KING CONE’S LEGACYDanika was still thrashing on the bed and screaming, reliving the memory of Sally’s heroic act.
As King Lucien watched her, it took him back to that day in the courtroom—that very day Sally had screamed her heart out. He couldn’t help remembering the way it affected this woman lying on his bed.
She’d shrieked at every agonizing scream of her former personal maid. She’d cried at every cry. She’d hurt so much that she came to him for the first time. She’d hurt so much, she chose a physical pain as an escape from the emotional pain.
He frowned in thought. When she started sobbing, he was forced to move.
He walked towards her and sat down on the bed. “Stop. It’s just a nightmare,” he spoke calmly.
“Oh, stop whipping me. I d-did nothing wrong. Stop! Stop! It hurts!” she cried, thrashing her head from side to side. Now her subconscious was replaying the torture session from Vetta.
“Danika. Wake up,” he commanded again. It didn’t work. She only cried. He then placed a hand on her arm with every intention of shaking her awake, but as his hand touched her, she stilled her struggles and stopped crying.
Then she curled her body around his arm and settled back into sleep.
His brows furrowed further as he watched this development. She was gripping his body hard, her body relaxed into sleep. He kept still and watched her as she slept. His eyes took in her features: the long lashes of her eyes, the beautiful pale white skin, the bow of her mouth and her pointed nose.
He didn’t know how long he had watched her until, finally; he could pull his arm from her body.
He made a mental note to summon her personal maid tomorrow. It was high time he did that.
The next afternoon, Vetta was happy as she sat on top of the horse. The wind blew around the deserted part of the land.It was the first time she was going hunting with the king, and she was very excited. It was also the first time he would introduce her as the king’s only mistress, which made her happier.
The two other kings got to see her, and she went hunting with them. A moment with her king. A moment alone with no other person—woman or slave.
Vetta tightened her grip on the reins of the horse and lifted her face to the sky. The day couldn’t get any better.
“Who are we waiting for, my king?” she asked in a cheerful voice, the wind caressing her closed eyes.
He said nothing. His expression said nothing, too. He was seated on top of his horse, holding the reins, while the two other kings were also on their own horses, talking together.
King Lucien kept some distance from them, his jaw set in a firm line.
Vetta opened her eyes and stared at him, and the thought came to her. Would the day ever come when this man would smile? When he could laugh? Even in the privacy of her mind, she knew the impossibility of the thought. It was such a pity----
A movement caught her eye, and she turned to see the rustle of grasses in the entrance of the deserted land that showed someone was coming. Must be who they’d been waiting for.
When Danika came through the tall grass, Vetta felt something hard slam in her chest. Danika walked closer to them and knelt. She bowed her head. “I’m sorry for being late, Master.”
“You should be whipped for that!” shouted King Moreh, who was also glaring at her.
Danika’s heart ran away in her chest with fear.
“No, I don’t think so. After all, we’ve been talking and having a good time while we waited.”
She peaked up at the new deep voice gratefully. That was King Valendy, and it was the first time he had come to Salem since the kingdom gained their freedom. Salem was now the biggest of the twelve kingdoms because it was a joint kingdom with Mombana.
King Lucien said nothing, just stared at Danika with those cold, hard eyes. It didn’t scare her the way it used to because she knew that the hardness and coldness of his eyes and heart had become a natural part of him. Unbidden, she remembered that night after she’d been whipped when he took her up in his arms and they heavily sedated her.
“Can your eyes ever be warm again?” she had asked in a daze.
“No,” he had replied. “Because I’ve forgotten what it’s like to have warm eyes.”
Now he met her eyes with his before she lowered her eyes again.
“What is she doing here?” Vetta asked the king. She did her best to keep the anger off her face, but it was difficult. Danika had ruined a wonderful day for her again. Why did she have to be here!?
The king didn’t say a word, instead he jerked at the reins of his horse, which caused the horse to move down the path. She glared hard at his back.
“Let’s go,” King Moreh stated.
All of them started moving. Danika walked to the empty horse in the corner and climbed on it. For the first time, she was thankful that she and Sally had learned how to ride all those days they used to sneak out of her room. Riding was much better than walking on foot, which was usually the fate of a slave.
They all jerked on the reins, and the horses sped up to a run. Vetta was so angry, smoke would have come out of her eyes if she had been a witch.
She had been happy that she would spend quality time with the king. Now, Danika had ruined it for her again!
Later, they reached the hunting ground and got down from their horses. King Lucien’s guards and the other king’s guards were there waiting. King Valendy’s guards supplied them with bows and arrows. They raced off in search of a deer to hunt.
“So, she’s the daughter of Cone?” King Valendy asked King Moreh as they rode.
King Moreh glared at Danika. “Yes, she is. Useless whore.” He spat on the ground. “You should have attended her introduction. The bitch is one sweet ride; she isn’t a just a fine face.”
King Valendy’s brows knitted. “You know I don’t enjoy such occasions. I don’t understand what is so fun about taking pleasure from an unwilling woman.” His eyes found Danika’s. “She might be the daughter of a beast like Cone, but she didn’t choose her father.” King Valendy urged his horse forward and rode ahead of King Moreh.
King Moreh glared at his back. Valendy had always been an ass of an old man. Moreh couldn’t understand how the man didn’t like most of the ‘fun’ they had.
Well, not all men are real men.