Crown of Ruin

  His eyes slide back over to me when I speak the words he’s repeated hundreds of times over the years.

  “It’s remarkable,” he says. But his voice is hollow. “You’ve done well.”

  I’m trying to read him, because I know it’s there under the surface. But he doesn’t say anything more.

  Finished eating, I slide my plate away from me.

  “Come on,” I say as I stand. “Let’s go somewhere.”

  Thirty minutes later, we’re both dressed and ready for a day out. Down through the belly of the castle we drop and finally walk out into a huge, cavernous garage. There are dozens of vehicles inside, all in varying degrees of expense and color.

  “Think you remember those driving lessons?” I tease him as he opens the door to a very aggressive looking black sports car for me.

  “I think I’ll manage,” Cyrus says, giving me a coy smile. He slips into the driver’s seat and the engine purrs to life.

  He looks over at me, giving a smirk, and guns the gas.

  We rocket through the tunnel that cuts under the castle, and suddenly shoot out into the brilliant sun, with our sunshades securely in place.

  It’s a trick, navigating through town in the most inconspicuous way. We go down side roads, and even drive over the uneven grass, all to skirt as far around the invaded village as we can. But eventually, we hit the main road at the far side of the lake, and head for the canyon.

  It’s nearly a two-hour drive from Roter Himmel to the next major town. There are still questions I want to ask, like if Cyrus really was dead during the last week, or if it was just more of a hibernation. But the mood is light. The sun is shining. And Cyrus is holding my hand with the top down on the car.

  So I just smile and squeal as he punches the gas.

  Cyrus easily navigates us to the center of the city and parks along the curb, putting money in the meter.

  “Remind me what we’re doing here?” Cyrus asks as I take his hand, tugging him down the sidewalk and toward the first shops. “Out among humans when we’ve just gone through everything we’ve been through?”

  I look over my shoulder at him, glaring. “We’re here exactly because of everything we’ve been through lately, Cyrus. I’ve been holding an entire kingdom together, planning a coup, on my own, while you took a damn long nap. A girl needs a little break every now and then.”

  He smiles, and oh my hell, it’s just so damn beautiful. I just have to stop right in my tracks, put my hand on his cheek, and kiss him until we get glares from an old woman walking past us.

  I’m feeling like myself—Logan—again. I know it when the salty curse words start slipping out my lips and through my mind.

  “Come on,” I say, stepping away from Cyrus and pulling him toward a boutique shop.

  Cyrus follows closely behind me as I sort through each rack. His hand darts out every now and then, just resting on my hip, or he tucks himself behind me, hugging me tight to his front, and presses his lips to the back of my neck.

  I’m such a teenager today.

  Because all I can do is smile, occasionally a silly little giggle slips past my lips. I reach up, cupping my hand behind his neck, and pull his lips down to my own.

  “How about this?” Cyrus says at one shop, one of dozens.

  He grabs a scanty little bikini from off the rack, dangling it temptingly in front of me with a lustful gleam in his eyes.

  I give an approving hmm, raising an eyebrow at him. “I don’t think there’s anything quite like this in our closet.”

  He gives me an approving smile as I put the scanty swimsuit into my bag, along with the other items.

  I really wasn’t planning on buying this much. There were a few things for me in the closet at the castle. I could have gotten by with just a few additions.

  But Cyrus keeps encouraging me to buy anything I look at for more than two seconds. With each shop we go to, his arms get loaded with more and more shopping bags.

  He just looks so damn happy though.

  “Are you trying to spoil me totally rotten?” I ask when we step out of another shop, another two bags added to the collection.

  “After everything you’ve endured, you deserve to be pampered,” he says with a gleam in his eye. “You’ve faced identity theft, robbery, a money shark, and horrible ramifications from him in the last short span of your life, Logan.” He steps closer, looking down at me with intense eyes. “Let me spoil you.”

  I can’t help but smile, rising up onto my toes, and pressing my lips to his.

  The reminder of the sad story that is my luck in my human life flashes something else into my brain.

