The Umbra King (Vincula Realm Book 1)

Rory walked back into the palace, wanting nothing more than to fall into bed. She was loaded down with her shopping bags from their trip and needed to sort everything out. Specifically, she needed to plot out how she would run into Caius while wearing her new dress. She also needed a reason to wear the scandalous garment.

Bellina stayed in town longer, and since Rory was not entirely familiar with the palace layout, she took a wrong turn and ended up in the throne room. The doors were open, which seemed strange, and she took the opportunity to look around without prying eyes.

Her eyes kept finding their way to the door behind the throne, and before she could stop herself, she was in front of it, grabbing the handle. This was either incredibly stupid, or it would pay off for later. She crossed her fingers and hoped it was the latter.

The door opened to a hallway with a long ornate rug covering the marble floor. After closing the door quietly behind her, she tip-toed her way to the first door. She missed her ability to move undetected, but the rug helped absorb any sounds her boots made.

She could see there were only two doors in the entire hallway: the one she stood in front of, and another at the very end. Which should she try?

Shrugging, she pushed open the first door and poked her head inside. It was dark other than a sconce by the door and another behind a large desk.

“The king’s office,” she whispered with wicked delight. This must be a second entrance.

“Yes,” Caius said, his voice floating through the dark. “My office.”

Rory yelped, letting the door close in her face. She turned to run, but the door flew open and shadows wrapped around her arm, stopping her retreat.

That was it. She was carrying a torch to keep the damned things away from her.

“Where are you going, Miss Raven?” His voice was rich and enchanting, like a song.

She counted to three and stepped into his office, swiveling her head slowly to find him. It was dark, and she had a feeling he’d cloaked himself in shadows to hide. He revealed himself as he sat in a high-back chair in what looked to be a reading nook across the room.

One ankle rested on his opposite knee, and a book sat open in his lap. His head was bent as he read, and in his other hand, he held what looked to be a glass of liquor.

“Didn’t anyone tell you it’s impolite to sneak around?” he asked without looking up.

A lantern burned bright on the table beside his chair, and when he raised his head, her breath stalled. She hated how handsome he was. So handsome, it was hard to tear her gaze away.

“I was lost,” she fibbed. Not a complete lie.

He closed his book and set it on the side table. “I don’t appreciate being lied to.” He stood and prowled across the room. Everything about him was sleek and effortless, and she wanted to throw something at him.

“What makes you think I’m lying?” She tilted her head slightly. “Do you possess the ability to detect lies?” Cuffing her arms, she feigned boredom. “They left that ability out of the history books.”

A smirk pulled at the side of his mouth, and once in front of her, his eyes explored her face. “Why are you here?”

“I was looking for you,” she said sweetly.

His expression didn’t change. “Most women are.”

“Do they want to cut out your heart, too?” She fluttered her eyelashes dramatically.

A laugh rumbled from his chest, taking her by surprise once again. “I like when you’re honest.” His face shifted from amusement to a cold calmness as he took another step forward. “But I would like you even better on a spike, which is where you will be in hell if you threaten me again.”

Her eyes flared slightly as she took a step back, trying not to show fear, but his face broke into an amused smile again. “Ah, so you meant it.”

She stopped and pinched her brows together. “Excuse me?”

He strolled back to his reading chair, sat down, and lounged like the king he was. “You would have immediately told me you were kidding.” His eyes roamed the length of her. “It’s too bad. You might have even gotten on your knees, and you know how much I like you on your knees, Miss Raven.”

Her body heated against her will, and she ran through every unsavory image she could think of to dampen the flames inside her. Being horny would make seducing him easier, she reminded herself.

The organ beating in her chest had long been dead, and separating sex and feelings was something she did well.

The feeling unsettled her. Not the act of having sex with him, but the fact her body wanted to. She closed her eyes and willed herself to remember the night of Cora’s death.

“Miss Raven,” Caius’ voice said, cutting through her thoughts. He picked up the book on his side table. “While I am sure you were dreaming of taking my cock into that smart little mouth of yours, I would prefer it if you acted it out for the class.”

It felt like a test. She had no doubt he was telling the truth about women throwing themselves at him. Like Nina. But he seemed like a man who liked the chase, and if the look in his eye was any indication, he hadn’t had one in some time.

Still lugging her shopping bags, she shrugged and walked to the door. “What made you think the cock was yours?”

She practically ran through the door, moving faster than she ever had before.

When she burst through the exit leading to the dais, she spotted Nina climbing the steps. The woman stopped, and a sneer transformed her pouty mouth. “What were you doing in there? Everything beyond that door is off limits.”

“Not for me,” Rory replied coyly, taunting the woman who was making her life miserable, and as soon as the words left her mouth, she regretted them. Nina looked like someone with a vicious streak, and the last thing Rory needed was more shit from her.

“Not likely, gutter trash,” Nina fumed. “Get back to your room and stay out of sight. It would be a shame if you were caught by the wrong person, wouldn’t it?”

Rory didn’t dignify the maid with a response as she left. Nina opened the dais door, and for some reason, it pissed Rory off. It would be difficult to seduce the king with Nina occupying his dick.

A sigh left her lips. She would figure it out. She always did.

Caius stared at his office door. What made you think the cock was yours? He couldn’t decide if he wanted to cut her tongue out or suck it into his mouth.

“Fuck you, Adila,” he said into the empty room and leaned forward to rest his elbows on his knees.

