Kingdom of the Feared (Kingdom of the Wicked, #3)(63)

I thought of what my sister had said about Wrath being unable to give me his heart. If his curse was to lose everything he loved and I was still here…

I swallowed hard and chopped the herbs with more vigor than needed. I had to prioritize my goals, and being upset over Wrath ought to be last. What I needed to focus on first was finding proof that Vesta was alive. Then I could figure out a way to save Vittoria from the blood retribution, and then remove my spell-lock.

“Are you all right?” the demon asked, watching with a quirked brow as my knife attacked the cutting board. “Is this because of the First Witch?”

I lifted a shoulder noncommittally. After Blade was escorted from the castle, Wrath had Sursea taken to an underground chamber that would keep her frozen and I’d sneaked away to the kitchen. I needed to create. To do something familiar and calming, something that reminded me I was more than a spell-locked goddess whose twin was potentially murdering members of rival demon courts or setting them free, whose family might be the true villains of a very complicated, nightmarish fairy tale, whose husband might not truly ever love me freely, and whose list of enemies and complications seemed to grow with each passing day.

I hated to think anything could get worse from here.

“What do you think their prince wanted with me?”

“Drink?”

I jerked my attention to his. At first I thought he’d meant the vampire wished to drink me. Wrath held up a bottle of sparkling demonberry wine, smiling. I nodded, and he poured me a glass before grabbing a bottle of the pale purple liquor he preferred and serving himself a generous amount.

He sipped it, then leaned against the counter, watching me rinse cannellini beans with quiet fascination, intrigued when I started to mash them in a bowl until they were smooth enough to spread. I wasn’t sure what I was making yet, either, but I had an idea of what I’d like it to taste like. Hopefully, it would be good.

“To answer your question,” he said, “I suspect he wants you for your power, given the tumultuous state of his court. Royal vampires have the ability to place someone under their thrall. All the prince would have to do is give you a bit of his blood, and you’d essentially do anything to please him, hoping for more.”

I minced two large cloves of garlic, then zested a lemon before cutting it into quarters to squeeze over the mashed beans. “They could have accepted Vittoria’s alliance. Your brother did mention that she’d sought them out, too. She’s also fully restored. I’m still only a shadow witch. They knew it would anger you, so it was a rather large, desperate risk. I don’t see the value in what they tried to accomplish when they had someone willing to stand beside them.”

“Your sister rules over death. They are undead. On a whim, she could decide she no longer wants to play nicely with them and they would cease. Choosing to steal you was the best option. Despite the risk, if they’d succeeded, it would have solved many of their problems. You’re also not in possession of your full power, which would have made you easier for their prince to manipulate. The plan was decent enough. But they didn’t plan on one thing.”

“Which is?”

“You cannot be replicated.”

I gave him a sardonic look. “I have a twin.”

“Doesn’t matter.” Wrath lifted a shoulder. “I always knew you. And always will. Your soul calls to mine. It’s a feeling of coming home. Of peace. No magic can duplicate it.” For a second, I forgot how to breathe. We held each other’s gazes, and after a moment, Wrath’s lips curved in a troublesome grin. “Plus, no one manages to look at me with such fury and desire like you do.”

“Mmm.” I smiled and slightly shook my head. “The truth will out, I see.”

When Wrath spoke like that, it was hard to believe he didn’t love me.

“How am I still here?” I asked, setting my knife down. “Your curse…”

He took another sip of his drink, then wrapped an arm around me, drawing me to his side. “If you don’t mind, I’d rather not talk about that tonight.” The prince pressed his lips to my temple in a chaste kiss. “I promise we will. Soon. Just not now.”

I studied his features. The strain in his jaw, the fierceness in his eyes. The demon looked like he needed a respite from our nightmarish few hours, so our conversation could wait.

“All right.” I gave him a tight smile and focused on the food again. He moved to the other side of the island, giving me plenty of space to work. “What do you think of what Blade said regarding Vittoria’s unusual companion?”

“Marcella?”

“Mmh-hmm.” I scooped the lemon zest up and sprinkled it over the beans, quickly adding the herbs next. I drizzled olive oil, two tablespoons of warm water, then added salt and fresh ground pepper. Wrath’s cooks had red pepper flakes in the pantry, so I added a generous pinch of them, too. I stirred everything until it was well mixed, then topped it off with the remaining fresh herbs, pepper flakes, and a drizzle more of olive oil. “I can’t help but wonder if Vesta assumed a new identity or reclaimed her true name. If she’s the demon-werewolf companion he spoke of.”

“It would explain the blood.”

“It might also explain why Vesta didn’t simply escape to the Shadow Realm. If she’s both demon and werewolf, she probably can’t travel there alone like the other wolves. Correct?”