Elias reclined on a divan, throwing up his feet and settling amongst the cushions, as if preparing for an afternoon of reading and napping.

  Somehow, the empress’s face soured further.

  “I’ll have some tea, please. Milk and lots and lots of sugar,” Elias said to the servant. When he took his cup, he looked around. “I know so much sugar is not good for me, but one must savour life’s little pleasures, don’t you think? Now, we were discussing marriages, right?”

  “That is correct,” Empress Emmeline said in a clipped tone.

  Emperor Hugo smiled at his wife, who sat beside him. “Yes. We’ve been discussing the first marriage. King Alaric has suggested his son, the dragon warrior, Prince Gerard.”

  Elias’s fingers on the cup tightened.

  “He is a very esteemed and good man. A brave warrior.” Emperor Hugo paused. He cleared his throat. “Too bad about his face.”

  Elias kept his expression neutral.

  There is nothing wrong with his face!

  He wanted to yell the words. But that would be revealing his thoughts to his stepmother.

  Since he’d arrived at the assembly, he’d heard similar disparaging comments regarding Prince Gerard’s face. Every time Elias heard them, he wanted to slap the individual. Or zap them. Sometimes he did. Just a tiny electric shock. They felt it but of course didn’t realise it was him.

  “Do we know who did that to Prince Gerard’s face?” Empress Emmeline asked.

  “All we know is that it was one of our lightning archmages,” Emperor Hugo said.

  She smiled. “And you don’t know who?”

  The emperor chuckled and held a finger to his lips. “The archmages’ identities are all top secret.”

  A breeze stirred the curtains. The empress’s smiled tightened. “But we are the empress and emperor, surely we should know their identities. What if we have need of them?”

  “Then I will seek out Lord Laurent, and he will pass word to the archmages immediately.” Emperor Hugo lifted his chin. “That is the way it has always been.”

  At least, that was the way it had been since the Zephyrians murdered half their archmages years ago.

  Lord Laurent was not a lightning archmage, and he did not know Elias was one. Lord Laurent only knew the identity of a couple of archmages.

  Meanwhile, only Colette, his great-uncle, and one other knew Elias’s identity. Not knowing one another’s identities meant that if a lightning archmage was discovered, caught, and questioned, they could not give up everyone’s identity. In fact, Elias didn’t even know the exact number of lightning archmages in existence.

  The empress sipped her tea, clearly dissatisfied with her husband’s unwillingness to acquiesce to her.

  And not for the first time, Elias was glad he’d never told his father about his ability. His stepmother had asked several times about the lightning archmages. No doubt his father would have spilt everything about Elias the first time she’d asked.

  Elias knew that the only reason his father didn’t give his wife the names of the archmages was because Lord Laurent would not give up the names of those he did know, not even to the emperor.

  The empress looked at Beau. “I was thinking that Beau should marry the prince.”

  Beau’s lip curled. “He is rather disgusting looking. But at least he is a prince.” He laughed. “I’ll just close my eyes when we fuck that one and only time, and then it’ll be over. If he comes near me again, I’ll blow him away.” He waved his fingers.

  Anais laughed. “Oh! I can just picture you doing that!”

  Emperor Hugo frowned at his children. The empress smiled and sipped her tea.

  “Maybe every time I see him. I’ll just … whoosh.” Beau mimed the sound of wind.

  Beau and Anais kept laughing.

  Elias held completely still.

  How fucking dare they? How fucking dare Beau and Anais mock Prince Gerard?

  Elias suddenly felt an urge to sign and flick his fingers at Beau and Anais. Then he’d watch as the lightning entered their bodies. They’d jerk and fall to the floor as the lightning tore through them and they cried out. And whilst he was at it, he’d zap his stepmother too.

  Also, Beau could not blow anyone away. He’d need a team of wind sorcerers to manage that. Perhaps he could make Prince Gerard’s coat waft.

  In fact, Zephyrias didn’t even have wind archmages! They all worked in cells with their engraved bracelets that they used to control their powers.

