When It Reigns (Cursed Reigns, #1)

CHAPTER FORTY-FOUR

My husband terrified me more than I would ever admit to him. His ruthless demeanor and brutal hostility radiated promises of my demise if I were to cross him. I was much too frightened to celebrate that clever pun.

"Noted," I said, attempting to be discreet as I put some distance between us. The stiff, deceased vegetation became denser as we traveled. The source of light from the moon was blocked out by the intertwining branches overhead and I wondered why they'd opted for walking through the disturbing forest instead of flying.

My head swam as my bond with Zoran weakened my body despite Armaeda's nearness. Since she was here, she couldn't grant my father permission to destroy my bond with Zoran. The relief was brief until I thought about my Champion suffering from our bond being separated over such a vast distance.

Distant shrieks echoed, spiking my fear as I searched for the Cursed demons over my shoulder. I nearly bumped into Shade as I turned back around and came to an abrupt stop to avoid touching him.

Shade raised his hood and increased his pace as a silver castle came into view, gleaming on the horizon. Four spires decorated the tops of the towers on each corner of the fortress. Each pillar was decorated with a red flag displaying the black Ravos crest of a set of swords intersecting each other in an "X" and a pair of wings behind them. 

The demons and dragons marched with growing vigor as we closed in on the looming towers amid a field of dirt. More lifeless trees outlined the castle with their twisting trunks leaning toward the castle as an uncanny barrier. I rubbed my arms as goosebumps pricked my skin even though the weather was significantly warmer in the Ravos Kingdom than where I'd grown up in the wintery mountains.

I trailed behind the group, apprehension slowing my steps as we approached the Ravos Castle. Shade led his legion to the moat surrounding the structure and whistled a series of various pitches. The sound was replayed back to him by someone high in one of the towers followed by the creaking of the drawbridge as it was lowered over the gap. The demons moved aside, forming an isle between them as they all rotated to look at me.

"After you, Princess Cross," a chilling voice said at my back, hot breath tickling my ear as a talon poked my shoulder blade.

I gritted my teeth and evenly replied, "Thank you, King Kristos."

Refusing to bow under the weight of the demons' cruel stares, I lifted my chin and headed through the makeshift passage as I diverted my gaze from their insidious faces disguised by skull-like masks of bone. Shade watched the exchange with scrutiny and turned his back to me as I approached. Without waiting for me, he crossed the rickety red bridge and paused at the grouping of trees blocking the doors to the castle. Goo oozed like sap down the splintering bark and drained into the ditch.

Taking a deep breath, I investigated the trench and swallowed hard as the black substance boiled and popped, spurting droplets into the air. I aimed for an aura of nonchalance as I went over the bridge and joined the intimidating prince. With a wave of his hand, the limp trees straightened and their branches stretched for the sky, clearing the steps leading to the red doors as more smoke exuded from his palm.

Boots clunked on the wooden boards behind me and an armory of weapons clanged against the demons' bone armor as they passed over the bridge. The sudden realization that the Ravos Kingdom had shown up in the Nyrial Empire with an entire militia armed to the teeth with lethal weapons led me to wonder whether the wedding agreement had been as peaceful as it had seemed.

Especially since Armaeda was still captive somewhere in Ravos.

Shade heaved the doors open as his force of demons lined the palace in defensive stances. King Kristos stood in the middle of the plank of wood covering the moat and his dark eyes collided with mine through his creepy, animalistic bone mask that covered his whole face. The pointed snout was even more insidious than the hooked nose of Edge's mask. I walked in the castle before the king could witness the involuntary shudder that wracked through me.