  “Oh!” I declare, my hand darting into my back pocket for my phone. “We promised Amelia pictures of our time in Austria. Come here!” I grab Cyrus by the front of his shirt, pulling him into me.

  Extending my arm with the camera turned to us, I snap a picture of our smiling faces. And then I turn my face to his, and as his lips immediately find mine, I snap another.

  “I have a feeling we’ll be finding a house outside of Roter Himmel at some point so that we can invite your friend for a visit,” Cyrus says as he watches me text the pictures to Amelia. “I think she’s going to be incredibly disappointed when you don’t return home after your year studying abroad.”

  “Or we can always make a trip back to visit,” I say with a smile. Once more I take Cyrus’ hand, dragging him down the street, back to our car.

  We ditch the shopping bags, and spotting a fancy restaurant across the street, I pull Cyrus along with me.

  We spend the entire day in the city. We probably drop over a thousand euros. It’s more money than I would have spent on myself in five years back in Greendale.

  But when I see how happy Cyrus looks to be doing this, I know this shopping spree was more for him than it was for me.

  This is about bonding. Connecting. It’s about being normal.

  It’s getting dark when we get back in the car and Cyrus points us back in the direction of Roter Himmel.

  I lean my head back on the headrest, watching the beautiful scenery go by as we roll down the road.

  Cyrus holds my hand as we weave through the canyon. The road grows narrower, abandoned.

  When we crest the mountain, he slows.

  Lanterns dot the land before us. Vaguely I can see the homes and buildings. Mostly the tents set up all over the place. And above it all, looms our home. The castle.

  Cyrus drives once more. But there is a fork, where the road splits to the left to return to home, Cyrus turns right, onto a dirt road that looks as if it hasn’t been traveled in a while.

  “Where are we going?” I ask.

  “It’s a surprise,” he says gently, but there’s an excited gleam in his eye.

  The road hugs the mountain tightly. Potholes threaten to bottom us out here and there, but Cyrus goes slow, navigating the rough terrain. At one point, for at least a mile, we’re sandwiched between the mountainside, and the lake. If we veer slightly left or right, we’d flip, or end up in the water.

  The trees grow thick around us, and finally, Cyrus loops the car around a lagoon that settles into the side of the mountain, parking the car on a patch of grass.

  There’s a gleam of mischief in his eye as he climbs out into the dark night.

  I hop out, and watch with a raised eyebrow as he digs through the bags in the trunk. He comes up, holding the swimsuit he bought for himself, and the bikini.

  “Care for a dip?”

  I laugh at the ridiculous smile on his face and the suggestion. I feel myself blush, but I bite my lower lip, nodding.

  I snatch the small bits of fabric from his hand, and tromp off into the trees.

  The night is still very warm. Even though we’re up in the mountains, it is mid-August. The last surge of summer. I don’t even get goosebumps when I step out from the trees, in only the tiny swimsuit that barely covers my boobs and definitely was made to show off this much of my ass.

  But I
feel myself flush when I spot Cyrus crouched in a tree just at the water’s edge. No shirt, in the moonlight, it’s a spectacular view. And that look in his eye could melt me clean through the middle of the earth.

  “By the god of the moon, you will be the death of me, woman,” he breathes, shaking his head with a lustful gaze.

  I smile, blushing.

  With an elegant leap, Cyrus launches himself into the air, bending in a perfect arc, before cannonballing into the water.

  I scream, skirting away from the water’s edge when the water splashes.

  Cyrus surfaces, flicking his wet hair out of his face. He wears a broad smile. “Come on!”

  I go to the water’s edge where the grassy land drops down into the water. Carefully, I stretch one leg down, dipping my toe in the water.

  “It’s freezing!” I protest.

  “You’re an immortal vampire capable of ripping the face clean off of the best soldier, and you’re afraid of a little cold water?” he taunts me. With a wicked glint in his eye, he sends a wave of water splashing in my direction.

  “Oh, you are so dead now!” I scream. I take three steps back, before running and launching myself into the air. With a wicked laugh, I splash into the water, right beside Cyrus.

