The first thing I noticed about her was the sorrow in her eyes. It hasn’t escaped my notice that the boy she’s in love with is notably absent. No doubt he’s facing the consequences of his actions last night. If not for the tracking and protection spells Elaine cast the moment the union was agreed upon, they might have slipped through my fingers, gone forever.I tighten my grip on her hand, trying my hardest to suppress the hope her presence awakens within me. It’s as if I took it from her to sustain myself.Arabella of Althea. If the prophecy holds true, she’ll be the one to break the curse. Two hundred years, and I’d almost forgotten what hope felt like. Until her. I always knew it would be a woman who would break the curse, but for years, Pythia was unable to see who it would be. Now that I’ve found her at last, renewed purpose surges within me.I glance down at my newly wedded wife, uncertainty drowning out the hope she instilled in me. She’s young, and she hardly looks powerful. If anything, she looks easily cowed. It wouldn’t surprise me if she runs at the sight of me. She wouldn’t be the first.We enter the throne room together, and I struggle to keep my impatience in check. I must return to the palace soon. The longer and farther I’m away, the worse the effects of the curse. It’s manageable now, but there’s something about Althea that makes me feel more uneasy than usual—almost as though the curse knows I’m a step closer to breaking it.Arabella seems tense beside me, her hand loose in mine, as though she wishes she didn’t have to touch me at all. Her eyes roam over the guests in the ballroom, her shoulders straightening when her gaze lands on a blond woman just a few years younger than her. Her sister, I suspect.The two women exchange a look of longing, and much to my surprise, Arabella smiles in reassurance. It’s the first time I’ve seen her smile, and it’s a sight to behold. When is the last time I saw someone smile in my presence?It’s obvious that Arabella had no real choice in this union, and she undoubtedly resents me for taking her away from her people under threat of violence. Perhaps Elaine was right. Winning her over won’t be easy, and I won’t do myself any favors if I make her leave seconds after the ceremony, without giving her a chance to enjoy her people’s customs.Arabella pauses in the middle of the room and turns to me, her smile vanishing. I tense when I realize what is expected of me. A dance. I haven’t danced in decades.I reluctantly place my hand on her waist, pretending not to notice when she winces. My touch repulses her, and she hasn’t even seen me yet.Her hand trembles as she lifts it to my chest. She’s tall for a woman, but she’s tiny compared with me. Something about her is surprisingly… endearing. I pull her closer, no doubt scandalizing her, and she winces again. I pause and study her face. She’s not repulsed. She’s in pain.“You’re injured.”Her eyes widen slightly and she looks up, a moment of confusion marring her beautiful face when she can’t quite make out my features, courtesy of a spell Elaine cast for me. Arabella shakes her head and smiles tightly, but I see straight through her denial.She and I move slowly, and I let my fingers trail over her back, noting the pain she tries so hard to hide. “Who did this to you?”noveldramaShe shakes her head again and tightens her grip on my cloak, her eyes downcast. Anger rolls down my spine at her silence, and I pause, the two of us coming to a standstill.“You will tell me,” I warn her. “The question is, will you do it voluntarily?”A shiver runs down her arms, and I inhale deeply, regret filling me instantly. Elaine has warned me countless times to be gentle with her, yet I’ve failed within an hour of marrying her.“My father,” she whispers eventually, her voice so soft I nearly missed it.“Why?”She looks up then, fire replacing the sorrow in her eyes. “I tried to run from you. From this.”The corners of my lips turn up into a reluctant smile as she lets her anger loose, her eyes dancing with fury. I’ve been wondering if the prophecy was wrong, because surely a demure girl like her can’t be our savior. Demure… I see it now. She’s all but.I take a step away from her and turn to find her father already staring at us, a hint of fear in his eyes. He probably knows what’s coming. I raise my hand, and just like that, the king is lifted into the air, hovering above the crowd, at my mercy. The music stops, and a hush falls over the ballroom.“My bride is injured,” I say, my voice soft. “Who touched her?” He opens his mouth to reply, but I shake my head and decrease the airflow to his lungs. “I’ll have your tongue if you lie to me.”The king’s eyes widen, and I loosen my grip just slightly, allowing him to speak. “Me,” he says, sounding regretful. “It was me.”I pull the King of Althea closer and lower him to the floor in front of me, my jaw clenched in an effort to suppress my anger. This man dared to hurt the only person who can save my people?Arabella instinctively takes a step away, as though she fears her father more than she fears me, and that’s entirely unacceptable. I won’t have anyone who carries my name fear a man like him. “Bring me the instrument you dared to harm my wife with.” Only a magical object could have harmed her this way while under Elaine’s protection spell.The king stands in front of me, his eyes wide, seemingly in shock, and I snap my fingers. Just like that, the force of the air around his fingers compresses, until his little finger breaks. A loud scream escapes his lips, echoing through the quiet room as he falls to his knees in front of me. He clutches his hand to his chest in pain, true terror filling his eyes.“I’ll break a finger for every minute I’m left waiting. I’m not a patient man.”He finally snaps out of his self-pity and nods at one of his soldiers. I’m tempted to break another one of his fingers when it takes the soldier two minutes to get back, but I resist when I see the dark mahogany box being carried into the room, wild magic radiating off it. I frown and open it to find a black leather whip coated in malice.“You dared use this against my wife after you promised me her hand?”His silence speaks volumes. I flick my wrist and turn him around against his will, his back facing me as I lift the whip high before bringing it down hard. He screams, the sound echoing through the ballroom, his shouts even more shrill than the one before.If this man is in that much pain, how would Arabella have screamed? How much pain has she been in? How much pain is she still in? “How many times did he hit you?” I ask her.She looks up at me, her gaze unfocused due to the spell marring my features. “I lost count,” she whispers, her voice trembling. I’m scaring her, but it’s better this way. I’d rather not hide my true nature. It’s best that she sees me for who I am from the start.I flick my wrist and have the whip move on its own, hitting down on the king over and over again, until regret is all he exudes, his tortured screams echoing through the room.“Please,” Arabella whispers.I turn to her, surprised. “You’d ask for mercy on his behalf after what he did to you?”She nods. “He is my father. I would bestow upon him the mercy I wish he had granted me.”I stare at her, taking in her features. Her eyes are filled with tears, and she’s clearly terrified, yet she stands in front of me asking for my mercy when her father does not deserve it.Arabella of Althea. She might surprise me yet.“Very well.”I snap my fingers, and the whip falls to the ground. “Have that disposed of,” I order. “I don’t ever want to see it again.”Three of my men jump into action as I turn back to my wife. “We’re leaving.” I’m not willing to entertain her any longer. My outburst has brought the bloodlust I fight so hard to the surface. I don’t have much time.Arabella nods and looks back into the room, her eyes roaming over the crowd, settling on her sister for a moment. She smiles in reassurance before she turns and follows me, looking back once.I have no doubt it’s the boy she’s looking for. He isn’t present today, and if I have it my way, he’ll never come near her again.