A Kingdom of Venom and Vows (Stars and Shadows #3)(5)

My old bedroom sat to the right.

The door was securely closed, and even though I never felt any comfort behind that door, every part of me ached to escape there now.

Gavril followed my gaze, and a dark laugh fell from his lips. “You actually think I would let you go back to the room where my brother fucked you as his whore?” His fingers dug into me harder, and I bit down on my lip to stop myself from crying out at the pain. “You will be staying beside me where I can keep a watchful eye on you at all times, close by so I can fuck my soon-to-be wife whenever I choose.”

He pushed me back against the wall near the bedroom door, the same wall that Evren had once held me against, and my stomach ached as Gavril lifted his hand.

He gently pressed his fingers to my jaw, a stark contrast to the opposite hand that was still holding me captive, and I flinched as his skin made contact with mine.

“You’re so responsive.” His gaze fell to my lips, and I turned my head away as I tried to swallow down the bile that flooded my mouth. “No wonder my brother was so willing to risk everything for you. If you fuck half as good as you fight, the two of us will be more than happy with one another.”

I jerked away harshly, making his hand fall away from my face, and I watched as rage filled his dark gaze. But it was the thin red ring around his irises that made me stutter in fear.

“I will never sleep with you.” My words were strong and sure, but they did nothing but make a cruel smile slip onto Gavril’s lips.

“Oh, I think you will.” His hand lifted, and he pressed his fingers to my jaw again as he forced me to look at him. There wasn’t a trace of the softness he had been using only a moment ago. “After all, you enjoyed being fucked by my brother, and I’m sure with the right persuasion, you will enjoy me as well. Is it power you were after, Starblessed?”

He was so close now that I could smell the deep woodsy scent of him.

“I can give you more power than my brother ever dreamed of.”

His words twisted through my stomach as he leaned forward and pressed his lips to my skin. I tried to jerk away, but instead found myself slamming harder into the wall behind me. His teeth grazed against my skin, the sharp edges curling against my jaw.

“In fact, I can’t wait to feel you around me. I’m going to fucking ruin you for anyone else, Starblessed. My traitorous brother will never want to touch you again.”

I pressed my lips together to keep from retching, to keep from crying out, but I could feel the tears building behind my eyes. His anger thrummed from him like a living being, and without my power, I feared there was nothing I could do to stop him.

“You will fucking beg me for it, Adara.” He whispered my name, and a chill ran down my spine at how wrong it sounded falling from his lips. “You will come crawling on your knees for me to give you what you want, and only then will I give it to you. Only then will you be worthy of the future king of Citlali.”

“I won’t.” I shook my head against him and balled my hands into fists.

“Hold on to that fight.” I could feel his lips form into a grin against my cheek. “I’m going to enjoy breaking it.”

He pushed away from me then, running a rough hand over his lips as if he were considering doing more, then his eyes flashed toward the hall. “Go,” he demanded of me, and I hesitantly pushed off the wall as I tried to catch my breath.

He didn’t need to tell me where to go. I knew this palace now, and I would never be able to forget where his room lay. The room where he took from me against my will.

I was thankful for the moment without his touch as I got my legs under me and tried to keep my hands from trembling at my sides.

It would only be a matter of time before Gavril took things further, before he forced my hand in marriage and drank from my blood. It was only a matter of time before he realized that he may have taken the Starblessed, but all of my magic remained with his brother.

I wiped at my mouth as I glanced to the other end of the corridor, and I swallowed hard as I took a step away from Gavril and the memories my former room held.

Memories of Evren that I forced myself not to think of. Not now. I would cling to those memories when I needed them most. When I felt myself giving up.

Because I knew everything about this kingdom, everything about the prince who was following behind me, would test me. They would do everything in their power to break me.

But I would not yield.

If I couldn’t find the strength in myself, I would rely on the strength I still carried inside me from Evren.

“This way.” Gavril nodded forward toward the hall where his room was, and the dread in my stomach became violent. “I’ll give you a few moments to gather yourself then the queen would like to see you.”

Everything inside me stopped as I looked back at him. As fearful as I was of Gavril, he held nothing on his mother. She was where my true fear lay.

“I’d like to get some rest.”

Gavril bit down on his lip as his gaze trailed down my body. I turned away from that look quickly and continued to push forward toward his room.

“You have a lifetime for rest here in this kingdom, Starblessed. Eletta will help you get ready to meet with my mother. She’ll help you change from that fucking dress my brother put you in.” He sneered, and I clung to the deep black fabric that still shined against my skin.

Eletta. Eletta would be with me.