  When I surface, I reach up, placing both of my hands on top of his head, and shove him down under the water. He grabs me around the waist as he sinks, and drags me down with him.

  Down here in the water, it’s dark. But the moon cuts through the rippling surface, making everything look mystical and magical.

  Face to face, I look at Cyrus through the water.

  His hair floats around him and his skin glows an eerie blue.

  He looks supernatural.

  I reach out, putting a hand behind his neck. I pull myself to him, our skin feeling cold in the water when it connects.

  Slowly, we rise to the surface, and water trails down our faces.

  But I stare at him in the moon. His eyes. That strong nose. And those lips.

  “I’ve never seen lips I love more than yours,” I confess without even thinking. But instead of feeling embarrassed, I brush my thumb over them. They part, breathing warm air on my own lips.

  Cyrus’ hands come to my hips, pulling me in close. I raise my legs in the water, wrapping them around his waist.

  I feel so alive.

  So electric.

  So present.

  “Kiss me,” I command.

  Cyrus happily obliges.

  He sucks my soul from me, stealing it. Claiming it as his own. And I draw in his. I feel him, filling every part of me, until I can’t identify what parts are me and what parts are him.

  I cling to Cyrus, letting him run his hands over me. I grip his bare skin greedily, hungry for more, but filled to the brim.

  I never want this day to end. It’s been perfect. Normal. And I can feel it. It’s just me and Cyrus here. Just Logan. None of this day has Cyrus been reaching for Sevan. He hasn’t kissed her once this day.

  Cyrus is mine.

  Chapter 18

  We’re both sopping wet when a few hours later we head back to the castle. Neither of us brought a towel considering our swimming venture was spur of the moment. I hope Cyrus’ nice car isn’t totally ruined considering how much lake water we’re getting everywhere.

  Back to the castle we go, and together, we unload the shopping bags, still only each wearing our swimming suits.

  “We’re going to have to hire a new maid, just to handle all of this,” Cyrus teases as we climb the stairs to our bedroom.

  “Don’t you try to put this on me,” I scold him, shooting a withering stare at him over my shoulder. “Who kept adding every single thing to the shopping bag?”

  He only laughs and follows me into the bedroom.

  I’ve just set them down in our closet, when my phone dings from inside one of them. I hunt through the plastic and fabric until I find it.

  Amelia: OMG!!! You two are just to die for! Shopping AND kissing in Europe?? It can’t get much better than that!

  I smile, beginning to reply, when another text comes through. Your dad has to be getting more on board with you and Collin now. How could he not see how happy you are?

  A block of ice drops in my stomach, instantly melts, and sends ice cold acid rushing through all of my veins.

  I feel sick.

  My ears are ringing.

  “Logan?” Cyrus questions from out in the bedroom.

  Numbly, my eyes rise to meet his.

  “Logan, what’s wrong?” he asks, taking two steps forward.

  I shake my head. The ringing in my ears is loud. So loud. And I swear I’ve turned into a block of dry ice.

  I take two steps out of the closet, but my eyes once more fall to my phone.

  Your dad… Your dad… Your dad…

  The words scream at me over and over and over.

  She doesn’t know.

  “Logan?” Cyrus says once more.

  “The day the intruder beheaded you,” I say. And I hate those words, but even more, I hate the ones I have to confess in just a second. “I’d just been back at my parents’ house in Greendale.” I dim the screen, hugging the phone to my chest. “Cyrus, the men who came after me, they killed my parents. Tortured them. I’ve seen some gruesome things at the mortuary, but nothing like what they put my parents through.”

  “Logan,” Cyrus says, stepping forward and pulling me into his arms. “I had no idea. I’m…I’m so sorry.”

  Numbly, I lay my head on his cool chest. “I left Larkin behind to take care of things, make sure there was no evidence. Just a few nights ago, Eshan and I buried them in the courtyard graveyard.”

  “Eshan is here?” Cyrus asks in surprise.

