Crystal Storm (Falling Kingdoms #5)(90)

Selia raised her chin. “You will forgive me when you see there’s no other way for this to end.”

The king shook from head to toe as his mother left the room.

Cleo was dumbfounded, utterly unable to think clearly after such an argument.

“My mother was poisoned . . .” she began. “Because your mother thought you wanted to renew your relationship with her.”

“Yes.”

“And that would . . . destroy her control over you.”

“Yes.” It was not much more than a hiss this time.

“Selia told me that you beat my mother almost to death, that she hated you.”

His eyes widened. “My mother is a liar. Elena was my world, my weakness, my suffering, my one and only love. I didn’t lay a hand on her in anger and I never would have.” Gaius cast a dark look at her. “I want you to leave here as well.”

“What?”

“My mother was right about one thing: You are a danger to my son, just as Elena was a danger to me. I won’t have it. I will protect him from harm whether he wants my protection or not.”

“But I . . . I thought . . .”

“What? That I’d begun to redeem myself in some small way by stopping you from drinking that poison? That wasn’t about you, princess. That was about me and my mother. Magnus would be better off if you were dead and no longer a problem for either of us.”

The ache in her heart she’d shockingly begun to feel for this man and his horrific past quickly turned to stone. “I think Magnus should have a say in this decision.”

“He is young and stupid when it comes to such things, just as I was. I don’t forgive my mother for what she did, but I do understand why she did it. I will do you the favor of not ending your life here today, but only if you leave this very moment. Go back to your precious Auranos. Better yet, leave Mytica entirely. Elena’s family hailed from western Vaneas. Perhaps you could build a new life there.”

“I want to speak to Magnus,” Cleo insisted. “I need to—”

“You need to leave before what little patience I have left disappears. And know, princess, I do this not for you but in the memory of your mother, who should have lived instead of her worthless child, who’s brought nothing but misery to my world. Now go, and don’t return.”

Cleo finally turned away from him, blinking back tears.

The first person she came across was Enzo, standing just outside the room.

“You heard?” she asked.

“Not all of it,” he admitted.

She hesitated. “I know you’re Limerian, and despite any promises you’ve made, you’re loyal to the king, not to me. But I must ask you anyway . . . will you come with me? I’m not fool enough to think I can go out there in this world, as it is right now, unprotected.”

It didn’t take long before Enzo nodded firmly. “Yes, of course I will. We’ll find a ship that will take us to Auranos or wherever else you want to go.”

She nodded, grateful to have his allegiance, if nothing else. “Thank you, Enzo. But I’m not taking a ship anywhere.”

“Where do you want to go?”

It seemed she’d been left with very few options. It was time for her to be strong again. “I want to seek an audience with the empress.”





CHAPTER 25


    MAGNUS


   PAELSIA



He’d drained two bottles of wine the innkeeper kept on hand. Oddly enough, the wine hadn’t been a Paelsian vintage. It was bitter and dry and left a foul aftertaste in Magnus’s mouth, but it was just as effective as Paelsian wine in dulling his mind and helping him fall asleep.

But not in keeping him asleep. The sound of his door creaking open woke him. He’d been certain he’d locked it. His body felt heavy and far too weary to move, and his mind was too foggy to care who entered his room.

“It’s me,” Cleo whispered.

Magnus’s eyes shot wide open at the sound of her voice, his back to the door.

“What do you want?” he asked tentatively, without turning around to look at her.

“I needed to see you.”

“Can’t it wait until morning?”

“You’re drunk.”

“You’re observant.”

“You want me to leave?”

“No.”

The bed creaked as she slipped into it beside him.

Magnus froze at the sensation of her hand sliding over his side to his chest. “Cleo . . .”

“I don’t want to fight with you,” she murmured into his ear. “I don’t want to leave you. I love you, Magnus. So much.”

His heart twisted. “You said love wasn’t enough to fix this.”

“I was angry. Everyone says horrible things when they’re angry.”

“But Nic . . .”

“I must have hope that he’s alive. He has to be. He knows I’d be furious with him if he let himself be killed. Now look at me, Magnus.”

He finally turned around and was greeted by the sight of her at his side, her beautiful face lit by the sliver of moonlight streaming through the window, her hair like spun gold, her eyes dark and bottomless.

“I need you to do something very important for me,” she said.