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

by Stacia Stark

Men. So utterly predictable with their insistence on diminishing women to girls in an attempt to belittle us.

If she thought she could get away with it, she would kill me in a heartbeat. That thought shouldn’t make me hard.

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

She was panting when she finished, her face flushed, expression vaguely shocked. It wasn’t unlike the way she’d looked the first time I’d thrust inside her. I couldn’t help my smile. Prisca went still, eyeing me as if I were a snake about to strike. I missed the way she used to look at me. I may have lost her, but perhaps I could make her trust me like that again. She frowned. “Whatever you’re thinking…” “I’ll continue thinking it.”

“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 Tired of seeing my wildcat grow depressed and withdrawn.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. “I don’t think you’re ready for that conversation,” I said. “Do you?”

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.

I knew she was one of the most loyal people I’d ever met. I knew she was cunning and clever, and that she would do anything for the people she loved. What would it be like to be counted among those people?

She has become such a force that neither the Gromalian nor Eprothan king knows what to do with her. She is a dangerous woman who raids merchant vessels, ransoms important people, and smuggles illegal goods.” “Don’t forget,” Daharak said from behind us, “I also manage to turn heads while doing it.” Gods help us if Daharak and Madinia ever met.

“Can you help us or not?” I asked. “It just so happens I have one of these.” She held up a silver coin, and Telean sucked in a breath. I just nodded as if I understood the significance.

“That was embarrassing,” Few things made me feel alive like seeing Prisca in a rage. Her cheeks flushed, those amber eyes burned, and I almost groaned. My entire body turned hard, and it took everything in me not to strip her shirt over her head and show her just how incredible sex would be when she was in this mood.

“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 was no longer that village girl. And he’d never been a mercenary.

Lorian smiled at her. If I’d been born with Madinia’s power, I could have set her hair on fire.

“If you don’t stop staring at me, I’m going to push you off your horse.”

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

His arrogance truly knew no bounds. As if he’d tolerated my ignoring him so far, and now he had the right to demand I engage with him. I’d engage with him, that was for sure. I’d freeze time, and when he unfroze, it would be to find me choking him with his own blanket.

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

I slowly unwound his arm from my stomach. “Good girl,” he muttered. Condescending bastard. If he lived through this, I’d kill him myself.

“Where are the rest of you?” The closest guard pointed at the unconscious man on the path. “The hybrid bitch is going to pay for that.” I scowled. The hybrid bitch was ready to get this over with.

“What happens if you bleed out because you’re being a stubborn bastard?” He gave me a cool look and took the salve. “It will take more than a few arrows to kill me.” “What would it take?” I asked, curious despite myself. “Given your wicked temper, I think I’ll keep that information to myself, wildcat.”

My gut twisted. “Because I was busy finding your fucking amulet.” His fingers tightened warningly. “If I hadn’t been the very creature you’ve been taught to loathe, the king would have slaughtered all of us that night. Your precious hybrids would have burned. And you would have burned with them. So yes, I hid my secret for my people. And because I didn’t want to see the terror in your eyes when you looked at me. But I also did it for you.”

“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.” I couldn’t. My lungs screamed, and the air slowly shuddered out of me. “You spent weeks lying to me, Lorian.” “And if I tell you I didn’t do it?” I opened my mouth, but any words I could’ve said got stuck in my throat. Lorian’s expression drained of all life. “As expected,” he said. I glanced away.

“And we decided we would make a vow of our own.” “Sisters of the soul,” Asinia said. “Sisters by choice, if not by blood. No matter where life took us.”

I glanced at my brother. His gaze had landed on a hybrid walking toward the arena. Blond and built, the hybrid looked back, his smile welcoming. I smirked. “And just what is happening there?” A hint of color touched Tibris’s cheeks. “Nothing,” he muttered. Tibris was notoriously closed-mouthed about his romantic life. I studied the hybrid. Tibris elbowed me again. “Don’t even think about it.”

“You’ll continue up-close defensive training with Lorian. So, we may as well start you on the sword,” he said. More up-close training with Lorian. Perfect. Galon would only growl at me if I whined about it. He angled his head. “No comments?” “Nope. Tell me what to do, and I’ll do it.” Galon narrowed his eyes, and I couldn’t help but grin. “I need to learn.”

“He lied to me about who he was.” And yet, I knew deep in my bones he hadn’t been lying when he’d told me he didn’t attack Crawyth. “He had to. That doesn’t mean everything between you was a lie.” Galon shook his head. “You make me feel ancient. Why is it that the young like to take one piece of information and use it to change everything else their instincts tell them to be true?”

