Zodiac Academy Fated Throne - Caroline Peckham Page 0,309

understood what I was asking because he muttered some choice curses and stalked away from us.

“Escort my son back to his room, Stella,” Lionel commanded. “He’s clearly drunk and needs some time to sleep it off.”

“Yes, my King,” she cooed, smiling sweetly before trotting after Darius towards the door.

Vard stepped aside so that Darius and Stella could leave the room and Lionel turned me to look at him as the door closed once more, smiling like a doting parent as he ran a finger down the side of my cheek.

"Such a clever little thing, aren't you, Roxanya?" he asked softly, stroking me again and I hated how much I liked him praising me like that and how I enjoyed the heat of his hand on my skin.

"She's not as clever as me," Clara muttered, but Lionel ignored her, smiling at me before taking my hand and leading me towards the door.

I walked at his side as we approached Vard and he smirked at me with his blood red shadow eye seeming to flare with darkness for a moment, making my stomach knot with tension.

"I'm still the favourite aren't I, Daddy?" Clara whined as she hurried after us and I huffed irritably, letting the stupid bond guide my reactions as Lionel led me through the palace towards his chambers.

"Do you still wish to be the favourite, Roxanya?" he asked in a low voice, leaning close to murmur in my ear, his hot breath washing over my nose and making my stomach roil.

"Yes," I forced myself to say, even the draw of the bond not making it any easier to utter that word.

"Then perhaps you're in luck."

I almost tore my hand from his grasp at that suggestion, managing to stop myself from doing it but still flinching enough to make him cock his head at me as he noticed.

I drew on the shadows as I fought not to react, hoping he would dismiss the involuntary motion as nothing more than a muscle spasm.

We started up the spiralling staircase to his chambers and my heart pounded harder with every step we took towards the top of the tower. I listened to Clara's shrieks of protest over him giving me more attention than her with a desperate hope that they'd be enough to make him give in to her.

"It is time, Your Highness," Vard announced as we reached his chambers and I looked around at him in confusion as Lionel tugged me into the massive room at the top of the King's Tower.

Though I probably should have been relieved to have the creep follow us inside. Lionel wasn't into voyeurism as far as I was aware, so I doubted he was planning to fuck anyone with Vard in the room.

"Daddyyyy," Clara whined loudly as Lionel moved me to stand in the centre of the room before stepping back to look at me with a critical eye.

"Clara, if you do not stay silent and learn your place then I will be forced to punish you," Lionel growled. "And not in the way you enjoy."

Clara looked about ready to pitch a fit and my eyes tracked her movements as she turned and ran to the bed, flinging herself down on it dramatically as she sobbed.

"Remove your dress, Roxanya," Lionel growled, his gaze fixed firmly on me as he ignored Clara altogether.

"What?" I balked, my gaze slipping to Vard as he took up position by the door once again, a cruel smirk twisting his features.

"Your dress. Don't you wish to please me?" Lionel challenged and I had to fight not to let my mouth fall open as I just stared at him blankly for way too long and smoke plumed between his teeth. "Is there some reason that I should know of for why you suddenly seem reluctant to show me your love?" he pressed and I quickly shook my head.

I reached for the straps on my golden dress and hurriedly tugged them down my shoulders without answering. Underwear I could cope with, but if he tried to lay a fucking hand on me then I was going to go full Phoenix, burn his cock off then run for the freaking hills. Cover be damned - I wasn't going to fuck this motherfucking asshole no matter what happened.

I dropped my dress and it slid from my body, leaving me standing in my stilettos and black underwear as Vard chuckled like some gross old lech in the corner of the room.

"Good girl," Lionel purred. "Now come here."

I hesitated