A Cruel Kindness

Chapter 20

Soren

I was man enough to admit when I was nervous.

Nerves were the only way to describe what I was feeling, after three hours of torture, sitting in a car feeling like the other half of my soul was ripped away from me.

It literally had been.

Even now, with Bellamy curled up against me, I couldn’t shake the stress.

Let alone the fact that we were walking into this to serve as messengers of peace negotiations … I hadn’t seen my family in six years.

My relationship with my parents was always tense. My mother shared the sentiment of most Royals, trying her hardest to maneuver a way to stay in power. She’d recognized early that I was quite popular among the Royals.

Even as a teenager, I’d been well-received. People swore they could see a leader in me, but I’d always felt like that wouldn’t be my path.

I’d known something was coming.

That thought was confirmed when I found out my name had been drawn in the draft, conveniently the same year that discussions about my leadership started popping up. Claiming it made far more sense for me to lead, rather than passing the mantle to House Edelstenne.

Even now, with an Edelstenne tucked safely under my arm, I still remembered how it felt to find out what happened. The draft was rigged, of course it was.

Bellamy’s father had known exactly what to do, who to target, to get my name drawn. The draft was public, in the name of accountability. Ensuring the public that the Royals were just as susceptible to the draft as they were.

When my name was announced on the news, there was no going back.

I’d had my Mark drawn out that very same night, the pain hardly able to penetrate the numbness of realizing what my future held.

My anger at Bellamy’s father was well-placed. He clearly had no qualms fucking everyone over for his own gain. Whatever selfish reason he had for ignoring the peace negotiations from Muli, it didn’t matter.

I was focused on the fact that his selfishness was so pervasive, it made his kind, wonderful, tender-hearted daughter think stepping on the front lines of war was the only way to change things.

My heart rate kicked up when I felt the roads change from dirt to the paved streets of the outskirts of Florus. The main island on Vir was divided between the arid, uninhabited desert they’d discovered the Bridge in and the oasis that contained the capital.

Dotted throughout our blue ocean were seven islands, each heralding one of the ruling Royal families. I’d grown up in the Rystrom islands, the eastern most of the group, until I was fifteen and my family came to power.

Bellamy’s family came from the island just south of us. In fact, the Edelstennes and the Rystroms were historically allies.

Bellamy’s head popped off my chest a second later, her eyes narrowing as she looked at my sternum, as if she could see past it to my heart. Her gaze drifted up, her eyebrows pinching together in silent question. Are you okay?

I nodded, smoothing my hand down her shoulder. This would be weird, but managing weirdness was far better than managing bloodshed and fearing for your life.

We hit a particularly sharp turn, and our eyes collided, knowing exactly what that meant. There was a hairpin turn at the private entrance of the castle.

We’d arrived.

As we slowed to a stop, Bellamy opened her hand on her knee. Not exactly taking mine, but offering hers if I wanted. Giving me the choice to stand on my own, but communicating that she was there.

I folded my hand over hers.

After a quick one-two knock on the door, a soldier leaned forward and unlatched the lock, pushing the door open. The first thing I saw was the almost neon blue sky. Muli was a much paler blue, and the desert sand made the sky at the Bridge lose its color.

This was the sky I grew up staring at.

I let Bellamy go first, watching carefully as she stepped out of the car. I had half a mind to cut off those stupid iron steps for daring to bruise her skin.

Melt them down and make a sword , the Bond suggested. Not a bad idea.

I descended the steps next, and before I could even take in my surroundings, a blonde ball of energy collided into my chest.

Carina.

I hugged her tight to my chest, almost scared to see how much she’d changed. She’d been sixteen when I left. That made her twenty-two. She would be a young woman now.

After a moment, I bit the bullet.

Carina and I had always been told we looked similar, but after so long, it was jarring staring into eyes that looked so much like mine.

“Hey, big brother,” she said, her carved features softening with a smile.

My throat started to close up, betraying me. When I looked over Carina’s shoulder and saw Bellamy blinking rapidly to dispel tears, I almost lost it.

I hugged Carina again as I noticed my parents standing off to the side. Carefully releasing my sister, I walked over to them.

They’d never been particularly affectionate, so I just nodded and said, “Hello.”

“It’s good to see you well, son,” my dad said, his voice slightly deeper with age. “Though I could have done without the extra jewelry.”

Ah, if that wasn’t a reminder of home. I’d gotten my nose ring weeks after enlisting. I knew my father would hate it.

“I think it suits him,” Carina said, ever my defender.

The Bond tugged at my center, and I turned to find Bellamy looking on the scene. I knew her now, and knew that her carefully poised posture was actually a hard won stance, when she really wanted to fidget.

“Bell,” I said softly, ushering her over. She approached carefully.

I snuck a look at my father to see him openly glaring at her.

“Something wrong?” I snapped, my voice more the Bond’s than my own.

It was my mother who responded, her voice ice cold. “I see this Match ,” she drew out the word, as if it was a curse, “has allowed you to forget the circumstances regarding your enlistment.”

Bellamy’s cheeks colored with embarrassment and it was a fight to keep myself in check as I said, “I will not explain something to you that you can never understand. The only thing I need you to know is that nothing is more important than she is. She is not her father, nor did she have a direct hand in my enlistment. You will treat her with the respect she deserves as a Royal and as my paranima . Nothing less.”

Carina laughed while my mother’s eyebrows went sky high. “Welcome home, son,” she said after a pause, her voice thin. A brief moment of sorrow hit me, not because of where our relationship had fallen to, but because we’d never had one in the first place.

It was only then, after my mother turned back towards the entrance tunnel back into the palace that I let myself take in my surroundings.

