The Sorrow of Shadows (Crimson & Shadows #1)

Chapter 36

CHAPTER THIRTY-SIX

brEYLA

“ S o, what did you find, General?” Elijah asks.

It’s been three days since we burned Julian and Nameah. Now, I’m surrounded by Elijah, Ophelia, Aurelius, and Jade. I’m not sure Jade’s ready to hear this, but she insisted on being here. She watches me intently but remains quiet.

We’re seated in one of the training rooms below the armory. It’s not the same room Aurelius took me to and forced me to confront my emotions in all those weeks ago, but it’s nearly identical. I didn’t want to have this conversation anywhere we could be overheard, and I had my doubts on how secure even this space was. They were supposed to be spelled to be soundproof, but there were several people in this castle who knew more than they should already.

“It wasn’t pretty,” I sigh. “Are you sure you’re okay with hearing this conversation?” I direct my gaze to Jade.

“I need to hear this. I can’t continue not knowing what happened to my twin.” Her voice is weak from disuse .

“Aurelius and I weren’t having much success tracking down Julian’s last known whereabouts. We had a vague idea, but he covered his tracks a little too well. Then we noticed we were being followed.” I smile slightly at the memory of discovering Nameah on our tracks.

“By Nameah?” Elijah guesses.

“Yeah. Spunky little thing, that one. Anyway, she was able to lead us to his body. It was left not far from her home.”

“Why did they just leave it there?” Jade asks.

“I asked the same thing, but it turns out they had no choice. They had tried to move it; her whole family had given it a try, but there was some sort of force field surrounding his body that wouldn’t allow them to touch it.”

Confused gazes meet mine but I continue. “When we found his body...” My voice trails off, and I fight the urge to look at Jade. Despite what she says, she doesn’t need to hear this.

“Stop treating me like a child, Breyla, and just fucking say it.” Jade’s words are laced with venom.

“I’m not treating you like a child; I’m protecting you! What I saw will never leave my mind. I don’t want you to bear that same burden.”

“How about you let me decide what burdens I bear? Tell me, or I’ll force it out of you.”

My eyes flare at her threat to use her Gift of coercion on me. It’s something she’s never done and promised she never would. Aurelius and Elijah both stiffen. I assume Elijah’s having the same reaction I am, but I look to Aurelius. He nods, as if to convey he can sense she’s serious in her threat.

“We found his body hanging on a wooden cross. There were nails driven through his wrists to hold it there. The smell was so putrid I vomited as soon as I was within twenty feet of it. The barrier that kept all others from touching it didn’t protect him from the elements or animals. It had been picked apart, but at least it didn’t appear that he was tortured before his death. Small blessings, I suppose. Is that what you wanted to hear?” I nearly spit the last words, frustrated that she would force me into telling her that.

Jade just grunts in response and waits for me to finish.

“So how were you able to get him home?” Ophelia asks.

“And that’s where it gets ominous. Someone knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that it would be Aurelius and I to find him. We could both touch him, but it burned us to break the barrier holding him there. It was like the magic was keyed into us specifically.”

“Hurt like a bitch, too,” Aurelius adds, and I nod in agreement, remembering the burning sensation lighting up my nerve endings.

“As soon as we broke the barrier a note appeared pinned to Julian’s chest, then we were attacked.” I finish the story, telling them every detail of the attack and the strange males behind it. I spare nothing, hoping someone picks up on something I may have missed.

“The Crimson Prince and Queen of Shadows will fall?” Elijah repeats the ominous note’s wording back to me. “I can’t be the only one thinking it, right?”

“That it sounds an awful lot like Aurelius and Breyla,” Ophelia pipes in.

“The thought had crossed my mind,” I admit. “But I’m not Queen, and Aurelius never had, nor ever would have the title of Prince. Even when he marries my mother, he’d assume the title of King. It doesn’t quite add up.”

