Page 27 of Autumn Queens & Shadows

“My offer stands.”

“Neo can still do that job just fine,” I added, knowing full well that I had not a single intention of asking Neo for that sort of help, or even having ever considered it. Part of me wanted to get him mad. To see him angry. I don’t know why I thought the mention of Neo would do so. But my guess was right.

His jaw twitched. “Neo probably can’t still tell his dick from his toes.”

Rain giggled. “Papa, what is a d—”

My sister and brother-in-law glared at Malik. “Something your papa will cut off your uncle if he repeats that again,” Snow said, kissing her daughter’s cheek. “If mama doesn’t get to it faster.”

“You made him Commander of the Eldritch,” I added, confused as to why he was always so hostile towards Neo, yet he’d handed him his position of power.

“I did?” he asked, lifting a brow and turning to his brother. “Did I now?”

I looked over at Kil who gave me a blank expression. “You were fond of him,” he boredly said, drinking from his teacup. “Thought it would work best between you two if he were to be in a position of power, so I put him there.”

What?

“And he thought it would make you change your mind and stay,” Snow said to Malik. “Obviously he was wrong to assume both.”

Kilian looked heartbroken. “My love. It was simply a miscalculation.”

“Can’t believe my husband is such a meddler,” she said, shaking her head at him and smiling.

“A meddler? Me?” he asked, stretching back on his seat. “If you want to talk about meddling, how about you tell them—”

Snow put Rain on Malik’s lap and launched in Kilian’s direction, putting a hand over his mouth and leaning to whisper something in his ear that had him go silent.

This morning was the most confusing event I had attended in ages.

When I glanced at Malik, I noticed he was looking at me. “You ask Neo for help a lot, little bird?”

“That doesn’t concern you,” I said, standing and excusing myself out.

Chapter seven

Black Marigolds

Malik

Everyone had gathered at the almost king’s funeral. All except one. His almost wife and my once friend. Elias was getting fidgety, and Oryn was having strong doubts that she was off doing something she shouldn’t be doing. But then so was I.

Sighing, I said, “I’ll get her.”

“She’s not going to like that,” his lordship said as I faded inside the Tenebrose castle.

There was a melody seeping around the corridors. The sound of violins turned sharp and fast the closer I got to the throne room where I could feel her shadows resting.

Thora stood by the massive red stained-glass windows, eyes latched on one spot outside with no absolute focus at all.

Signalling the orchestra to stop playing, I reached her side. “There you are.”

She looked at me then, surprise colouring her green eyes, and soon, something else dimmed them to a deep and dark emerald. Something that very much resembled disdain. “Who gave you permission to come here?”

“This one felt personal.” I stood beside her, close, but she didn’t move away from me this time. “What were we looking at?”

Nothing. That was the answer. She’d been looking at nothing because the view outside the window faced some part of the castle wall. No shrub or column or animal in sight. Just a strip of snowy land and the tall grey wall ahead. “Picturesque. My fingers are itching to paint this.”

She didn’t say anything, still staring ahead. But I knew she was wanting to throw something at me. Word or object, I wasn’t really sure, but she was not doing either. It was like the flame she’d always carried had been put out.