A Kingdom of Venom and Vows (Stars and Shadows #3)(50)

The muscles in his jaw tensed, and his mouth tightened into a thin line. His hands clenched into fists and his eyes flashed with pain as he opened them wide, but Adara kept talking as if nothing was wrong, her voice unwavering and light.

“I used to pretend like I was a siren, though.” She laughed at herself, at her memories, and I collected them inside myself with a desperation to know every part of her. “I would swim in the small creek just outside of town, and I would braid little flowers into my hair.”

She smiled, and my chest burned.

“When any of the boys in town were cruel to me, I would pretend like I had a siren’s song and could lure them to the death if I so choose.”

“The boys were mean to you?” I leaned forward in my chair, and she rolled her beautiful eyes.

“Calm down. It was a long time ago, and I didn’t know you then.”

Yet, I had been waiting my entire lifetime for you.

“I even managed to convince a couple of them that a siren song was a part of all this.” She waved her hand toward her face, toward her star marks. “They were scared of what I was capable of and didn’t mess with me after that.”

“Good,” her father grumbled as he leaned near the fireplace. “Serves them right.”

The man was still frail, a type of feebleness that only came from years of not taking care of yourself, or in his case, years of abuse.

His shoulders carried too much weight, and the light in his eyes had almost gone out, like a candle with a last flame. But he was slowly coming back to life. You could see it in the way he smiled at Adara, at the way his cheeks were just a bit less hollow than they had been the day before.

I had been the one responsible for handing this man over to Queen Kaida, but even I hadn’t known what she had done to him. I believed the man to be dead days after he arrived in the fae kingdom.

The fact that she had been able to keep him a secret, that she had been able to keep Gavril’s mate a secret, was alarming. And it made me question so many other things I thought I knew.

They claimed I had been the traitor in their kingdom, but they were just as treasonous as I was.

More so.

“Adara.” As soon as I spoke her name, she turned to me, and the smile that still rested on her face took my breath away. This woman was my mate, and she was soon to be my wife.

And I didn’t deserve either.

“Yes?”

“Do you care to go grab Thalia for me? She was supposed to meet me over an hour ago, and we both know her hungover ass will be much nicer if you’re the one to wake her.”

She wrinkled her nose as she laughed and stood from her chair. “This is true.” She moved toward her father, and there was such a hesitation in her movements. She was still so unsure around him, scared to make the wrong move.

But she still wrapped her arms around his frail frame for a small hug before moving to me. She leaned down, dropping a kiss against my lips, and if her father hadn’t been in the room, I would have deepened it. I would have demanded more from her than I ever should have.

And she would have given it to me.

She pulled away from me, smiling as she walked away, and I waited until she had stepped outside the door before I turned back to her father.

He watched me carefully, and I didn’t know if he simply didn’t trust me or if he didn’t trust anyone.

“Sir.” I stood from my chair and moved closer to him. He still stood by the fire, and my hands were soaked in sweat from my nerves and the heat. “I know we haven’t had a lot of time to talk since you arrived here, but I wanted to talk to you now. To ask you something.”

He nodded his head, encouraging me to go on.

“I love your daughter.” I stated the fact, the one I hoped he could already see, and I clung to the thought.

He crossed his arms, but he didn’t argue against what I had just said, so I continued.

“I plan to keep her here in the Blood kingdom if this is where she wants to be, and I would like for you to stay as well. She loves you, and I never wish for her to be parted from you again.”

There was a bit of shock in his eyes, but he quickly recovered. “Are you asking me to stay?” He laughed softly, and I felt a bit foolish.

“What I’m trying to ask you…” I rubbed my hand down the back of my neck. Why was I so nervous? I knew Adara’s answer without asking her father’s permission, but for some damn reason, I wanted it. I craved it. “Is for your blessing in marrying your daughter.”

Her father stared at me for a long moment, and with every passing second, my chest tightened.

“I understand why you wouldn’t give it to me.” I ran my hand through the back of my hair, but he cut me off.

“I didn’t say I wouldn’t give it to you.” He shook his head softly before his gaze met mine again. “I know that my daughter loves you. Hell, I hardly know her, and even I can see that clearly.”

“And I hope that you can see how much I love her.”

“I can.” He shifted on his feet. “But I also see your world. I see what you’re surrounded by, and I need to know that she’s going to be safe. All I have ever wanted is for her to be kept safe. Even though I failed at doing so.”

“I want that too.” I nodded and couldn’t get the knot in my stomach to stop tightening. “I want to promise you that I will always keep her safe and happy, but I think she would hate me for that.” I laughed softly. “Your daughter is so strong, and even when I can’t protect her, I know that she can protect herself. But I will do everything in my power to make sure she keeps a smile on her face. I will do my best to make sure she wants for nothing, and I will love her with everything I have until I’m taken from this world and even then. I would give up everything to do so.”