“You’re leaving out the best part, Princess,” Aurelius says with a pointed look.

“I wouldn’t call it ‘the best’,” I mock.

“The strange warriors’ parting words, ‘The prince sends his regards’.”

“Well, that’s not ominous at all,” Elijah mumbles.

“It’s Ayden,” Jade says bluntly .

“That’s the first place my mind went as well,” I agree. “We were close to his border, and we know Ayden has held a grudge for years since King Raynor killed his father in battle, so he has a motive.”

“I don’t know,” Ophelia adds, voicing her doubt.

For how vehemently against bringing Ayden to the castle he was, Aurelius has remained suspiciously quiet on the matter.

“And you, Aurelius? What do you think?” I push him to share his thoughts.

“I think it was a coincidental circumstance at best. While I don’t trust Prince Ayden, I don’t think he’s the prince they were referring to.” More cryptic answers. Why did I let this male fuck me, again?

I hear Elijah stifle a laugh as I stare down the frustrating male. “What other prince could it be?”

He just shrugs. “There are other kingdoms around us, Princess.”

“Well aware, Aurelius, but you can’t tell me you think Lennox is more inclined to attack than Prudia. That makes no sense.” I cross my arms and roll my eyes, which has Aurelius's temper flaring from the looks of his clenched jaw.

“I didn’t suggest that. I just said there were more kingdoms.”

I clench my fist, resisting the urge to punch him. “Could you be more vague right now?”

“If you’d like—” he starts but is cut off by Jade.

“Enough. You two are acting like petulant children, and it’s getting us nowhere. If we’re done here, I’m going to find a bottle of red to have for dinner.” She rolls her eyes and saunters toward the door.

“Don’t you mean with dinner?” Elijah asks.

“I said what I said,” she replies without looking back.

As she exits the training room, Elijah moves to follow her. “I better make sure she finds something else to consume for dinner. ”

Ophelia looks around the room, avoiding eye contact. “I think Layne wanted my help with something,” she mumbles and finds anywhere to be but trapped in a room with Aurelius and me.

The door clicks shut as Ophelia leaves, and I hear the lock turn.

“Are you trying to be difficult?” I shriek at him.

“No, I excel at it naturally.”

Before I can blink, he has me pinned, my face turned and pressed against the cool stone of the training room wall. I try to catch my breath as he laces his fingers through my hair and pulls, holding me in place. His other hand is trailing down my lower back to my ass.

“What the fuck are you doing?” I snarl through clenched teeth.

“Following through on my word,” he says as he hooks his fingers into the waistband of my pants and yanks them down. He pulls them just far enough that my ass is bare to him.

“What are you talking about?” I try to squirm away, but he has such a tight grip on my hair that I can’t move.

“I told you the next time you rolled your eyes at me, you would find out what the end of my patience looks like.”

Oh fuck? I think to myself. I had rolled my eyes at him, but I had completely forgotten his threat.

“You’re infuriating,” I seethe.

“Likewise” is all he says before I feel his hand come down on my bare ass. I hiss at the slight sting from his palm, but a new sensation takes over with his next slap.

A warm tingling starts low in my belly and moves to my pussy as he spanks me a third time, and I let out a soft moan.

He chuckles low in my ear, “I should have known you’d like that, little demon.”

“Fuck you,” I hiss, fighting the urge to rub myself against him.

Slap. His hand comes down on my bare ass again, and I bite my lip to keep from moaning. I refuse to give in to him.

“That won’t do,” he tsks before ripping my pants the rest of the way down.

“Fuck. You,” I grunt.

“You said that already.” I can’t fully see his face, but I can see the hint of a smirk from the corner of my eye. “Tell me, Princess, will I find you wet for me?”

His fingers run up my inner thigh, stopping just short of my pussy. He lightly traces his fingers along my bare ass cheek and chuckles, then shoves my legs further apart using his own foot. I’m spread wide for him, the air hitting my heated sex as I squirm in his grip.

