They Drugged Me Into Darkness, Now I Am Its King novel · Chapter 8 of 32

Chapter 8: The Prince Who Came for Aquas

The forge-hall doors did not open so much as surrender, and the man who stepped through them moved like a storm that had finally found its shore.

Carrion of Saturn crossed the floor in three strides, past the dwarf captains, past the goblin elders, past every guard who should have stopped him and did not, and he stopped in front of Aquas with his hands already reaching.

He took Aquas's hand before Lucien could move.

'Are you well?' Carrion asked. 'Tell me Pluto has treated you as a husband and not a hostage.'

Aquas's hand was warm in his. Familiar. It had been years since anyone had held it like this, like it mattered, like it was the only thing in the room worth holding.

He did not pull away.

He did not pull away, and he felt Lucien's silence like a blade at his back.

'I am well,' Aquas said, and his voice came out steadier than he felt. 'I am better than I have been in a long time.'

Carrion searched his face, and whatever he found there made something in his own expression crack open. 'I came as soon as I heard. The marriage. The exile. I should have been there. I should have stopped it.'

'You could not have stopped it,' Aquas said. 'No one could have.'

'I could have tried.' Carrion's grip tightened. 'I have loved you since before the moon court knew your name. I have loved you since the summer we spent at the eastern shore, when you taught me to skip stones and laughed when I sank every one.'

Aquas's chest constricted.

He had not thought of that summer in years. He had not let himself.

'Carrion,' he started.

'I know,' Carrion said. 'I know you were married against your will. I know the contract was forced. And I know that if you are here against your will, I will take you from this place myself.'

The forge-hall had gone very quiet.

Aquas could feel the weight of every eye on him: the dwarf captains who had stood for him, the goblin elders who had claimed him, the vampire prince who had fed him his own blood in secret, and behind him, the dark prince who had not spoken a word since Carrion walked through the door.

← Chapter 7 · All chapters · Chapter 9 →

Want to keep talking to characters like these? Chat with AI romance characters: AI Boyfriend · AI Girlfriend · Dark Romance · Fantasy Romance · BL (Boys’ Love) · Billionaire Boyfriend · Mafia Boyfriend · Possessive Boyfriend · Hockey Boyfriend · Older Boyfriend · K-Drama Boyfriend · Anime Boyfriend · Vampire Boyfriend · Werewolf Boyfriend · Demon Boyfriend · Fae Romance · GL (Girls’ Love) · Anime Girlfriend · Goth & Alt Girlfriend · Gamer Girlfriend · Tsundere Girlfriend · Fantasy Girlfriend