If the circumstances were different, I would have enjoyed watching Sabium unravel.

“I missed you.” He said it simply, unashamed. As if it were simply a fact. “Have you missed me, wildcat? Have you thought about the feel of my hands on you? My mouth on you?” I sucked in an unsteady breath. His eyes darkened. “I thought so.” “That doesn’t mean anything.” “That’s where you’re wrong. It means everything.”

“Do you think I wanted this?” He turned me, until he was staring down into my eyes. My breath caught at the sheer want in his gaze. At the tenderness that flickered across his face. He was showing me too much. “This changes nothing.” His smile was bitter. “Fine. If this is all we’ll ever have, then I’ll take it.”

“You bastard.” He chuckled against me. The vibration made me groan, and he immediately lifted his head. “That doesn’t sound much like begging to me.” “I’ll kill you.” His chuckle became a laugh. “Neither does that.”

“What. Do. You. Want?” he growled. “You know what I want.” “I’ve been burning for you since we left the castle. And I’m feeling mean. You’ll beg me, Prisca.”

“Missed this,” he mumbled against my lips.

His gaze met mine. “Missed you.” My chest tightened. I’d missed him too.

“Lorian…” “That’s it. Only me, Prisca. Only ever me.”

I’d…slipped. That was all it was. Yes, you slipped right onto his cock.

I glanced behind Demos at where Asinia was clutching the railing, Tibris next to her. He shook his head at me, clearly unhappy. At least he was close if Roran decided to gut me like a pig.

“I think this means I’ve won,” I said. “You really do have the power.” “If I remove this knife, are you going to do anything stupid?” “No, Your Majesty.” I jolted at the words, almost stabbing him again. Fuck.

“Please.” The fae king nodded. “Eat.” I sat, but there was little chance of my eating unless he wanted to watch the hybrid heir lose her stomach.

“What is it you’re keeping from me as you sit there so quietly?” My throat closed up, the mark burned into my palm, and I only had a single moment to reach deep. “I’m thinking you’re incredibly condescending—verging on patronizing. I’m wondering if it’s a trait you were born with or one you grew into as you ruled for so long.” Conreth stared at me, as if I were a new kind of bug he’d never seen before. My cheeks burned as if they’d been set alight. He threw his head back and laughed. I hadn’t expected it from the cold king, and I jolted. “I can see why Lorian is so amused with you,” he said.

Lorian stumbled, shot me an irritated look, and regained his footing. At some point while he’d charged out of the tent, he’d regained his human glamour. Part of me mourned the loss of his true form.

“Too slow. Do you resent Prisca for needing to know exactly who she’s dealing with?” I bit down on my tongue—and the bitterness that still lingered there. “Ah,” Galon said, moving brutally fast. “You wish for blind trust, even as you refuse to give the same to anyone.”

Demos buried his head in his hands. I could spare the tiniest drop of sympathy for him. Although I still wanted to slam my fist into his jaw.

“Don’t cry. Gods, don’t cry.” She sniffed, glowering up at me. “Why? Are my feelings too much for you?” “No. Because I want to gut anyone who made you cry. And I don’t want to have to impale myself on my own sword.”

“I’m your brother, and I’ll always love you. I’m also your general, and that means I’m looking out for the best interests of our people. I believe you’re in our people’s best interest. But when all this ends, and our people are finally home, if you want to step down, I’ll support you.” The lump in my throat was so large, I could barely breathe. “You will?” His jaw was tight, but he nodded. “I’m planning to show you that you can be an incredible queen,” he warned me. “But if we get to the end of all this and you still want a quiet life, I’ll do whatever it takes to make that happen for you.” My mouth opened, but I couldn’t make a sound. Demos pulled me into his arms. “It will work out,” he told me.

“I’ll do everything I can,” I promised, my voice muffled. “No matter what it takes, we’ll kill Regner.” “I know.”

“This will be terrible in the short term.” He gave me a sudden grin. “It’s a good thing we won’t be here to put up with the whining.”

I rolled my eyes at him, and he pointed at the blanket beneath us. “Lie down.” Raising my eyebrow, I did as he said. He lay next to me, and we stared up at the clouds. My heart twisted. “I love the clouds,” he’d told me once. “I used to lie on the grass and watch them for hours. Especially when the sun was right about to set.”

“I love you,” I said solemnly. “And if anyone tried to hurt you again, I would kill them.” Demos burst out laughing, the roar of it silencing the birds nearby. I frowned. “I’m serious.” He let out a choked gasp, and I turned my head to scowl at him. “I know you are,” he chuckled. “I love you too.” His hand reached for mine and squeezed.