“Answer me,” he demands when I continue to say nothing.

“No,” I grit out.

“ Liar, ” he whispers in my ear right before he plunges two fingers into my dripping pussy. He pumps them in and out slowly, eliciting an involuntary moan from my lips.

“Does the end of my patience turn you on, little demon?” he purrs as he continues pumping in and out of me. I roll my hips in time with his hands, chasing the pleasure only he can provide.

He bites down on my earlobe, growling, “Answer me.” His fingers leave my heat, but before I can miss them, he lands a light slap right on my clit.

“Yes,” I gasp out at the sudden wave of pleasure his punishment provides.

“Good girl,” is all I hear him say before I hear him pull his pants down.

“You’re not going to fuck me, Aurelius,” I bite out, still furious that he’s punishing me when he was the one being intentionally difficult. Still furious that I like his brand of punishment.

“Still lying, Princess?” He lines the head of his cock up with my entrance. “Didn’t your parents teach you not to lie?” he continues as he slams into me in the next breath, burying himself to the hilt in one thrust.

We let out a collective sigh at the feeling of our joining. He trails kisses down the side of my neck as I catch my breath and adjust to him. After a few moments, I rock my hips back into him, attempting to relieve the ache in me.

“If you’re going to angry fuck me, then you better make it hard, My Lord.”

My words set him ablaze as he pulls out and slams back into me, thrusting in and out over and over at a relentless pace. His hand finally leaves my hair as both find their way to my hips, using his hold to fuck me harder.

I moan with each thrust and the building orgasm.

Aurelius continues peppering kisses and bites along my neck and shoulders as his thrusts increase in pace. He has me gasping, sucking to bring in air through the overwhelming pleasure he’s forcing through my body. I’m lost in the pleasure as he purrs in my ear, “Be a good girl and touch yourself for me.”

I’m beyond any ability to deny his commands, so I drag my fingers down to my clit and rub in long slow circles. The building pleasure in my low belly turns into a raging inferno as I hover on the precipice of bliss.

“I can feel your tight little pussy clenching down on my cock. So fucking tight, Princess.” He groans as his cock continues slamming into me, hitting that delicious spot deep inside me.

My fingers increase their pace as I chase my orgasm. Within moments I shatter, falling over the edge and shuddering through my release. I scream my pleasure for the infuriating male behind me.

“Fuck yes, little demon,” Aurelius grunts as his own release finds him. His hot cum fills me as his dick pulses inside me.

He stays buried in me for several more minutes as our breathing returns to normal. Finally, he slips his softening dick out of me, and the warm liquid runs down my inner thighs .

I can’t help the moan that slips out as I feel his fingers slip back into my oversensitive pussy.

“What are you doing?” I whimper.

“Just making sure my seed stays where it belongs,” he whispers.

“You’re incorrigible,” I half-heartedly complain.

He just shrugs and pulls his fingers out, then pulls my pants back into place. Flipping me around to fully face him, he commands me, “Open.”

I cock a brow at him but do as he requests, opening my mouth for him. He feeds me the fingers that were just buried deep inside me and are covered in his cum.

“Now suck,” he says, grinning at me.

I close my lips around his fingers and suck, savoring the mix of his salty release and my own tangy arousal. My tongue wraps around each digit, cleaning them thoroughly before he’s satisfied.

He takes my face between his thumb and forefinger. “Good girl,” he praises, leaving me with one last punishing kiss.

As he opens the training room door, I storm after him. “We aren’t done with this conversation, Aurelius.”

“We are for now. I have places to be, Princess.” His lips quirk up on one side, clearly entertained with my lingering frustration toward him, then disappears down the hallway.

It’s sometime after midnight as I lay in bed, wide awake and staring at the ceiling. Aurelius lays beside me, sleeping soundly, an arm draped over my stomach. I’ve been tossing and turning for hours, unsure what is keeping me awake.

