Chapter 7 – Bonus Chapter

“My mattress is lumpy,” Nesso complained for the tenth millionth time, and at this point, I was ready to plant a cockroach in it as retaliation if I had to hear his voice again. “How long do we have to stay here?”

Of course, he’d never stop yapping. I folded the heavy White Wing Territory law books shut on the bed, knowing them from cover to cover already. Nothing in them had given me any ideas on how to free Angelica from the academy once she had signed that damn ledger. How could this life be something she aspired to when she could become so much more?

“You’re free to leave whenever you want, Nesso. Do you want Murben to let you out?”

“And miss all the fun? I’m still wagering on whether you’ll become the leader of this place within the week and shape up the men, or whether you’ll have pissed off the captain enough to have your head on a spike by the mountain range border.”

It almost hurt as my brows knitted together. Not from the lack of respect amongst my ranks but from something far worse…the fact the second might very well come true. “With whom have you made this wager?”

“My two inner selves. The dark me is winning with a haunting laugh.”

I heard Murben sigh. “More likely, you’ll see a cockroach and scream and be running for the hills before the outcome of either of those things.”

There were shuffling noises coming from Nesso’s cell now. “Cockroaches? Here? You think they don’t prefer the canteen or perhaps the dorm rooms’ kitchen cupboards?”

Murben scoffed a laughed, but after that, the dungeon went silent. Did the academy not keep any prisoners?

Heavy boots fell at the entrance of the dungeon corridor.

“I do not like to be summoned like a dog.” The captain swiftly marched to the centre of my cell door where he stopped, staring at me like it was a nuisance I was here.

Not my choice. Not my fault. Although, it did play into my cards.

The throbbing pain in my chest was still there, though. I didn’t want to believe the general when she told me. How could Angelica be a spy for the white-wings? The betrayal dug deep. Emotions I had to master as I had almost killed her. I had not wanted that. I wasn’t finished with her yet. A soft echo like an ancient spell resounded through me with the whisper that I probably never would. 

The captain crossed his arms over his yellow uniform when I didn’t reply at once, knowing how powerful silence could be. I slowly stood from the bed and sauntered closer, his blue eyes gleaming in warning. The blue eyes, which were the only thing about him with any resemblance to Angelica. So, this was her brother? The sight of him intrigued me, having heard so much about him. Righteous, harsh but fair, all wrapped up in not a tall but wide frame. He was polished, no doubt about it. Not a single of his dark-blond hairs was out of place.

“How else do kings summon their servants?” I drawled, but not even as I stepped closer did he recede in his steps.

Seeming utterly unafraid of me, his feet were planted so firmly they could have grown roots through the cracks of the dungeon floor.

“I couldn’t care less how you summon them in your territory, and I urge you to return to rule them as you see fit.” He was frustrated but hid it admirably well.

So, the academy kept him too busy to play diplomatic games with kings. He wanted me gone, although I wondered whether it was purely because of his busy schedule or if he in fact cared for his little sister.

“I will…when I’m done here.”

“And what is your mission? Maybe I can help speed things along.”

I mirrored his stance, perfectly aware that I was a head taller than him. “Where is your hospitality, Captain?”

He pinched the bridge of his nose, breathing deeply. So, he wasn’t so composed as he wished to be. I didn’t know much about his powers, but people cowered before him and he had secured his job even after his father was executed for treason, so he must possess potent magic. How would I push him far enough to find out what it was without him sending me to the Underworld?

“How’s your sister? Did she get back from the Black Wing Territory okay?”

“That’s none of your Spirits’ damned business!” he roared, almost jamming his face between the bars.

Touchy. So, I guess he’d stand in my way then. Good. A challenge. Life was getting boring.

I held up my hands, but with no intention of surrendering.

“Is that all, King Blackbone, or was there a point to my visit?”

“I want air. Some sunlight. Either me,” I jerked my chin towards the other cells, “or them. I need a break, so up to you who you want to guard in the courtyard.”

“And if I decline a request for any of you to have a breather? You understand that as long as you’re in the White Wing Territory and inside this dungeon, you’re a prisoner?”

“If not granted?” I paused before I told him, “Then things might get worse.”

Was that a blush of frustration I saw blossoming up from his collar?

“Elaborate,” he growled between gritted teeth.

I simply flashed him a smirk.

That ought to do it.

He could fill in the gaps with his own imagination.

