Crowned In Enmity

Chapter 12

The night is a tempest, the kind that tears through the sky with wild fury, rain pelting down in relentless sheets. It blurs the world into a smudge of darkness and noise, but nothing can drown out the bond. It's always there, thrumming beneath my skin, pulling at me with an urgency that I can't ignore. It's like a hook lodged deep in my chest, yanking me forward, demanding I move—now. I have to find her.

I obey, slipping into the storm like a shadow, the rain slashing across my face, stinging like needles. I Shadow Walk onto the grounds of Margrot Manor, moving through the darkened corridors with deadly silence, staying to the corners where the light doesn't reach. The bond guides me, a whisper in my veins, leading me to Arlette's bedchamber.

The door creaks as I push it open, a sharp sound that makes me wince. My pulse quickens, but no one stirs. The room is empty, the storm battering the balcony doors against the walls, wind howling as rain pours in, soaking the rug.

Then I see her—a crumpled figure on the balcony, drenched and sobbing, utterly broken. Time stops. My heart lurches in my chest as I rush to her, pulling her into my arms without a second thought. She's cold, her small frame trembling against me as I try to shield her from the storm, my fingers gripping her too tightly.

"Are you hurt?" I murmur, burying my face in her wet hair, desperate to comfort her. Her sobs wreck through her, her body shaking violently as she screams into my chest. It's a sound that tears at me, shattering any resolve I have left.

I hold her closer, my hands running over her back, trying to offer some semblance of warmth. "Shhh, shhh, I'm here, baby, I'm here," I whisper, pressing a kiss to her hair. Her fists cling to my shirt, her voice raw with pain.

"My father..." she chokes out, and the words rip through me. I squeeze my eyes shut against the storm, my grip tightening on her, forcing her head to rest against my chest. "I know, baby. I'm so fucking sorry," I murmur over and over, trying to drown out the sound of the rain, the storm, everything but her. "You're alright, I've got you, I'm here, I'm not leaving."

Seeing her like this, shattered and lost, finally makes me grasp the full weight of my father's crimes. Arlette—the strongest, most defiant person I know—is breaking apart in my arms, and it's killing me. She's fought so hard against this bond, against me, and now... now she's here, completely undone. My chest tightens with guilt, with anger, with a pain so deep it feels like it's tearing me apart.

"No one ever believed me," she sobs, her arms wrapping around my neck, holding on as if I'm the only thing keeping her from drowning. "No one ever believed it was him."

"The Montgomerys aren't Shadow Walkers," she quotes, bitterness lacing her voice. "There was no possible way that King Montgomery made it from Harnsey to Margrot, killed the king and prince, and made it back home in such a short span of time."

I inhale slowly, my heart stuttering at the rawness in her voice. "I'm so sorry," I murmur, my arms tightening around her, wishing I could take away her pain, knowing I never can.

"My father..." she sobs again, her voice breaking as the rain pours down harder, drenching us both. I hold her tighter, one hand on her waist, the other running through her tangled, wet hair. Our clothes cling to us, soaked through, but I don't care. All I can think about is getting her out of this storm.

"Let me take you out of the rain, love."

I shift my grip, slipping my arms under her knees and lifting her into my arms. She's so light, so fragile in this moment, and it terrifies me. I carry her back into the room, closing the doors behind us, shutting out the storm. The room is dark, the only sound now her quiet sobs and the rain pounding against the windows.

I set her down gently on the bed, crouching in front of her. "Kal..." she whispers, her voice weak, eyes lost, destroyed. My heart breaks at the sight of her like this.

"I'm here," I murmur, pushing a strand of wet hair out of her face. "I've got you, love. I'm not leaving."

Her lip trembles, her body still shaking, though the violent sobs have subsided. She's exhausted, completely drained. I run my hands along her arms, trying to warm her, hating how she shivers.

"Let's get you out of these wet clothes," I say softly, standing up slowly. She shakes her head, a stubborn refusal that makes me frown. "Don't be stubborn," I insist, more firmly this time. "You'll end up sick if you stay in those clothes."

"Astrid..." she murmurs weakly, her voice trailing off. My frown deepens as I crouch down again, searching her face.

"What?" I ask, a knot of worry tightening in my chest.

"My handmaid," she shakes her head, "she's not my handmaid anymore... she was, before my father..." Another sob shakes her body. "I just want to sleep."

The mention of Astrid makes my gut twist. I swallow hard, the weight of what my father destroyed crashing down on me again. There's a part of me that wants to insist she change out of her wet clothes, but I know it'll just lead to an argument.

"Let me lay with you, at least."

She doesn't resist, shifting slightly to make room for me in the large bed. I kick off my boots and crawl in beside her, pulling her body against mine under the covers. "I'm here, baby, I'm not leaving you," I whisper, wrapping my arms around her, holding her close.

She doesn't respond, just buries her face in my chest, her body relaxing slightly as the bond hums contentedly beneath my skin. It's the happiest it's ever been, a cruel irony given the circumstances.

I lay there, listening to her breathe, my hand tracing small circles on her back. My mind is a whirlwind, guilt and rage mixing into a storm of their own. Every year she's had to endure this pain because of me, because of my father. I've known it for so long, but holding her like this, feeling her break in my arms... it makes it all too real.

As I hold her, I come to a decision. I have to kill my father. The thought is cold, clear, and it settles into my mind like a stone. I lay awake, forming a plan, the night dragging on around us.

The sun starts to creep behind the curtains before I'm ready to leave. I give Arlette a small squeeze, a pang of regret twisting in my stomach. I don't want to let her go, but I know I have to.

Carefully, I start to untangle myself from her, but Arlette stirs, her fist still clamped around my shirt. "You're going to make this hard for me, aren't you?" I murmur softly, continuing to try and free myself.

She lets out a heavy sigh, finally releasing my shirt and rolling into the pillow where I've been sleeping, burying her face in it. I freeze, a wave of possessiveness washing over me. The sight of her nestling into the space I've just left, in my scent, is more arousing than it has any right to be.

I force myself to step back, walking onto the balcony. I pull a dagger from my boot and carve out the runes that prevent me from Shadow Walking here. As I turn around one last time, the shadows already starting to swallow me, I see her sitting up in bed, watching me. There's an unreadable look on her face, but our eyes meet, and for a brief moment, I swear I see a hint of longing.

I disappear into the shadows, but the image of her watching me leave is burned into my soul.