A Kingdom of Blood and Betrayal (Stars and Shadows #2)(67)

“Neither belong to you,” Evren growled from behind me, and his chest pressed firmer against my back. “You threw Thalia away like she was trash you were finished using.”

My gaze slid to Sorin, and even before my eyes landed on his handsome face, I could feel his fury radiating from him in waves. He would kill the crowned prince for his offense to Thalia and that alone.

“And the Starblessed?” Gavril nodded in my direction as if I was an object to discuss. “I wasn’t quite finished using her. But I take it by the way she’s clinging to your leg like a bitch in heat that she is no longer pure.”

Evren’s magic shot out around me, swallowing me in his darkness, and Gavril laughed. This was exactly what he wanted. He was pushing Evren’s buttons for a reason, and I didn’t realize why until I felt another source of magic slam into me.

My gaze met Gavril’s, and he cocked his head as he smiled at me. His power felt strong, and for a moment, fear raced through me as I stared into his hollow eyes.

“Don’t worry, brother. I won’t snatch the Starblessed out of your hands like you did me. I will let her choose her fate.”

Evren’s hands tightened around me and pulled me impossibly closer to him.

“Did you know, Starblessed? That your blood has a really particular taste.” Gavril ran his fingers along his lips as if he was remembering the moment he took from me. “The moment it touched my lips, I knew that I had tasted it before.”

I didn’t say a word, but my back straightened and the marks burned against my skin.

“What do you want, Gavril?” Evren growled through his teeth, and his magic rumbled around me.

“What is mine.” He nodded in my direction before taking a step toward me. “I am to rule with her at my side.”

Thalia shifted closer to me, and I could feel her magic coming to life beneath her skin.

Gavril noticed her too. He looked toward her before that same smirk crossed his lips. “Are you going to protect her, Thalia? You couldn’t protect yourself.”

Rage like I had never felt before came over me, and I stood from Evren’s lap before he could stop me. My magic shot from my fingers and swirled around me as I stared at the prince to whom I was promised.

“You will never speak to her again.” I hardly recognized my voice, but I heard the gasps of others around us. This wasn’t a part of the plan, to show Gavril the amount of power I held, but it refused to lay dormant while he spoke to her like that. “You do so again, and you will rule nothing.”

Every part of my skin felt alive with my power, but I could still feel Evren’s wrapping around me, protecting me even when I wasn’t sure I needed it.

“So this is why you took her?” Gavril’s gaze darkened as he took me in, and I could practically see his plotting turning in his mind. “They say you are Father’s selfless son, but look at you taking all the power for yourself.”

“I don’t want her for her power.” Evren’s hand wrapped around my thigh and pulled me back a step until I was standing between his legs.

“Lie to the girl all you want, brother, but we both know exactly what you want from her.”

Gavril turned and looked behind him and nodded someone forward. One of his soldiers, a man I recognized from the fae palace, stepped forward with his hand wrapped around the arm of another. The person had a hood covering their face, and the moon pendant around my neck burned against my skin.

He shoved the person forward until they fell to their knees in front near Gavril, and he reached forward and tugged the hood back from their head.

I didn’t recognize the man before me, but my power seemed to. It snaked around me as if it were ready for anything, but both me and my power couldn’t look away from the man.

“What is this?” I shook my head and reached up to rub the spot where my pendant lay.

“Ask your betrothed.” Gavril nodded behind me. “I’m most certain he will remember him.”

The man looked up at me, and there was so much sadness in his eyes. His hair was brown, a similar shade to my own, and his eyes were bright. But it was the star mark along the top of his hand that held my attention.

“Who is this?” I asked again, my voice firmer and full of power.

Evren stood and pressed his chest to my back, and I could feel his rough rush of breath against the back of my neck.

“It’s odd, don’t you think?” Gavril ran his hand over his jaw. “That you wouldn’t recognize your own father.”

I jerked backward and slammed into Evren. His hand wrapped around my middle and his power snaked around every other inch of me.

I shook my head as I stared at the man I had no recollection of. “You’re lying.”

“Am I?” Gavril chuckled and pulled on the man’s hair until he was forced to stand again. “How do you think I recognize the taste of your blood, Adara?” He lifted the man’s wrist in his hand and showed me the scars that lay there. “I have fed from your father’s blood for years while I waited for you. He had refused me your hand in marriage so I took it against his will.”

“My father is dead.” My voice trembled, and I studied the man’s face. I didn’t know him, but I was a fool if I tried to deny that there were so many similarities staring back at me. “My father wasn’t a Starblessed.”