Chapter 0105
Kane
There are times I wonder if I remember a time before I wasn’t constantly at war with a neighbor. I spent over ten years in conflict with Bernard Moonraker for his inability to repay his debts. Now that he is locked up in the dungeon of my castle, I’m dealing with King Peter of Scarlett Thunder because of his unhinged offspring. Bernard had been a nuisance, much like a cockroach that refused to die. King Peter is a whole different kind of asshole, with enough power and resources to actually be a problem for me.
Neither of us has withdrawn our troops from the battlefield. Our men are waiting for word for them to battle to the death. We send messengers back and forth, switching from veiled threats to half–assed attempts at compromising. We are at a stalemate, neither of us willing to back down or be the one to make the first move. Unstoppable force meets immovable objects.
I stare outside the castle window at the gray skies. It looks like it is about to rain. The smell in the air makes me certain of it. If I were to go to the north tower of the castle, I could see the lightning hit the grounds of Scarlett Thunder. Crimson Peak is on higher ground, and we loom over the other kingdom. We have the geographical advantage of being able to see the enemy coming first.
“There’s been a new letter from King Peter’s messenger,” Rainier says. “Shall we see what demands he has for you today?”
I don’t turn away from the window. “Open it.”
I wait as Rainier does as I say and begins reading the letter. It’s the same demands as before. King Peter is willing to overlook all transgressions if I release his son Jacob and marry his daughter Opal. He refuses to believe that I’m not the father of her unborn baby. I have never touched Opal as her personality repulses me.
I turn to look at where Lex is sitting at the table. Slender and blond, he doesn’t resemble me at first glance. Lex inherited his coloring from our maternal grandfather, King Alexander, while I took after our father. No one would think we are brothers until you see us beside each other. Only then can you see the slight resemblance in our sharp jawlines and cheekbones.
“He refuses to think Opal isn’t anything but the purest of snow,” Lex remarks. “Even though anyone who’s met her knows there’s nothing pure and virginal about her.”
“You would know better than anyone,” Rainier quips.
Lex gives him a mocking smile. “Of course. I’m the whore, after all.”
“You said it, not me.”
“Or are you just bitter we never invited you to any of our parties?”
Rainier grimaces. “I would rather not have attended your disgusting orgies. No thank you.”
Léx shrugs. “I don’t know, Rainier. You might have enjoyed it.”
I have to assume my brother is joking or just trying to get under Rainier’s skin. Either way, it’s working. Not wanting to focus on the topic of what Lex gets up to in the dark of night, I join them at the table. I take the letter from Rainier and shake my head over King Peter’s stubbornness.
+25 BONUS
Chapter 0105
I look to Lex and nod for him to begin writing a letter down for me. For all his complaints that he doesn’t enjoy working, Lex makes a half–decent secretary. He writes fast and has nice handwriting. My response to King Peter is quick and to the point: no.
“He’s not going to like that,” Rainier says. “Perhaps we could offer him something besides you being trapped in unhappy matrimony with his awful daughter?”
“He only wants blood and gold,” I reply. “Neither of which do we have an infinite supply of.”
Even if the war with the Moonraker pack hadn’t cost me so much, I wouldn’t be willing to give him so much money. If this war with King Peter had come a decade or two later, I might have been willing to pay him off, but at the moment, I am in no mood to spend the money I do have on the likes of that tyrant. I have loans with other kingdoms and packs I could come collect early but that might just entice them to join my enemy’s side to get rid of me. No one ever said ruling is an easy job.
+25 BONUS