  “Just focus on the fact he is a prince,” Empress Emmeline said.

  “I will.” Beau slumped back in his chair.

  Elias suppressed a scowl. How dare Beau be disappointed in Prince Gerard? Who the fuck did this shitty human and average wind sorcerer think he was? He was no catch! He was nothing!

  Elias had found out a great deal about Prince Gerard. He was still a strong fighter, even though he’d lost half his vision. He was smart, a leader, and a skilled tactician.

  Beau didn’t deserve him! He didn’t deserve half of who Prince Gerard was. Elias’s heart raced, and his breath quickened. Oh, he wanted to zap Beau so bad!

  Prince Gerard deserved someone who did not just reluctantly tolerate him. He deserved someone who could look upon his face and see the beauty in those marks. The endurance. The ability to survive.

  Elias could see beauty in the marks. After all, he’d made them. Prince Gerard bore the touch of his magic.

  He took several long, slow breaths. He sipped his tea. Slowly, his heartbeat, the rage, and the desire to shock his half-siblings and stepmother calmed.

  This is a battle I choose. I will not lose this.

  Elias tilted his head. “Prince Gerard.” He frowned, like he was thinking. “That’s not the man with the …” He gestured to his own face as he glanced around the room.

  Beau scowled.

  “Oh no! It is!” Elias pressed his fingers to his lips. “You’re marrying him? Oh. I’m so sorry, Beau.” He looked away. Then he laughed. “Well, I’m glad it’s you and not me!”

  He placed his teacup down in front of him. “I couldn’t stomach marrying someone with such a face.” He gave an exaggerated shudder. “One night would be far too many. It doesn’t matter if you close your eyes, you could still feel his skin.”

  The words stung his tongue as if he’d eaten a mouthful of stinging nettle. But it was a necessary evil. He had to make this convincing.

  His stepmother would never do him a kindness. Never do something for him that she thought he wanted. But she’d go far out of her way to hurt him.

  “Dragon Warrior. Is that what he is called? More like a dragon wretch!” It wasn’t the cleverest of barbs, but Elias was working on the fly.

  He slid a hand through his hair. “I couldn’t handle being married to him. Prince or not. I’d prefer to marry some lowly, insignificant lord compared to a man with a face so vile. And the scars cover so much of his face. They even go through his lip.” And Elias may have imagined those very lips wrapped around his dick.

  That thought really isn’t helpful right now.

  He shook himself. “And for the rest of your lives, you’ll stand beside him.” He looked out the window. “And every time someone thinks of you, they will think of your husband and his repulsive appearance.”

  Elias picked up his tea and drank it, wanting to wash the taste of those horrid insults from his mouth.

  From the corner of his eye, he could see the empress staring at him.

  Chapter

  Fourteen

  “The first marriage I propose is with Prince Beau and Duke Albert,” Emperor Hugo announced.

  Elias kept his face neutral as his father’s voice rang out in the negotiation chamber that had been provided for the council of Zephyrias and Voltaria.

  “All those in favour?” Emperor Hugo glanced down the long table that filled the room. The councillors rapped their fists against the dark wood of the table, indicating their ascent. “Any opposed?”

  Silence followed.

  “Excellent.” Emperor Hugo beamed and clapped his hands, as he so often did when one of his proposals went through.

  Of course, most, if not all, his proposals clearly came from the empress. He just had the honour of being her mouthpiece. The emperor, like almost all the councillors, both Zephyrian and Voltarian, were firmly under her thin, perfectly lacquered thumb.

  “Then Prince Beau shall marry Duke Albert.” Emperor Hugo smiled at his younger son.

  Beau grinned. The empress, who sat between the emperor and Beau, placed a hand on Beau’s arm, smiling fondly. Then her gaze swung to Elias. Her smile grew sharper. Her grey eyes gleamed.

  Elias frowned, as if confused that Beau was marrying the duke. After all, as far as Elias knew, Beau should be marrying Prince Gerard.

  “And … ah …” Emperor Hugo cleared his throat. “The second marriage …” Emperor Hugo didn’t beam or clap anymore. In fact, he did not meet Elias’s gaze. Nor had he that entire council meeting.