He got the keys from the dungeon office and opened my door. No shackles. Was it because the general had told him about my history with shackles or was it because his magic was that powerful?

“Don’t forget us down here!” Nesso called after me, as Captain Coraly led me towards the turret to the ground floor.

I didn’t deign an answer. If I didn’t return, they were more than capable of breaking out by themselves.

I followed the captain step by rhythmic step up the turret. “When do the renowned and supposedly deadly challenges begin? I have been here for days now and seen nothing but a soft mattress and been fed fancy meals three times a day.”

“Soon enough. Bureaucracy might go faster in your territory than here. I’m having your teammate approved on paper.”

“True. I’m not much for bureaucracy. What I say is law. End of.”

The captain spun around, and standing a step higher than me, he was slightly taller. His hand flew to my collar, but he fisted it before he gripped my shirt, thinking better of it. So, he was both smart and powerful. Good for him. I didn’t have to kill him today.

“How can you be the…” his words ebbed out in a painful sigh before he turned around and sped up his walk.

I barely saw the paned glass doors leading out to what looked like a courtyard before he pointed at them and shouted. “Get out there and breathe, or don’t breathe, I don’t care, but don’t kill anyone! I’ll be back in thirty minutes.”

I avoided eye contact with everyone as I entered the courtyard, keeping to the walls until I found a secluded and shaded space behind a large rosebush that climbed tall on the wall. I kept my head low but had my eyes on all the cadets, assessing them. Gazes swept across the centre to find the most confident cadets and then along the sides to find those who didn’t want any trouble.

My heart skipped a beat as Angelica entered the courtyard.

Spirits, my heart has to stop doing that every time I see her.

My nightmares had to stop too, they had been haunting me and burning through my sleep and every thought since the moment she stood right outside my cell and told Camp Leader Ward that she was joining the academy. Reckless. Brave. A quick way to destroy my soul.

Something skewered my heart seeing the lines on her forehead. She was upset, and I instinctively wanted to tear apart whoever had hurt her. What had her brother done to her when finding out she had intended to set me free? He wanted me gone anyway, so I had assumed he’d brush it off. But the distraught look on her face and the fact that I could do nothing about it, was the blade that killed me and turned my soul cold. I didn’t understand any of it. She had been like a gift from the Spirits on my birthday when I had first laid eyes on her. So stunning. So strong. So mischievous. Like the first game ever in the world that I didn’t know if I could win. It set my heart on fire. But with my dark magic, I couldn’t get close to any woman, and for so long I had worn armour like a cage around my heart to hide love away. It was a weakness I must hate and hide. But she…she broke open that cage so easily, damning me to my knees, making me into a king without a crown. Powerless.

I looked at her little, fragile form and a growl erupted from deep in my gut at the thought of anyone hurting her. She never knew it, never knew I’d never ask her to fight my wars, yet she’d only seem the colour of my blood as being her enemy. She’d never see the heart that beat inside and that I had sheathed my sword many times in her name. For her I’d burn it all. This whole bloody sky island. How could I make her see that? I needed her to find a spark, just trust me once. Bit by bit I could take back her loyalty to the black-wings and I’d take her home. Home to Black Castle where she could carry on with her mischief in our usual dance. Her disobeying my laws, and ending up in my council chamber, and me playing with her until all the day’s hardship seemed washed away.

She took aim for one of the quiet corners and my entire body itched to approach her, but I feared I’d only put her in a worse situation if her peers thought we were allies. An elbow jutted out from Cadet Gravelhorn, striking her side. Seeing her huff and bend over in pain, I clasped the rosebush to keep myself from killing him, barely noticing the thorns digging into my flesh. I was seeing red, red that I wanted to match with his blood cascading onto the floor.

When Gravelhorn coughed, “Mutt,” into his fist, my sanity faltered entirely, and I began to slither along the wall to get closer to her. I wanted to be close enough to snap someone’s neck with my bare hands if they gave it any thought of drawing a blade against her.

Another cadet got a shuffle in at her shoulder before also hissing the word mutt behind a cigarette. My blood boiled, rage rising like steam under a lid I tried to desperately keep over my temper. But when three men confronted her, blocking her path to a quiet corner, I could stay out of it no longer. Before I got closer, two more cadets had gathered in a ring around her.

The fright in her eyes, made me worry I’d fail the captain’s first order. I’d murder them all.

