Total pages in book: 104
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Estimated words: 96695 (not accurate)
Estimated Reading Time in minutes: 483(@200wpm)___ 387(@250wpm)___ 322(@300wpm)
Everand bumped against Hugo in the darkness and brushed a kiss to his shoulder. “Everything will be okay. Don’t worry.”
The only problem was that worrying was what Hugo did best.
Hugo missed seeing Onisa.
Captain Ryze refused to allow him to peek out of the shaded windows. Upon stepping out of the carriage, guards ushered them into the castle, giving Hugo only glimpses of great stone walls and battlements but not much else.
Their hands remained tied behind their backs as they were jostled and shoved through the castle in the early morning hours. Hugo blinked his tired, burning eyes and glanced around, trying to take in his surroundings. It was so different from the palace in Branem, which was filled with marble, white walls, and golden adornments. The palace of Wulia was all cool gray stone, iron sconces, and elegantly painted ceilings. Hugo wanted to linger so he could admire the exquisite paintings of woods, fae creatures, and even some celestial beings. But dawdling wasn’t permitted, and all too quickly, he was pushed into a grand study filled with books and swords. Augustine would have loved this room. Not for the books, but for the swords. His youngest brother loved all kinds of weapons, but mostly the sharp, pointy ones.
The passing thought of his brother caused a sigh to well up in his chest as his mind wandered next to Dorian and his mother. Would news of what happened at the ball have filtered to his family yet? What kind of horrible son was he not to think of them when he was attempting to protect the prince?
No, it was his duty to protect the prince. Dorian could look after their family in his stead.
“Who is that?”
Hugo’s gaze darted to see a man half-hunched behind a massive desk, pointing at him.
Captain Ryze stepped forward and bowed. “He is Crown Prince Everand’s fiancé, Your Majesty.”
That was the king? He hadn’t expected to be taken directly to him.
“My name is Hugo Baker, Your Majesty—” Hugo stated. He bowed, but Everand took a step in front of him, blocking him from the king’s line of sight.
“It is an honor to meet you at last, King Victor,” Everand stated, bowing his head. “I wish it were under more agreeable circumstances. If we could but discuss—”
“Agreeable circumstances?” The man behind the desk rose to his feet and stalked around the desk. As he drew closer, Hugo took in the man’s startling white hair. At first he thought that King Victor was an old man, but as he looked closer, he saw the king appeared to be roughly the same age as Everand. His hair was such a pale shade of blond that it was white.
He wore a severe black suit that outlined strong, broad shoulders, a narrow waist, and long legs. But Hugo’s stare kept returning to his face. Particularly his eyes and the shape of his eyebrows. They were familiar.
Too familiar.
Was it possible that he was related to Prince Everand?
No! That couldn’t be.
“What agreeable circumstances would that be?” King Victor sneered. “When Wulia conveniently forgets about the theft Branem perpetrated more than fifty years ago? Still hoping we forget the debt of honor that is owed by your family? The years of trauma your family has caused?”
Everand’s eyes flared, and a muscle ticked in his jaw as if he were grinding his teeth.
“Don’t worry,” King Victor continued in a silky-smooth tone. “I have a solution to ensure that the debt is paid at last. Just hope your father will sacrifice you. If not, my next step is to see that Frostbourne is burned to ashes.”
“No!” Everand screamed.
“What do you mean, sacrifice?” Hugo shouted at the same time. Both he and Everand attempted to lunge at the king, but guards grabbed them and pulled them back.
King Victor’s gaze fell on Hugo and a slow smile formed, causing shards of ice to form in Hugo’s stomach. That was not a kind smile.
“Good work, Captain. You acquired your target and the very best kind of spare.” King Victor shifted his attention to Everand. “Behave, Your Highness, or it will be your fiancé who suffers.”
He turned to his desk and gave an absent wave of his hand, as if all the energy had drained out of him. “Put them in the dungeon. I don’t want to look at them any longer.”
Without another word, the guards dragged them away, shutting down any chance of negotiation. And no chance to find out more of this bad history that lingered between the two kingdoms.
At the very least, Everand had to know something of it. Maybe he could get more information from the prince once they were alone in the dungeon.
Hugo mentally sighed. A dungeon.
To think not all that long ago, he’d been anticipating a sexy night in bed with his lover. Now he was in Wulia, being escorted to the dungeon. His life had become far too unpredictable.