  “Well … the second marriage … Um … that will seal the peace treaty … well, that will be between …” The emperor took a deep breath. “It will be between … um … between⁠—”

  “The second marriage,” the empress said, voice clear as a bell—her gaze remained fixed on Elias—“will be between Prince Elias and the dragon warrior prince, Gerard Drachen.” She held her head high. “All those in favour?”

  The rapping of fists on tables echoed.

  “Any opposed?”

  Silence.

  “Excellent.” The empress leaned back in her chair. She tilted her chin up.

  Elias had never seen her so satisfied with herself.

  Meanwhile Emperor Hugo stared at the table. His cheeks flushed red. He’d just betrayed his eldest son. And not for the first time.

  A week ago, he’d heard Elias’s words and his repulsion at the idea of marrying Prince Gerard. Still, his father had participated in arranging the betrothal of Elias to the dragon warrior.

  Of course, Elias had known the emperor would do that. He could always rely on his father to do as the empress wished. To forever put his wife’s will above his firstborn son’s. Emperor Hugo might feel somewhat ashamed for forsaking his son. But that never stopped him from doing it.

  Elias stared down at the smooth wood of the table. He was used to being let down by his father. In fact, he expected and had relied upon it.

  So it didn’t hurt at all.

  Not a bit.

  “Two excellent marriages, Your Highnesses,” Councillor Allard of Voltaria said. She leaned up the table, as if desperate to get closer to the empress.

  “Yes, indeed.” Councillor Beaumont of Zephyrias nodded his balding head. “May peace reign for thousands of years in our kingdoms.”

  Sycophants. The lot of them! All vying for the empress’s attention and approval. They’d probably lick the soles of her feet if she’d let them.

  Of course, their desperation to please her made sense. She held all the power. And if any councillors did not support her, they suddenly found themselves no longer councillors.

  Many laws had been approved by the council that clearly benefited Zephyrias over Voltaria. But the Voltarian councillors voted for them every time.

  Elias hoped Matteo would do better. He did not think his hope was misplaced. After all, Matteo took duty seriously and was rather obsessed with justice and fairness for all. He did not take after his mother one bit. Probably why Elias actually liked him. Although, he was a little dull.

  “King Drachen was pleased too when we informed him last night of the marriages,” Empress Emmeline said.

  What the fuck?

  Did the empress forget that their kingdoms functioned as a constitutional monarchy? She did not have the right to make a decision and go ahead with it without the approval of the council! But from the smiles and nods from the twenty councillors at the table, he knew none would oppose her.

  Matteo might. Or at least he’d be displeased with his mother’s failure to go through the correct process of their kingdoms.

  “And what is your opinion, Prince Elias?” the empress asked.

  All eyes fixed on him. Well, all except his father’s.

  Elias took a deep breath. He straightened. He smiled.

  A flicker of uncertainty flashed through the empress’s eyes.

  “I, too, am pleased with this marriage.” Elias’s voice rang out. “I would be honoured to marry such an esteemed and honourable man. The dragon warrior, a prince.” He threw a glance at Beau. “He is known for his strength, intelligence, and bravery. To stand beside Prince Gerard in public, to be associated with such a man, would be my greatest honour.”

  The chamber filled with applause. The empress’s smile fell. Beau scowled, not even trying to hide his feelings.

  “Wonderful! Wonderful!” His father clapped the loudest, as if he knew Elias would be pleased to marry Prince Gerard, as if Elias hadn’t a week ago spoken of how he did not wish to marry Prince Gerard.

  “It was the empress’s idea.” His father smiled at him. “She knew it would be best for you.”

  Elias looked away. He met the queen’s stony gaze. Her lips puckered, as if she’d drank off milk and was trying to hide it.

  Well, I did it. I stopped Prince Gerard from marrying my snivelling, shitty half-brother.

  And he’d managed to get himself married to the man instead. Elias sipped his glass of water as a lightness spread through his chest and limbs.

