(eng) Morgan Rice - Of Crowns and Glory 02 by Rogue Prisoner Princess

Author:Rogue, Prisoner, Princess [Rogue, Prisoner, Princess]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 0101-01-01T00:00:00+00:00

CHAPTER TWENTY

When Thanos returned to Delos, there were guards on the docks—indeed, there were guards everywhere. The whole city had the feel of a place under siege, making it hard to tell the difference between the Empire’s capital and the way Haylon had been when it was under attack. He saw bones hanging in a gibbet over the water, the iron chain that held it creaking as it moved in the wind.

A part of Thanos wanted to avoid the guards. They reminded him too much of the soldiers he’d fought back on the rebels’ island. Yet he needed to play the part of the loyal prince, returning from the war, and that meant not sneaking around.

“You there,” he said to the first group he found. They appeared to be engaged in stripping a waterfront home of its contents. “What are you doing?”

“Enforcing the orders of the king,” their sergeant said. “What’s it to you?”

“I am Prince Thanos. You will stop this and escort me to the castle at once.”

He saw the guards pale at that, but they did as he commanded. Thanos looked around as they walked with him back to the castle. In the time he’d been away, it seemed that plenty had changed. He could see other groups of soldiers looting houses, while more gibbets hung on street corners. Some of the occupants were still alive. Graffiti scrawled on the walls proclaimed the cruelty of the king among the more usual comments on the fighters in the Stade. Just the thought of them had him thinking about Ceres.

By the time he reached the castle, it was hard to concentrate on anything else, but Thanos knew he had to. He had to keep up the pretense of loyalty, the illusion of being the perfect prince. One slip could mean more than his life. It might mean defeat for the rebels’ plans too. He had to find out who had ordered his death, and look for ways to help the rebels. Despite all of that, the urge to see Ceres was almost more than he could bear.

He could have gone to his old rooms and changed before heading for the throne room. Instead, Thanos strode in as he was. He wanted everyone there to see him with the dirt and blood of the conflict for Haylon on him. He wanted them to understand what had happened there. He stepped into the throne room, and heard the collective gasp from those there.

They stood in place as if frozen. Thanos walked forward between them, letting his eyes flicker left and right. He could see plenty of nobles he knew there, all looking as though they were dressed for a celebration. He spotted Cosmas in a corner, the scholar looking as though he was making mental notes on everything that was happening in the room. Lucious was off to one side, in grand armor that made him look like the general of an invading army. Stephania was holding a peach, just poised to take a delicate bite out of it.

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