Maybe it’s restless energy, maybe it’s the images of my friend’s decapitated and crucified body that won’t leave my head, or the fact that every time I close my eyes, I’m reliving Nameah’s last moments as she dies in Aurelius’s arms. Maybe it’s all of it.

I slide out of bed, leaving Aurelius sleeping peacefully, and silently pad across my room to the door. The door clicks shut softly, and I drift down the hall in search of something to drink.

When I reach the kitchens I find I’m not the only one who can’t find sleep.

“Prince Ayden, I didn’t expect to find you here.” I give him a questioning look as I take in his sleep-mussed state. He’s dressed in loose-fitting linen pants and a black silk robe that hangs open, leaving his chest bare. The deep brown waves that grow longer on the top are tousled and messy, like he’s been running his fingers through them.

“That makes two of us, Princess. What brings you to the kitchens at this hour?” he asks as he pulls out a second mug and sets it on the counter in front of him.

“Tea, of course.” I round the counter and stand next to him as he prepares tea for the both of us.

He smiles softly. “Then you’re in luck.”

It’s too easy for me to forget I don’t trust this male, that I suspect he has something to do with my friend’s death, when he’s so charming. The mask he normally wears has been dropped; this is the real Ayden I’ve glimpsed a few times. I see so many sides, I never know which one to expect.

He stirs in a healthy amount of honey and raises the mug to his lips. I reach for mine but hesitate.

“How do I know this isn’t poisoned?” I ask, staring at him.

He sighs, “Poison isn’t really my style, love.” He takes the mug from my hand, takes a sip, and then hands me his own in exchange.

“There. Now if it’s poisoned, we’ll both die.”

“So dramatic,” I tease and sip the tea. The warm liquid runs down my throat and makes my taste buds dance .

Our conversation is interrupted by the screams of a nearby resident. Both our heads snap toward the sound and we are headed for the door, our tea forgotten.

It doesn’t take long for us to locate the source of the screams. We reach Jade’s room and see Elijah already standing outside, his hand on the knob, preparing to enter.

He pushes open the door and the three of us enter together, our senses on high alert and looking for the danger. Her room is empty aside from her, though. She’s asleep but screaming and crying out.

“I think it’s a dream,” Elijah whispers.

“It’s not just a dream; it’s a night terror. She’s been through quite an ordeal. I’m not surprised she’s having them,” Ayden says.

“How do you know that?” Elijah questions.

“Dream weaver, remember?”

“More like dream manipulator ,” I mumble.

“Only for you, darling,” Ayden chuckles.

Ignoring his comment, I ask, “How can we help her?”

“ You can’t,” he replies. “But I can.” He moves toward her bed on silent feet.

I reach out and grasp his wrist. “Wait,” I whisper-yell. “How do I know you won’t mess around in her dreams and make it worse?”

He glares at me. “You really don’t trust me, do you, Princess?”

“I don’t have a lot of reason to trust you,” I quip back.

“You don’t have a lot of reason not to trust me, either,” he says, his eyes softening. “I would never intentionally make someone hurt worse than she already is. Trust me when I say, there’s not much worse I could do than what she’s already seeing in those terrors.”

Right then, Jade screams and cries again in her sleep.

“Can you see what she’s seeing?” I ask .

“Yes,” he replies softly, his voice laced with melancholy.

“Okay,” I nod at him, “I trust you to help her.”

I release his wrist and let him cross the room to her bed. Kneeling beside her head, he takes her head between his hands and lets his magic work.

I can’t see any physical manifestation of his power, but Jade’s body immediately ceases its thrashing and her screams quiet. She stills and falls into a peaceful slumber.

The door clicks shut behind us, and we breathe a collective sigh of relief.

“How long will your magic hold?” I ask him.

“Only for the night,” he replies solemnly.

Silence blankets us as we find our way back to our forgotten tea, and I’m filled with conflicting emotions for the Prince of Prudia.