Kingdom of the Feared (Kingdom of the Wicked, #3)(89)

A muscle in Sursea’s jaw flickered. She still did not want the curse to be broken, even after she’d gotten what she’d wanted: her daughter free from Pride. That’s how much she hated Wrath for not giving her what she’d asked for. It was petulant. A tantrum thrown by a spoiled, highborn immortal. I shook my head.

“Vengeance. It’s an ugly pursuit that encompasses many sins. Careful,” I whispered, leaning in close, “or your pride will be your downfall, Sursea. A bit ironic, all things considered. That you would succumb to the sin you hated most above all, just to punish Wrath for saying no to your whims. For respecting his brother and his wife’s choice. You meddled and schemed. You chose hate when all you should have done was love your child unconditionally. Allow her to make her own choices. Become her own person.”

Sursea heaved a breath out, her face contorted in rage. “My daughter’s blood—and only her blood—activates the blade. But she must willingly give it to you. Like all magic, it cannot be forced or taken or gotten through deceptive means.” Something inside me that still felt human tightened in my chest. Sursea didn’t miss the minute change, her lips pulled back into a sneer. “Regardless of my interference, Lucia does not deserve to be brought back into this world of sin. I hope you can live with your choice to ruin the happiness she’s fought so hard to find.”





Wrath escorted me back to his private chamber in silence, sensing my need to sort through my options. He paused outside his door and looked me over. “We haven’t had many opportunities to discuss it, and now isn’t the most ideal time, either, but I’d like for us to share a room. It can be either of our suites, or we can tear the wall down between them and turn it into one floor for our private living quarters. We’ll add a small kitchen if you’d like.”

For the first time in days my mind stopped spinning. I stared at my husband, who never ceased to amaze me with his consideration. His endless acts of love. I rolled up onto my toes and dragged his face close to mine. “Let’s add the kitchen and tear the wall down. The idea of having this entire floor as our private living quarters where we can hide from the whole court is wildly appealing. And I disagree entirely. This was the perfect time to discuss it.”

“Consider it done, my lady.” Wrath kissed me gently, then opened the door. I followed him in and collapsed onto one of the oversized chairs set before the fireplace. The momentary elation passed, replaced by the seriousness of what had to be done next. Wrath looked me over, his lips tugging into a frown. “Did you get the answers you needed?”

“Mostly.” The flames danced in the fireplace, reminding me of excited puppy tails wagging. I turned my attention to my husband. “The bargain you made with Sursea was for six years, six months, and six days.” Wrath dropped into the chair beside me, giving me an assessing look. Before he could ask any questions, I added, “How much time is left?”

He gazed at the fire, the flames gilding his face in warm light. “A day.”

“A day.” I hadn’t thought we’d had much time left, but a day was ridiculous. Through a remarkable act of self-control, I pulled in my fury, keeping a clear head. “If we don’t break the curse before tomorrow, it can’t ever be broken.”

“The Well of Memory worked for you.” Wrath’s tone didn’t indicate how he felt about it. And his expression was even harder to read. He got up and poured a drink from the decanter he kept on a sideboard near the mantel. He turned to me and held the lavender liquid up. “This will ensure I don’t lose you again. Curse or not, we’ll get through it this time.”

He sipped the tincture that prevented him from feeling love, and the rage I felt at our circumstances and the First Witch came flooding out.

“We will not get through it like that. I want your heart, Samael. I want your love without spells and tinctures keeping it locked away. Only having half of you is a curse, too. We both deserve more. We deserve true happiness. Happiness without chains or restrictions or strings attached to it. No matter the sins of our past, we do not deserve to be punished for eternity. Your only crime was helping your brother and his wife make their own choice. Now you must give up love? For what? A hateful witch’s vengeance? I will not accept that. I cannot. You ought to give your heart to whomever you choose, whenever and however you choose to give it.”

“That might never happen.” Wrath’s tone wasn’t harsh or unkind. There was a glimmer of sadness in his eyes. “So decide now, before we complete our bond, if this—what we have right now—will be good enough for you. If I cannot love you, if I cannot offer you my heart in return, you need to decide if that’s something you can live with. If you cannot…”

Wrath would walk away; he’d set me free even if it crushed him.

“That’s why you haven’t brought up completing our bond before.”

He sighed and ran a hand through his hair. “I’d hoped to find a way to break the curse before we had to have this discussion.”

Silence fell between us again.

The fire crackled, its excitement over our combined anger feeding the flames. I wasn’t upset with Wrath. I understood why he’d crafted a secondary strategy in the event the curse remained intact. That showed his love even when he couldn’t express it. But I was greedy. I wanted it all. All of him. The good parts and the bad and every piece and part in between.