I’d be damned if I let Gravelhorn even close to drawing that blade he stroked over his leg. I flexed out my wings and stepped closer. They moved backwards. Good. Yield. I glared right into Gravelhorn’s hazel eyes until he was clever enough to take his posse and distance themselves.

Angelica had her back towards me, and as she slowly turned around, she stared at me like usual, like I’d always be a monster to her. Like every touch was a trap and every word was a snare, always trying to get a noose around her neck.

What did I have to do to make her look at me with admiration? If I could tear my royal name from my skin, I would. If she could see my heart bleeding and if she could hear its breaking sound, could she ever love the sharpened monster of the man she found deep inside? See the scars from the battles of my childhood that she didn’t know I had fought and won; and some I was still fighting.

But I’m not your enemy!

But if I told her who her enemies were, she’d gain many more and be in worse dangers than those inside the walls of this outpost.

All I could do was give her a small grin, because she’d just see the lives buried by my hands when she looked at me. But maybe it wasn’t only me. She had a dark past she was fighting, too. Ever since her family had been torn apart, she had kept her soul behind unbreakable walls and a thick iron gate.

It had hardened her to become incredibly brave, not averting once with her eyes as she stared me down. Me! A king! Yet her spine didn’t curve, her shoulders didn’t cave in, and her head was ramrod straight.

“Captain Coraly is back,” someone murmured, but they were only muffled words with the focus I kept on Angelica, until she shifted, turning around.

Fuck. The heartbreak that showed in her eyes would break me. She had realised her father was dead and I could see the rising pain. She was panicking now…and not breathing properly.

I had to do something. But these feelings. Her. It was so strange and new to me.

She was trembling. Shit! The sight of her folding like a house of cards made me want to murder everyone here, despite what I had promised Captain Coraly. Water pooled in her eyes, and she’d buckle to the ground at any minute if I didn’t do something. With all the cadets in this courtyard, she needed to tap into her anger rather than her grief. Clearly, she needed to be stunned out of the all-consuming sadness that flooded her.

I shot out my hand, grabbing her throat and slammed her into the stone wall. My magic angered even when I tried to keep it close to me. It extended to her as if a part of me wanted to devour every scent and touch of her. Not entirely voluntarily, my wings protectively folded around her. I had to get her out of this. Hide her before anyone saw how badly she was trembling. I had to get out of here, or the way her beautiful eyes would burn into my nightmares, and the spirits knew I had enough of nightmares. But she was staring at me like I’d crush her to dust with my bare hands without a second thought or remorse. She looked at me like I was a monster.

I averted my gaze from that cruel look, letting my sight trail down her tiny body. Spirits, that gorgeous body. The inexplicable pull I felt towards it was so disarming.

Shit, she had calmed, and I was the one still holding my hand around her throat. I loosened it slowly, but kept it where it was, still very aware that she had plenty of daggers at her hips. She could still lash out at me, and I knew she was quick. The rumours said as much from all the mischief she had wrecked in my territory. It wouldn’t be strange that she was angry. When I had lost my mother, I’d have done anything to get her back and done just about anything to pacify my rage when I accepted I couldn’t. She wasn’t alone in her grief, but she was also a warrior who had joined this fucking academy. To survive, she had to stay strong.

“It’s suffocating to lose someone you love, but don’t show the cadets in this courtyard any weakness. Compose yourself.”

She leaned her head back against the wall.

“I’m a freak.”

“Freak?” Good, she had found a way to balance her anger and grief. This was the cocky Miss Stone she needed to be. I tipped her chin up with a knuckle, trying to find the right words to play with her without pressing on her new grief. “I thought they said mutt.” I pulled up a smirk, but a flicker of soul-damning hurt crossed her mind. Wrong approach.

She gripped my hand to pry it off her, but the touch of her skin was too tempting, too comforting to let free.

“I didn’t take you for a protector of mutts,” she spat at me.

I guess she wasn’t done being angry. But it was better that anger was directed at me rather than she felt the grief of her father’s death.

I cocked my head sideways, relishing the touch of her hands as they gripped at mine. When she accepted that we weren’t enemies, I’d have to show her how to get out of this grip; if that was in fact what she was trying to do. But she was right about one thing, I didn’t care to protect anyone here…but her. I had an entire kingdom to run, to protect. There was no time to be a neighbourhood hero. The best way I could protect them was to ensure I executed the bad people in Skyberg so they could never hurt anyone again. “I don’t protect. I kill when I want to see justice. Don’t confuse the concepts.”

