The Key to Castle Krondolee by Jayden Woods

Author:Jayden Woods
Language: eng
Format: epub, mobi
Tags: romance, adventure, action, fantasy, gods, pagan, novella, castle, high concept, serafina, broken balance, arken, krondolee, savanna, serafinas saga

CHAPTER 6

Triumph

Arken nearly packed his things and returned to the plantation as soon as he rode back to the castle.

But he did not. To leave now would be to admit defeat.

Despite his urge to leave these accursed politics behind him once more, this time he did not. He had done that before, and he knew what would happen. The bitterness and regret of his failure would continue to eat at him, and nothing he achieved by growing crops would remove it.

His anger now fueled a new ambition within him. And his mother helped foster it.

“You are upset,” Tanya observed as she joined him on the balcony. Before them, the houses and streets of Krondolee shone silver in the moonlight, while the savanna beyond cast a bright amber glow.

“That woman Vivian is more than she appears to be,” growled Arken. “I feel as if she knows something the rest of us do not, and she wishes to toy with us.” He took a frantic gulp of wheat liquor.

His mother reached over and took the cup from him. Then she drank a sip for herself. “I confess, my son, that when I said you had a way with women, I did not speak the full truth. You have developed such skills out of necessity. For women are also your weakness.”

“What?” he snapped irritably. She handed what remained of the liquor back to him.

“Your brother wants money and power, as do I. It is nothing to be ashamed of. For if you have power, then you can acquire everything else. But all too often, you forget this. You aim for much smaller targets. You have made that mistake many times before. And now I fear that you are making it again. And once more, it involves a woman. You want a woman to love and respect you. You always have, my dear.” She reached out and ran a hand through his hair. “Your desire to earn my approval is the most pertinent example.”

He tensed and pulled away from her grasp.

The smug smile on Tanya’s lips remained strong. “For that, I am grateful. But you must not let your weakness get the best of you. My son, if you obtain that key and become king, you will have the adoration of every man and woman in the kingdom. Well, perhaps that is an exaggeration—some will despise you, inevitably, or wish to replace you—but you will certainly have their respect. True love is a myth, after all. You should know that by now. You thought Nadia loved you. And look what she did to you.”

Arken turned away, glaring up at the dim stream of stars overhead. But his blood continued to boil in his veins; his hand clenched against the coarse stone wall of the castle.

“Arken, I suspect that whatever has happened between you and Vivian, you can fix it. You can still obtain the key. You would not be so upset now unless you came very close to obtaining your goal. This time, do not let your emotions for a woman be your downfall.

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