Serpent in Shackles

Chapter Twenty Four

"Where's your ring?" he murmured, reaching for my hand again.

I stared down at the free space that had been previously occupied by our engagement ring and rubbed the bare skin. "I took it off so that people don't find out who I am and use me to get to you."

"Don't lie to me."

Lies. LIES?

He wanted to talk about lies? He lied to me my entire life. He was my friend, my partner. Yet he stood there and lied to my face. He comforted me when I cried. He ate with me. Laughed with me. Loved me.

But he lied.

Who knew how deep those lies went.

And after everything we had been through, he had the nerve to question my loyalties. After I left my home and family behind to come to this Kingdom I didn't know existed, with this man who could kill me in a second. I did all that to protect his Kingdom. His throne. His future.

His features blurred; tears of rage building up in my eyes. My body acted on its own as I swung my fist toward him. The snap of flesh colliding with flesh burned through my mind. He tumbled to the ground at the unexpected impact.

Within a matter of seconds, the palace guards had their swords drawn, ready to protect the Prince. They shifted toward me as one, but before they reached where I stood, the team was already in front of me, standing toe to toe with the guards.

Caeden stood between me and the Prince.

Prince Roan glared up at Caeden. "You think I would hit her?"

Caeden's shoulders relaxed, despite the immediate threat facing him. "No. I don't think you would even get a chance."

Prince Roan's cheek was red, already bruising, as he rose to his feet and shifted his bottom jaw from to side to ensure it wasn't broken. It wasn't.

Either way, I was too mad to regret what I did.

"How long?" I asked. "How long were you going to continue lying to me about everything? You want to talk about lies? Let's start with the one's you've been feeding me for years!"

His gaze didn't break from the monster before me. Prince Roan refused to look at me. "You're going to take his word over mine?"

"Friends. We have been friends for years. For our entire lives. And this is how you treat me?" My voice cracked, holding back my tears. "You don't deserve my loyalty, my friendship, or my hand in marriage, Roan."

He gasped. All the guards gasped. Leila gasped. Even I gasped internally at what I said.

His name.

I referred to him, not by his title, but by his name. The only other person in this world who referred to him by name and not title, was the King. His father. His own flesh and blood. His superior.

His face turned pale like a man on his deathbed. "You're not staying here. You're coming back with me!"

"Princess can make her own decisions," Caeden said calmly.

I am not a puppet.

The Prince pointed a warning finger at him. "Stay out of it! I'm talking to my wife."

"Fiancé. She's not your wife yet. And you seem to forget that you're not in Abneer anymore. This is valoria. My Kingdom. And this is my home."

"And that is my wife."

"Emrys is your fiancé. And her own person, free to make her own decisions while she's standing on my property."

"I'm staying," I said, gripping Caeden's arm to pull him back as I stepped between them. "You don't get it now, but one day you will. One day when our people are safe. When you become king and you don't have to worry about a war. When there is a Kingdom still intact for you to become the King. Maybe then you'll understand why I'm doing this."