyway.

“You can tell yourself whatever makes it easiest for you to hate me, wildcat. But it was real. All of it.”

Nothing hardened a woman like betrayal from a man she’d trusted. And then men had the audacity to call us cold.

I hoped she used them well. Hoped she waged war against Sabium. Hoped she removed his head from his neck and spiked it on the castle gates. Just as long as she was dead soon after. So my son could take his crown.

I had a feeling Lorian secretly enjoyed it when I outmaneuvered him.

My mind helpfully provided me with the image of Lorian and the fae woman naked together, and I took a deep breath. I was practically trembling with the urge to get to my feet and stalk outside for some fresh air, but the overbearing fae behind me would simply follow me out. Then he’d know just how dark my mood was. And he’d likely assume it was about him.

Cold dripped down my spine. As much as I insisted I didn’t believe in fate, all of my instincts were telling me I would see this man again. I took a long moment to memorize his face. Those blue eyes met mine again, and I barely suppressed a shiver.

“I’m glad you’re jealous,” he continued, voice dripping with satisfaction. “It’s about time you stopped pretending not to care.”

“I thought you were a fighter.” “I am,” I said. “When I find something worth fighting for.”

“Hate me, rage against me, refuse to admit what you feel. But don’t you dare treat me like a stranger.”

Slowly, I released my hands, stepping away from her. “Enjoy your silent treatment. Because it’s ending soon.”

“I knew you had to live, so you could save us all. But first, you must find the prince. Find him and meet your fate.” Was Lorian the prince she had meant?

Even as he’d warned me that his loyalties would always lie with his brother, he’d wanted me to read that letter. Pulling out the note, I read it again. He’d said he couldn’t tell me, not that he wouldn’t.

“Why, Lorian?” His eyes shuttered. “My people owe yours.”

“But that doesn’t mean I won’t wish for you with every fucking breath for the rest of my life.”

The new fae king. The color drained from Conreth’s face, even as his eyes glistened. “No, Lorian. It’s me. It’s just you and me now.”

“When it comes to your survival, you cheat,” he snarled. “You cheat and you lie. You fight dirty. And you do whatever else it takes to stay alive.”

“What do they want?” He gave an elegant shrug. “What every rebel wants. Hope, freedom, and safety for themselves and their families.”

“The iron guards,” he snarled. “How do you know?” The arm around my waist somehow became even tighter. “I recognize those fucking arrows.”

“Good girl,” he muttered. Condescending bastard. If he lived through this, I’d kill him myself.

“I can still be the man you laughed with. The man you allowed to touch you, to taste you. Just as I can also be the man who will kill viciously when provoked. And nothing provokes me more than the sight of you in danger.”

“Tell me one thing first, wildcat,” he said. “Tell me you’ll believe the words I speak. Tell me you won’t instantly assume I’m lying.”

“You keep pushing, and I’m going to lose control.” He turned fully to face me, and a cruel smirk curved his lips. “But perhaps that’s what you want. You want me to take you in anger, wildcat? To make you moan my name while you writhe beneath me…all while you loathe me for every second of pleasure? I’ll do it. But you won’t get it by taunting me. You want hate sex? You’ll have to beg.”

Now, we would prepare to deal with the consequences of disobeying my brother.

“You know who’s not in bad shape?” Asinia muttered darkly. “Demos.”

“Death,” Madinia remarked idly. “You call it death.”