  I nod. “He’s staying,” I say with finality, even though I know Cyrus won’t fight me about it. “With my parents gone, there’s no one to take care of him. And with what he knows now…” I shake my head, realizing one more fact Cyrus doesn’t know. “He spent four days as a Bitten.”

  And I get a little scared, because I remember Cyrus’ reaction when once a few months ago we had a conversation about them. How angry he was. How he forbid Elle from using the Bitten cure anymore.

  But Cyrus only looks down at me with sympathy on his face.

  Emotion wells in my eyes as everything hits me again.

  I’m so tired.

  I’ve been through these things, all this drama, over and over.

  “It’s too much,” Cyrus says. His words come out clear and confident. “We have dealt with all of this over and over. We have handled the problems of our kind for thousands of years.” He shakes his head. I see a darkness creep into his eyes. “It is our turn for peace now.”

  My brows furrow as I look up into his dark eyes. “What do you mean?”

  Cyrus shakes his head again. “It is already happening, Sevan. The kingdom is crumbling and our system is shaken.” He takes my hands in his, holding them to his chest. “Sevan, after all this time, I am tired. Let…let us be done with it all.”

  Confusion sinks into my expression and my mouth opens, but no words come out at first. I take half a step back to get a better view of his face. He’s serious.

  “You…you just want to walk away?” I ask. “Abandon Court and the Houses and just…let them figure all this crap out?”

  Still, his face darkens, but I read all the sincerity there. He’s sure about this. “We have done everything for them. There are others, every House leader can help begin a new system. Over and over we have solved their problems, and all we have to show for it is a world that thinks I am a violent mad man!”

  Cyrus takes a step away from me, turning to the window. He braces his hands on the windowsill, looking out over the valley and those he speaks about.

  “I am tired, Sevan,” he says. He stays like that for a very long minute, just watching them. Then slowly, he stands. He turns back to me. He crosses the room until he’s standing right in front of me. He raises a han
d, cupping his palm gently to my cheek.

  “After all this time, I have come to the realization that the only thing I care about, the only thing I’ve truly cared about for a long while, is you.” He says the words softly. So gently. “I am done with the rest of the world. From now on, my only concern is enjoying every second I have with you, and finding a way to break the curse that takes you away from me.”

  I’m frozen. I can only stare at Cyrus in wonder while my heart goes insane.

  Everything Cyrus has created is incredible. An entire new race. The politics we operate by. The governance of twenty-seven Houses spread throughout the world, and everything there is here at Court.

  He’s ready to walk away from it all.

  He’s ready to drop the crown.

  So we can be together. Just the two of us. For once.

  I let my eyes slide closed, and for just a second I relish in that love. I take hold of it, gathering it into my chest, and appreciate the size of it.

  I want that. More than anything.

  “No,” I say evenly.

  I let my eyes slide back open. They meet Cyrus’, and I see in them just how much he disagrees with my one, single word.

  “We started all of this,” I say, taking his hands in mine and holding them to my chest. “All of that out there, all of them spread throughout the world, they exist because of us, because of choices we made a long time ago. They are our family. If we just walk away…”

  I shake my head, looking at my husband with wide eyes.

  “I can’t do that,” I say. I swallow once, because my throat feels thick and dry. “Yes, there are those who are betraying us. But most of them… They’re innocent. They’re just living their lives, the ones we constructed so they can have peace. Most of them are not prepared for what would happen if we walked away.”

  Cyrus opens his mouth to speak, but I push on, cutting him off.

  “Imagine it, Cyrus,” I beg him, pleading with my eyes. “If we disappeared, if they no longer feared you. What would the world become? Because our son was far from the only one of our kind who thought we shouldn’t have to hide. Those who thought like that would gather in weeks. In months they’d form armies. They’d turn against the humans. And maybe they would stand a chance at gaining power and domination, but there are so many humans.” I shake my head. I’m filled to the brim with fear as I imagine it. “If they all united to hunt us down, we would be eradicated within a few short years. And then everything you created, after all the sacrifice, it would all have been for nothing.”