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Chapter no 7

House of Sky and Breath (Crescent City, #2)

โ€œThis is bullshit.โ€ Ruhn paced the ornate rugs of his fatherโ€™s study as the grandfather clock in the corner chimed two in the morning. โ€œYouย knowย itโ€™s total fucking bullshit.โ€

Lounging in a crimson leather armchair by the darkened fireplace, the Autumn King said nothing. The experiments and nonsense he worked on day and night boiled and bubbled away, the sound a steady hum in the background.

โ€œWhatโ€™s the matter, cousin? Feeling possessive of your sister?โ€ Cormac smirked from where he leaned against the black marble mantel, white sweater stretched tight over his muscled chest. Not one golden hair on his head out of place.

Fucker.

Ruhn ignored Cormacโ€™s taunt and said to his father, โ€œWe live in a modern city. In modern times. There are lawyers by the dozen who have endless resources to challenge thisโ€”and courts that might be amenable to setting a new precedent that protects the rights of Fae females.โ€

โ€œBryce will arrive willingly at the marriage altar,โ€ his father said. โ€œAs will you.โ€

Cormacโ€™s mouth curled upward. โ€œI hear youโ€™re engaged to Hypaxia Enador. Congratulations.โ€ Ruhn scowled at him. Cormac went on, sizing up Ruhn, โ€œOf course, the marriage is unorthodox, considering your brideโ€™s family and bloodline.โ€

Ruhn stiffened. โ€œYouโ€™ve got some shit to spew about Hypaxia, then letโ€™s hear it.โ€

But Cormac said to the Autumn King, โ€œHe doesnโ€™t know?โ€

His father, damn him, seemed bored as he said, โ€œIt didnโ€™t seem necessary. My order is law.โ€

Ruhn glanced between them. โ€œWhat is this?โ€

His father, features tightening with distasteโ€”as if disappointed that Ruhn hadnโ€™t learned it himselfโ€”said, โ€œThe late Queen Hecuba had two daughters, from different sires. Hypaxiaโ€™s sire, Hecubaโ€™s coven learned afterward, was a powerful necromancer from the House of Flame and Shadow. Hypaxia seems to have inherited his gifts alongside her motherโ€™s.โ€

Ruhn blinked. Slowly. Hypaxia could raise and speak to the dead. All right. He could live with that. โ€œCool.โ€

Flames danced along his fatherโ€™s hair, dancing over his shoulders. โ€œHer older sister, however, was sired by a shape-shifting male. A stag.โ€

โ€œSo?โ€

Cormac snorted. โ€œHypaxiaโ€™s half sister is better known as the Hind.โ€ Ruhn gaped at him. How had he not known this? โ€œShe didnโ€™t inherit any witch gifts,โ€ Cormac continued, โ€œand was handed over to her fatherโ€™s kin. The crown naturally went to Hypaxia. But it seems that since your bride has been crowned queen, the question of her necromancy has become โ€ฆ an issue for the witches.โ€

โ€œItโ€™s of no bearing on this conversation,โ€ his father said. โ€œRuhn shall marry her, necromancy or not, odious sister or not.โ€

โ€œMy father found Hypaxiaโ€™s background to be problematic,โ€ Cormac said.

โ€œThen it is a good thing your father is not marrying her,โ€ the Autumn King countered.

Cormac shut his mouth, and Ruhn held in his grin of delight.

But his father went on, โ€œRuhn shall marry Hypaxia, and Bryce Quinlan shall marry you, Prince Cormac. There will be no more debate.โ€

โ€œYou do remember that Bryce and Athalar are together?โ€ Ruhn said. โ€œTry to get between them, and youโ€™ll get a refresher course on why he was called the Umbra Mortis.โ€

โ€œLast my spies reported, she still does not bear his scent. So I can only assume they have not consummated their relationship.โ€

Just talking about this with his father was gross.

