Storm Born Page 0,46

of the room. I turned, pausing. It was her. Jasmine Delaney.

She was smaller and slighter than I'd thought she'd be. A long white gown covered her body, and she wrapped its voluminous folds around herself as she huddled in the corner. Lank, reddish blond hair nearly covered her face, but it couldn't hide her eyes. They were enormous and gray, filled with fear. They stood out sharply against her pale, gaunt face. Seeing my gaze upon her, she cringed further.

Anger boiled within me. And pity. I knew she was fifteen, but in that moment, she looked about ten. She was a child. And she was trapped here, taken against her will. Hotter and fiercer my rage grew. I needed to make her captor pay, to let him know he couldn't just -

My moment of emotion cost me. In those seconds I'd spent staring at her, I'd lost the last man. I felt a blade at my throat and realized I'd let him sneak up behind me.

"If you want to live," he said, "drop your weapons and call off your servants."

I didn't really think I'd live if I did that, but I was pretty sure I wouldn't if I didn't. So I did as he asked.

Yet, it wasn't entirely clear to me what this one guy could really do alone. A moment later, I had my answer as another man entered. Immediately, I knew he was Aeson. For one thing, the others had been dressed in a sort of uniform. He was not. He wore deep burgundy pants tucked into thigh-high boots made of black leather. A shirt of black silk clothed his upper body, billowing and gleaming. His gray-streaked brown hair was pulled back in a short ponytail, and a circlet of gold sat on his head. His face was long and narrow, with a mouth destined for good sneers. Arrogant or not, Dorian had never worn a crown in his own keep, I realized. There had been no need. His kingship was obvious to all.

Two guards followed Aeson, and upon seeing the situation, he sent one for backup. And here we'd been doing so well in evening the odds.

"If I'd realized you would decimate my men in minutes, I would have had the whole garrison up here," Aeson remarked. He leaned toward me, touching my cheek. "It really is you. Eugenie Markham. I can't believe I finally have you."

I tried to squirm from that touch, but I had nowhere to go, not with a blade at my throat. My minions waited, tense, willing to do whatever I asked. Yet, I feared unleashing them might put Jasmine at risk - and my own throat.

"You have her," said a shaking voice from the hall. "I did what I said. Now give me Jasmine."

Moving my eyes, I stared in astonishment. Wil floated in the doorway. He must have followed us after all. He looked at Aeson expectantly. An uneasy feeling built up within me, and everything clicked into place.

"You traitorous son of a bitch!"

Ignoring my outrage, Wil turned pleading eyes to Aeson. "Please. I brought you Eugenie. I kept my part of the deal."

"Yes," said Aeson without even looking at the other man. "You did. And I will keep my word - momentarily."

He kept studying me like I was some kind of treasure or artifact. Like I was the eighth wonder of the world. I appreciated the boost to my ego, but the look in his eyes was actually kind of creeping me out.

"Aeson - " tried Wil again.

"Shut up," snapped the king, still staring at me. The hand on my cheek slipped down and cupped my chin. He smiled, but it was a cold smile, one that didn't meet his eyes. In the corner, I heard Jasmine make a distraught sound. "After all this time, after so much waiting, I can finally beget the heir."

The statement was so ludicrous as to simply bounce off of me without comprehension. "Either kill me or let me go. I hate these idiotic soliloquies."

The entranced look on his face suddenly sharpened, and he blinked. "You...you have no idea, do you?" When I didn't answer, he started laughing so hard, I thought tears would form in his eyes. "I've tried so hard to get you, and you never even knew. You really don't know."

"Know what?" I asked impatiently.

"Who your father is."

I didn't really appreciate the Star Wars-esque routine. "Roland Markham is my father. And the next time I see him, we're going to come back