“Sounds the same to me.” She tried to kick me as she said it, but her leg didn’t reach me.

Good, I had turned her grief and anger into stubbornness and self-defence. Her fighting spirit was back. Problem was, she still thought I was a monster, and maybe I still had to play the part as a monster to protect her in this place.

I let loose a large sigh. “Protection insinuates I care. I don’t. I’m doing my duty as king to make society fair.”

“You’re all about fairness? That’s why you saved my life from those cadets?”

“Yes. His nickname for you wasn’t fair. The one I call you is more fitting, Stone. You’re not what people say, but what you show them you are. You just need to strengthen your weaknesses. Your personality is already flawless.”

“Yes. Like stone. Stop messing with me. I know you plan to kill me. I’m surprised they let you out of the dungeon.”

I grunted lowly as I let a pang of hurt simmer out. “Only for a short breather.”

How could she believe I’d kill her? I could have so easily done it by now if I had wanted to. She had been caught and sent to my council chamber on enough occasions.

But it was a good thing. She should know I was a monster. Everyone must believe I was, and maybe I truly was.

“They shouldn’t keep you captive. They should execute you immediately.”

I let out a dark chuckle. Such sweet, stubborn words. Fuck, I wanted to kiss that mouth. Make her eat those words. But she hated me, and I feared a dagger in my gut if I got too close. I know someone else would definitely gut me if I got involved with her any further, but also if I didn’t protect her. “I’m not a captive. I’m choosing to stay. Let’s say I have a vested interest in your fate.”

She smiled, sharp and mocking, and I watched as if it was a blossoming poppy right in front of my eyes, growing tall and confident in the sunlight. Just the frame of mind I had been working to achieve, and it was just in time, as I could see Camp Leader Ward in my peripheral view.”

“Are you composed? Here comes the warden.” Not wanting to cause trouble for her, I dropped my hand from her throat and retracted my wings.

Something dark settled inside me as I realised it was my fault she was caressing her throat. I had been too rough.

“Warden?” she challenged me. “I thought you said you weren’t captive.”

The sweet thing didn’t know how badly the camp leader wanted her back. It wouldn’t surprise me if he put chains on her and led her around like a dog to never lose her again. In a way, maybe he already had when not stopping her from signing the enrolment ledger. “I’m not. You are.” I jerked my chin towards the door.

Her face went pale as she turned to see the camp leader approaching.

“There you are. I heard when you left the apartment. You always were out of bed early.”

My magic flared so potently I struggled to keep it balanced and not have it leak out in the courtyard. I didn’t want to give the camp leader the satisfaction. The bastard. They had shared a bed!

I observed Angelica and not meaning to, I grunted at her. It was stupid. She had not cheated on me. She wasn’t mine. But I’d fucking burn this place to the ground if she chose to live the rest of her life with Watson. A deep and dark place inside me had been obsessed with Angelica since the first day I had seen her, and it had already claimed her as mine. I knew I shouldn’t be with her. There were so many reasons she was better suited to him than me, but that didn’t matter. Claim, attraction, or whatever was between us, I needed her by my side. I’d be damned if the camp leader would always stand a step behind her back. I’d rather kill him…but I had promised the captain to be good.

“I needed some air, but I should’ve just opened a damned window,” she spat and looked away.

Interesting. Maybe the camp leader didn’t have sway with her in the way I had thought. I grunted, amused at the thought. She had made a standpoint against him, placing herself on my side; her enemy’s side. He was clearly the one in the doghouse.  

My amusement was short-lived as the camp leader wrapped an arm around her shoulder and pulled her away.

“Come. Harvey returned last night. We should go and speak with him.”

When he took her hand in a possessive grip, I gripped onto my belt to keep my hands from unsheathing the camp leader’s sword and slicing his hand right off. I held my breath and fought hard to restrain my wrath. All I wanted to do was separate them. A grunt escaped me as I bit back a breath filled with the need to put my fists to use.

Then my wrath dissipated. She had torn her hand out of the camp leader’s and by the look of it, he hadn’t expected it. But she still followed him out of the courtyard to see the captain. My life depended on that conversation. That’s why I was here. I had to ensure that the captain sent her on a mission far away from the north, and once that was done, I could return to Black Castle, knowing she would be safe, and knowing where to send my spies to check up on her.