Empire of Monsters (Cursed Empire Book 3) by Rachel L. Schade

Author:Rachel L. Schade [Schade, Rachel L.]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Publisher: Dragon Shadow Publishing
Published: 2022-05-19T16:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY-SEVEN

Lo

EMPEROR REVAED WAS waiting in my rooms when I returned, the tunnel door sliding shut with a groan behind me. Silent and motionless, he sat in one of the armchairs on the far side of the bedroom, as calm as if he were simply awaiting a guest.

With a shaking hand, I forced myself to set the lantern down gently before I prowled across the room. The sheer power of my rage made white spots dance in my vision, but I didn’t pause, didn’t hesitate. Only when I was directly in front of him did I stop, catching my breath. “I’ll send you crawling on all fours from this room with my magic,” I threatened. “I’ll force such fear into you that you’ll never dare touch another Forwyn again. You’ll never use another death to manipulate me. You’ll never order another massacre in the streets. You’ll—”

Revaed lifted a calm hand, and I bit my lip. Not because I had any desire to obey him, but because something about his attitude made me pause. Made me cool my anger and try to think things through.

I’d expected threats, perhaps another prisoner summoned forward and murdered before my eyes as retaliation for my escape—and the fact that I’d obviously lied about my knowledge of secret routes through the capital.

“I’m not here to kill anyone else,” Revaed said with a shrug. “Yet.” His eyes scanned me coolly.

I refused to let him read my expression and sense my fear, to know that there was ice in my veins.

“First, you’re going to lead me down the tunnel you lied to me about, and you will show me where it lets out.”

Bile rose in my mouth at the thought of facing those rows of corpses waiting in the marketplace square again. Of having to look at Eloyiah’s body, left to bake and rot in the sun. But I could bear it. For my people, I could bear it as I’d borne countless other burdens.

“Then,” Revaed continued, his violet gaze cutting into mine, “you’re going to return with me to visit the Forwyn in the dungeons, and you will explain to them how you will never be responsible for another of their deaths. How you will ensure their freedom by cooperating with us and renewing our alliance with your public speech and your marriage to Caesiem.” His eyes hardened. “And then you will stay here in the palace, in new rooms, or you will break your word to your people.”

My body practically vibrated with rage, but I forced myself to nod. Numbly, I led Revaed back toward the fireplace, pressing the lever until stone scraped against stone and the entrance to the tunnel yawned before us. Mind empty of everything but cold fear and burning rage—a conflicting, confusing whirlwind—I lit the candle within the lantern and lifted it to reveal the descending stone staircase leading into darkness.

“How many other tunnels and underground passages are there for the worms to hide and travel through?” Revaed demanded.

When his eyes darted to me, I shook my head, tongue cleaving to the roof of my mouth.

Download

Copyright Disclaimer:
This site does not store any files on its server. We only index and link to content provided by other sites. Please contact the content providers to delete copyright contents if any and email us, we'll remove relevant links or contents immediately.