Cormac cut in, โ€œOne day, sheโ€™ll be Queen of Avallen. Sheโ€™d be a fool to throw it away on a bastard angel.โ€

Ruhn spat, โ€œYou need Bryce more than she needs either of you. Sheโ€™s Starborn.โ€

The Autumn Kingโ€™s teeth flashed. โ€œIf Bryce wished to remain free of our household, then she should not have been so brazen about showing off her power.โ€

โ€œIs that what this is about?โ€ Fire seared through Ruhnโ€™s veins. โ€œThat sheย showed you up? That she has more power than you? Whatโ€”you needed to put her back in her place?โ€

โ€œYouโ€™re delusional,โ€ Cormacโ€™s grin promised violence. โ€œI am stooping to marry your sister. Many of my people will consider the union a disgrace.โ€

โ€œCareful,โ€ the Autumn King warned, true anger sparking in his whiskey-colored eyes. โ€œRegardless of her human lineage, Bryce is an heir to the Starborn line. More so than my son.โ€ He threw a frown dripping with disdain at Ruhn. โ€œWe have not seen starlight with such force for thousands of years. I do not take handing her over to Avallen lightly.โ€

โ€œWhat the fuck are you getting from it?โ€ Nausea clawed its way up Ruhnโ€™s throat.

His father answered, โ€œYour sister has one value to me: her breeding potential. Both of our royal houses will benefit from the union.โ€

Cormac added, โ€œAnd the continued commitment to the alliance between our peoples.โ€

โ€œAgainst what?โ€ Had everyone lost their minds?

โ€œA weakening of magic in the royal bloodline,โ€ Cormac said. โ€œAs recent generations have demonstrated.โ€ He waved with a flame-crusted hand toward Ruhn and his shadows.

โ€œFuck you,โ€ Ruhn hissed. โ€œIs this about the war in Pangera? The rebellion?โ€ Heโ€™d heard rumors recently that Ophion had taken out four Omega submersibles in the north.ย Four. Some insane shit had to be going on over there. His father had even hinted at it in the late spring, when heโ€™d announced Ruhnโ€™s betrothal. That war was coming, and they needed to shore up allies.

โ€œIt is about ensuring that the Fae retain our power and birthright,โ€ his father said. His icy voice had always belied the merciless flame in his

blood. โ€œYour sister can imbue that into her offspring with Cormac.โ€ Cormac grunted his agreement, flames winking out.

Ruhn tried again. โ€œFor fuckโ€™s sake, leave Bryce out of this. Donโ€™t we have other royals we can pair off to punch out some babies?โ€

โ€œI didnโ€™t remember you whining so much, Ruhn,โ€ Cormac said.

โ€œBefore or after you tried to kill me? Or when you buried a sword in Decโ€™s gut?โ€

Cormacโ€™s eyes gleamed like hot coals. โ€œJust wanted to feel you boys out.โ€ He pushed off the mantel and strode for the shut doors. โ€œYou know,โ€ Cormac drawled over his shoulder, โ€œthe Starborn used to intermarry. Brother wed sister, aunt married nephew, and so on. All to keep the bloodline pure. Since you seem so heavily invested in who shares Bryceโ€™s bed, perhaps the old traditions could be revived for you two.โ€

โ€œGet the Hel out,โ€ Ruhn snarled. His shadows writhed at his fingertips, whips ready to snap for the Avallen Princeโ€™s neck.

โ€œYou might rebel all you like, Ruhn Danaan, but you are a Crown Prince, as I am. Our fates are the same. But I know which one of us will rise to meet it.โ€

Then he was gone.

Our fates are the same.ย Cormac meant that they would both be kings, but Ruhn knew his fate was more complicated than that.

The royal bloodline shall end with you, Prince. The Oracleโ€™s voice floated through his mind, twisting up his insides. He might very well not live long enough to see himself crowned. His blood chilled. Was it because Cormac would lead some sort of coup?

He shook it off, turning to his father. โ€œWhy are you doing this?โ€ โ€œThat you have to ask shows me youโ€™re no true son of mine.โ€

The words seared through him. Nothing could ever hurt worse than what had already been done to him by this male, the scars he bore on his arms from it, mostly covered by the sleeves of his tattoos. But the words โ€ฆ yeah, they stung.

Ruhn refused to let the old bastard see it, though. Would never let him see it. โ€œAnd I suppose you think Cormac will become that true son by marrying Bryce.โ€

His fatherโ€™s lips curled upward, eyes as lifeless as the Pit. โ€œCormac has always been the son I should have had. Rather than the one I was burdened

with.โ€

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