against a fire maker.
A grunt steals my attention from the powerful king and to my men. The room is painted crimson as his man slays each one of the Eyes of the White. His man is outnumbered, yet he cuts through them so easily.
Yanna whimpers from behind me. I hope she knows as soon as the opportunity presents itself, she must run. I’ll die before I let this man take my sister. She edges out from behind me, seemingly aware of my unspoken plan.
When the king’s wickedly handsome face turns toward her, I make my move. With a shriek, I charge for the fiery king. Lunging, I swipe my blade out, hoping I make purchase. At the last moment, he steps out of the way, causing me to stumble. His whip slices through the air and cuts through the back of my dress, sending more diamonds rolling across the floor. But the diversion was enough. Yanna runs through the sea of dead bodies toward the door.
I pounce on the monstrous king and try to stab him with my diamondblade. He shoves me back, barks out something to his man, and then cracks his whip at me. The diamondblade gets knocked from my grasp, shattering at my feet.
His amber eyes nearly glow as he circles me. This is the moment where I die. But my sister will be free.
A scream echoes through the dining room and I take my eyes off my opponent on a desperate hunt for Yanna. The man—the killer who slayed all my men in this room—has her in his grip.
“Nooo!” I cry out, charging their way.
As the man drags her out of the room and out of sight, an arm slides around my front. I’m jerked back against a firm, strong chest.
“Let me go!”
“Not a chance, snowflake,” he growls. “We’re not done negotiating.”
He releases me for a moment and then he’s binding my wrists behind me with his whip. Before I can take off running, he throws me over his shoulder as though I weigh nothing. My crown falls to the floor, cracking in two. I scream for Cavon, but I’m met with silence. King Bloodsun stomps in puddles of blood as he storms through my castle.
“Where did he take Yanna?” I demand, blinking back the tears of defeat. “Don’t hurt her, Volc, or so help me I will turn you inside out.”
He chuckles as though I’m here purely for his entertainment. “So feisty for someone who is at my mercy. You are bound and in my arms, yet you continue to make threats.”
I wiggle and attempt to throw myself from his grip, but I fail. I was feeling weak before he showed up and now I’m completely drained. When he smacks my bottom hard, I accept momentary defeat. He walks through my castle, trying doors and muttering to himself. Eventually, he climbs the many steps to access my tower.
“Ahhh, this room bears your scent. I think we’ll negotiate in here.” He smacks my bottom again, but I don’t even flinch.
He drops me onto the bed. I have the urge to burrow beneath the furs and sleep for eternity. I’m so tired. So weak. So broken.
“Untie me,” I croak.
He arches a brow and smirks. “Anything else, your royal frostiness?”
I hiss at him.
“They said you were a force to be reckoned with. They were not wrong,” he says as he sits on the edge of the bed. “But it was all for show, hmm? Look how easily I captured the queen and took her as my prisoner.”
His hand snakes its way toward me. I don’t have the energy to pull away. A shiver rattles through me when he palms my thigh over my dress. Heat radiates through the material.
He’s so warm.
I’m dizzied by the way it feels.
So unusual. So nice.
Focus, Elzira.
He’s the enemy.
I start to pull away, but his fingers bite into my thigh. The heat grows more intense. Not enough to hurt me. It certainly has me yielding to him for fear of what else he can do. I grow still, my eyes searching his.
“Why my sister?” I murmur. “She’s my only family left.”
He scowls at me, his grip loosening. “I didn’t say I was going to kill her, Queen. I just wanted to marry her. Are you always so stubborn and protective? It’s as though there’s a heart hiding beneath all those layers of ice.”
“Elzira.”
His brow arches. “What?”
“You can stop with all the names, Bloodsun. My name is Elzira.”
He drags his stare up my body, lingering