  I am going to marry the dragon warrior. He will be my husband.

  Unfortunately, Prince Gerard didn’t seem to want to interact with Elias, if him fleeing from Elias that other night was any indication.

  How will he react when he discovers that we are to marry?

  Chapter

  Fifteen

  “I’ll be marrying who?” Gerard’s stomach dropped into the bottoms of his heavy boots.

  “Prince Elias. He is a coward and a pathetic lightning sorcerer, despite his excellent pedigree.” King Drachen’s nose wrinkled, as if he could think of nothing worse than weak offspring. “But at least he is pretty to look at. Focus on that, Gerard.”

  Obviously, the lightning prince was pretty. Everyone knew that. But Gerard did not necessarily see that as a positive. Someone plain or unattractive might be able to tolerate Gerard’s appearance.

  And how will he behave on the wedding night?

  Gerard sat silently beside Senta in one of the sitting rooms. The chair they sat on had been stuffed with horsehair. It stabbed through the chair’s fabric and through Gerard’s trousers. It itched.

  His father stood in the middle of the room. “At least the marriage contract does not state that you must regularly converse with Prince Elias. Unfortunately he takes after his father in terms of intellect.” He waved a hand in the air. “Just avoid talking to him or being around him outside of bedding him.”

  The king’s brows drew low. “Of course, he will reside in Draconia. So we will all have to tolerate his senseless nattering. Perhaps we can lock him in a tower so we don’t have to interact with him and hear his foolish thoughts.”

  Gerard’s mother’s ring hung heavy around his neck. He doubted Prince Elias would wear the battered trinket. Would Gerard even want him to?

  “At least Senta’s bride will be a decent addition to the Castle of the Dragons. Lady Elizabeth Juniper is pretty and an excellent nature mage.”

  Senta’s face remained almost completely neutral. But the corner of her lips tugged up in a slight smile. Lady Juniper had been the woman Senta had been dancing with at the betrothal ball for Princess Dorothye and Shadow Lady Nocturna.

  At least one of us has made a good match.

  Queen Consort Adelina leaned forward in her chair. “It will be so lovely to celebrate your nuptials and the courtship periods. There will be balls and banquets. It will be a wonderful time for the family!”

  The queen consort paused and glanced at her husband. “Perhaps our children should come to witness these happy occasions. I do miss them so much. And I think they would⁠—”

  The king waved a hand, not even bothering to glance at his wife. “There is no need for them to be here.”

  The queen consort’s mouth snapped shut. She leaned back.

  Senta tensed.

  Could Father at least pretend to respect his wife?

  “Perhaps our siblings could benefit from being exposed to the diplomatic efforts taking place at the peace assembly, Father,” Gerard said. “They could learn a lot.”

  Senta nodded. “And surely it would be good for them to meet other individuals from the different kingdoms. Everyone of importance has gathered here.”

  But their father shook his head. “They are better off in Draconia.” King Alaric walked to the window and gazed out. He stroked his chin. “Perhaps Lady Juniper can be impregnated with Gerard’s seed.”

  Gerard gaped.

  “What?” Senta asked.

  “Gerard is a very strong dragon,” their father continued, as if musing to himself. “I suppose the child could end up a nature mage rather than a dragon. That would be a disappointment. But if they took after Lady Juniper, they’d be a strong nature mage at least.”

  The king turned towards Senta. “And of course you could be impregnated too. We could find a strong dragon to donate their seed. To ensure your child is a dragon.”

  Senta sat very still. “Well, that will be something to consider,” she said, voice flat.

  “Good,” the king said, as if the matter was settled. Then he swept from the room without another word. The queen consort jumped to her feet and followed him out.

  For several long moments, Gerard and Senta did not speak. The footsteps of their father and stepmother grew fainter.

  Then Senta and Gerard burst out laughing. Gerard rubbed his hand over his face.

  “I cannot believe it! He only just told me who I’m marrying, and he is already getting me and my wife impregnated!” She hunched forward, arms wrapped around her stomach as she shook with laughter.