My eyes rose with the towering columns of the palace, brilliant white limestone standing out against the blue backdrop of the sky. The palace was constructed of over one hundred different towers, shooting up from the wide foundation in hauntingly beautiful points. Stone statues were carved into the side of nearly every tower, representing the vigils of all seven Houses.

There was no denying the strength of our rule when looking at a palace like that. Our economy had been rich and healthy for years. Still was, all things considered.

But the more this war drew on, the more precarious that would get.

The one thing there would always be money for was to demonstrate how strong we were to the public.

That was evidenced by the fact that there were countless workers scurrying by us, hauling decorations over their shoulder.

I’d bet my yearly salary that there was a ball thrown together at the last minute to show me and Bellamy off.

A warm hand slid behind my back, softly beckoning my attention. I found Bellamy’s eyes immediately, momentarily shaken up by the force of the relief that poured through me when I looked at her.

“I guess I’m your escort, then,” Carina said happily, spinning on her heel to enter the tunnel my parents had disappeared into.

My hand tightened on Bellamy’s shoulder when I realized that her own parents were nowhere to be found.

The irritation and anger towards her family was still there, but now Bellamy was behind me in it all. I was shielding her from my anger and her family’s dysfunction.

As we followed Carina through the tunnels and she and Bellamy fell into casual conversation, I realized how comfortable they sounded with one another.

If I had to wager, I’d figure that Bellamy shouldered most of the guilt for my enlistment and had tucked my sister under her wing.

The last family in line of succession often had a tough fall from grace, shoved out of focus when there were several decades left until they mattered again.

To have the favor of the princess during that transition was priceless.

No one was perfect, but damn if I didn’t feel like Bellamy was.

As we went further and further down the tunnel, I became much more aware of the insanity that would await us. I had a passing thought that Bellamy must have felt pretty similar when she first arrived at the Bridge.

Thank God I had clothes on this time.

Carina chattered on happily, not sparing us a glance back. Bellamy took the opportunity to clasp my free hand in hers and make comforting passes over the back of my hand with her thumb.

Why aren’t we alone right now? the Bond questioned unhappily.

Yeah, you and me both, buddy.

It seemed that the Bond would be asking that question on repeat for the rest of the day, because the second we stepped out of the tunnel and into the large greeting room at the base of the palace, the room erupted.

The floor to ceiling windows, looking out on the city, opposite with towering mirrors lined with gold older than anyone could remember were meant to make the room look huge. Paintings so large they’d taken a decade to paint hit either wall, an artistic take on moments in our history.

Despite that grandeur, the space still felt small and stuffed to the brim.

Every single House had a representative present, if not the entire damn family.

Two sharp claps sent the room into silence. The crowd parted, making way for Bellamy’s father to step into view.

Alistair Edelstenne. Emperor of Vir.

The man who’d both ruined my life and given me the greatest gift I’d ever known.

He walked slowly towards us, the type of grating pace that only someone in his position of power can pull off, forcing everyone to wait while he did what he pleased.

Alistair’s hands were clasped in front of him, openly inspecting me and Bellamy.

How close we were standing. My hand disappearing under the fall of her hair. The lines of our Mark curling over our shoulders.

When he stopped, he simply turned his hand upwards, a silent beckon for Bellamy to reach out and take it.

She did, moving just as slowly as her father did. Once her hand was in his, he took a step back, pulling her with him.

To anyone else, it would look like he was taking a second to inspect his daughter, ensuring she was well after war.

I knew better. He’d wanted her away from me.

Bellamy was unmarried, and as a Royal, that status was more precious than any gem in the Royal stores.

Her father likely had plans for her. I had to clench my jaw to restrain myself. He didn’t get to tell her what to do.

That was up to her. If she chose to bring me into that conversation, I wouldn’t complain, but I wouldn’t force my way in.

“You look well,” Alistair said after a moment, a clear note of doubt in his voice as if he expect her to come back weathered and harmed.

We would never hurt her, the Bond grumbled, agitated.

“I’ve been treated well,” Bellamy said, her voice thin with defensiveness. Good girl.

Only then did Alistair’s eyes slide to me. “Ah, yes. Welcome back, Soren. We all missed you dearly.” His words were kind enough. His stare, however, left a lot to be desired. “To celebrate your return, we’ve thrown together a small gathering this evening.”

I dipped my chin down in one easy nod, my years of training in diplomacy and grace cementing themselves from muscle memory. “I’m honored. It will be nice to relish in some of the luxuries of the capital before we return to our duties at the Bridge.”

My words sent a titter throughout the crowd. I guessed my popularity hadn't dwindled, maybe even grew from sick fascination of new life.

That pleased my mother to no end, though I’d seen it for exactly what it was. Same as Bellamy was surely subject to, all they saw was a reasonably handsome face and power.

“Wonderful,” Alistair said with a thin smile. “Your trip was long, so the festivities begin soon.” He spoke as if we had inconvenienced him for not speeding up the trip. “I think its wise to get you out of these tainted clothes, don’t you think?”

Bellamy’s back went straighter, though it had been perfectly straight before he spoke. The intentional slight at Muli was not lost on her. We were in clothing that had touched another planet.

That fact seemed to dawn on the court, ooh s and ah s erupting around us. A few hands drifted towards us before jerking back, as if our clothes contained poison.

Good God.

I was opening my mouth to spin some crafty excuse for why we should be left the fuck alone, but Alistair was quicker.

He nodded off to the side, at my father, I realized. Before I could do anything to stop it, Bellamy was pulled off in the hands of House Edelstenne while I was shuffled away by a collection of Rystroms.

The Bond shrieked and screamed and I could do nothing to placate it.