If he couldn’t feel the suffocation of Aurora’s black soul, then why couldn’t he have her warm his bed? This was assuming she wanted him, of course. While he wanted nothing more than to fuck her mouth into submission, he would never force her.

He stood, frustrated. What was he thinking? It didn’t matter if he could feel her soul or not; he knew what resided within her, and he hated it.

There was a knock on his door, and he foolishly opened it, thinking it was Aurora. Nina smiled and walked into the room, swaying her hips, and he fought a frustrated sigh.

“I’ve missed you.” She pouted, and he forced himself not to grimace.

“What do you want, Nina?”

Her nostrils flared slightly. “Did Aurora bother you? I saw her sneaking through the door.”

“That is none of your concern. Leave.” He gave her his back as he crossed the room. Nina made a noise but wisely kept her thoughts to herself and left, slamming the door.

The door to his office opened again, and in walked Samyaza, his eyes watching Nina. Once she was out of earshot, he turned back to Caius.

“Why do you look like that?” he asked as he took a seat on the large, cushioned bench Caius had brought in to accommodate his friend’s wings.

Sam could shift into a wingless form, but the Angel hated to, unless necessary. Caius eyed Sam’s wings and was thankful he wasn’t born with any.

Sam threw a dinner roll and hit him on the side. “Stop staring at my wings and answer me.”

Caius popped a brow. “Did you pull a dinner roll out of your pocket?” He toed the bread.

Sam brought another roll to his mouth, ripped off a bite, and smiled as he chewed. “It was in my hand, but you were too busy stewing to notice.”

“I was reading,” Caius argued. It wasn’t a lie. He was reading earlier.

“You were standing with no book when I walked in.” Sam shoved the rest of the roll in his mouth and, after swallowing, said, “Tell me.”

“Nothing is wrong.” Caius picked up the roll and tossed it in the trash bin next to his desk. Aurora’s contract peeked out from under a few papers, and he reached for it. Normally, he would file it away the same day the inmate arrived, but he couldn’t stop himself from rereading her charges.

Thirteen murders, most of them men. It was unbelievable. When Max, the palace gardener, was speaking with her in the kitchens, she’d said, “I am a monster.”

“What is your obsession with Aurora Raven?” Sam asked from directly behind him.

Caius didn’t scare easily, but when an oversized pigeon snuck up behind someone, even the bravest of men would yelp the way he did. “You need to wear a bell,” he griped. “And I do not have an obsession, but I am curious as to why Adila sent her here.”

Sam took the contract from Caius’ hand and walked to the cabinet to file it away. “It is not your place to question the Scales of Justice. She would not have sent Aurora here without reason.”

“I don’t trust it,” Caius said, taking a seat at his desk. “I want you to go to Erdikoa and gather whatever intel you can on the woman. Her mother is a Sibyl, and her sister is dead.“ He rubbed his jaw. “I want to know everything.”

Sam looked skeptical but said nothing. They may have been best friends, but at the end of the day Caius was in charge.

“When do you want me to leave?” Sam asked quietly.

“After the Plenilune ball.”

When Rory returned to her room, she stopped short at the tray on her bed. Her smile widened. She’d forgotten to thank Bellina for saving her from starvation. Her friend must have realized Rory didn’t stop for food after shopping.

After setting her shopping bags down, she crossed the tiny room to her bed and inspected her dinner. She would have been happy with bread and water, but Bellina pulled out all the stops. A steak sat next to a baked potato topped with butter and cheese.

Guilt made her shoulders sag. She hoped her friend wasn’t spending all her food credits on Rory. Tomorrow, she would seek her out and demand she use Rory’s credits instead.

Her heart swelled at the thoughtfulness of her friend, and she sat down to dig in. The steak was juicy, and the baked potato was still warm enough to melt the butter.

Rory stopped chewing and looked at her plate. If it was another member of the staff leaving the food, there was probably spit in it. With a shrug, she continued to eat, savoring the taste. It never occurred to her to use her credits in town for food.

Her shift usually ended between breakfast and lunch, but after she showered and put herself together, it was midafternoon. She remedied starvation by stuffing as much food from the kitchens in her mouth as possible when she arrived at work. The other staff didn’t arrive until five a.m., and there was no one around to report her to the queen bee.

Delaying her shower to grab food would be worth it, and she hoped they had a grocery store where she could get items that didn’t require a refrigerator.

She blew out a long breath at the memory of her encounter with Nina. There was no doubt in her mind she would pay for it, but seeing the look on that wench’s face was priceless.

Her mind drifted back to Caius. He made it clear Nina meant nothing more than a quick fuck to him, which was lucky for Rory. She wasn’t the type to steal another woman’s man, but not only was Caius not Nina’s, Nina was a cunt, making the task more enticing.

Rory shook herself. How could she look into the face of her sister’s murderer and still feel attraction? Maybe she was more messed up in the head than she thought.

Placing her tray on the nightstand, she threw herself back on her bed with a sigh. Could she really go through with this? She had to. Figuring out the layout of the palace was crucial, specifically where Caius’ room was located. That was where she was likely to find Cora’s soul. Or maybe in his office.

The other door in the hallway must lead somewhere, but she couldn’t get caught by Caius again. What did he do all day? That was her second order of business. Could she follow him undetected?

Not for the first time, she cursed the realm for taking her abilities. Knowing his schedule would help with her plan to seduce him, though if she could find Cora’s soul on her own, she wouldn’t need to.

Sitting up, she stood and picked up her shopping bags to put her things away. She needed to get to sleep and prepare for the days ahead.