The Sleeping Prince - Melinda Salisbury Page 0,116

Panic stabs at me the second my back is to him, but I gather my courage and look at my brother. “What about Lirys, Lief? She was in Tremayne. Did you know she and Kirin were engaged? And what of him? He was a soldier, Lief. Did you come through Almwyk? Did you know he was there? Did you slaughter him too?”

Lief’s fingers flex, but his face stays blank. “If any soldiers died, they died doing their duty. It’s what they signed up for: the defence of their country.”

“He’s your best friend!” It comes out as a sob, and then I’m trapped again in the iron grip of the Sleeping Prince.

“Now, now, lovely,” the Sleeping Prince says, leaning his head on my shoulder. “I would have accomplished all of this anyway; it’s hardly your brother’s fault. In fact, I daresay he’s saved more lives than have been lost so far. I haven’t killed a tenth of the people I thought I’d have to.” I can hear the smile in his voice and it sickens me.

I ignore the Sleeping Prince and address my brother directly. “So now what? You live at the castle in Lormere as his lapdog?”

There is a tsk behind me. “He’s my heir,” the Sleeping Prince says softly in my ear. “Unless I have new children of my own, then your brother is my heir. And should I have more children, then he’ll become a grand duke, with land of his own to rule, and to pass on to his own heirs. No more bowing and scraping. My thanks to him for all that he helped me achieve. If you can learn to mind your tongue, you can be a duchess.”

“I’d rather die.”

“I can make that happen,” he whispers. Louder, he continues. “I owe your brother a great deal, Errin. His knowledge of the layout of Lormere castle, his knowledge of the geography and laws of Tregellan. He’s been invaluable to me. He also told me your great-grandfather was the captain of the Tregellian Royal Army once. I can see that in him.”

I look at Lief, expecting to see him glowing under the praise, but he merely bows.

The Sleeping Prince speaks again. “It’s simple, Errin. If you’re willing to swear loyalty to me, then I will reward you. I want a prosperous kingdom. My opening methods might be distasteful to you, but the legacy will be worth it. I will unite Lormere and Tregellan and we’ll thrive. Will you accept me as your king?”

“No,” I say immediately.

His grip on my wrist tightens and I yelp. Lief jerks forward as though coming to my aid, but then masters himself, his face carefully blank.

“Lief, would you give me a moment with your sister, please? I believe your presence is stirring a rebellion in her. Sibling rivalry, I remember it well. Have another look for the girl. Take the golems, and Brach and his crew. She can’t have gone far.”

Lief makes another bow and turns, crunching down the aisle and sweeping the curtain aside. I’m shocked that he’d leave me here, alone with the Sleeping Prince. That he’d leave Twylla alone behind the screen.

The Sleeping Prince spins me around to face him. “Let me phrase it another way, Errin,” he says pleasantly. “I have your brother. I have Silas. In a matter of hours I’ll have your mother, too. If you make me angry, I will hurt them. If you defy me, I will hurt them. Do you know, Errin, the one thing your brother asked for was your and your mother’s safety. All the rewards I’m heaping on him are unasked for. Isn’t that noble? I could have given him anything in the world, and all he wanted was for his family to be cared for. For us to be a happy family, together.”

“I told you, I’d rather die.”

“And I told you, that can be arranged. But I think you’ll come around. You liked me in the dreams, didn’t you?” I flush and he grins. “Yes, you liked me. You liked me very well.”

“If I’d known you—”

“Ah, that’s right. You thought I was Silas. There’s another gift I owe to the Vastels. My long-lost nephew, the philtresmith. Had you not told me, in your dreams, where you were, who you were with, I dread to think what opportunities I might have missed.”

“No. No. They were dreams. They weren’t real.” My blood freezes. “No.”

He answers with a grin like a nightmare. “I’m a vitasmith. I can create life, Errin. So I