Chapter 26 Chapter 26

Chapter 26 Chapter 26
Bailey’s POV

Benjamin finally started talking to me. I guess he has a little rebellious side, disobeying a direct order from his king. That worked in my favor—maybe I could learn something useful about this place.

“What is it like in the army?” I tried to stir up the conversation again, hoping for more luck this time.

“It depends on how you look at it.” Luck was on my side. Benjamin leaned on the table, resting his elbows, his sharp purple eyes watching me. I wasn’t the best judge of character, but he seemed… trustworthy. I wanted to know more about him.

“When His Majesty took the throne, things seemed promising. He made quite a few changes. But as time went on, and the heart in him darkened, I began to think he might end up like his father…” His gaze drifted elsewhere, heavy with memory. I couldn’t imagine what it was like to live under someone like Nathaniel. And wait—his father?

“What was his father like?” I leaned forward, curiosity pricking at every nerve. The more I knew, the better I could understand this nightmare I’d been thrown into. Nathaniel wanted to keep me in the dark, but I wasn’t about to let him have the upper hand.

“His father… was too far gone. In his last days, he nearly destroyed the capital. He couldn’t control the dark power…”

“Wait! Nathaniel’s father was the previous host of the Black Heart?!”

Heads turned at my loud outburst. Great. From now on, I’d talk in codes. Benjamin barely reacted, rolling his eyes at the gawking staff. One sharp look and they went back to their chores.

“Yes. But enough about that. Eat your food. You should return to His Majesty’s room to prepare for the ceremony.” Yep, I’d hoped for too much. Just as we started connecting, he shut me down.

“My sister will probably scold us if we’re late,” he added casually.

“Oh… your sister is helping Kara prepare everything?” I tried to keep the conversation alive.

He blinked, shifted uncomfortably. “No… Kara is my sister.”

My jaw dropped. The obnoxious, hate-filled Kara? His sister? It made sense now—the same piercing purple eyes.

“Wow. Didn’t see that coming,” I murmured, mostly to myself.

“You didn’t know? How curious. Usually, she doesn’t miss an opportunity to boast that her older brother is the Commander and that she’s the king’s woman.”

I burst out laughing, accidentally spitting a bit of soup. It was ridiculous, absurd, but I couldn’t help it.

“Trust me, she didn’t leave that part out! She just didn’t mention that you were her brother,” Benjamin muttered, rubbing his temple. Probably not thrilled that his sister was bragging about her supposed affair with the king.

“Well, then I suppose I should apologize for being misled,” I said, waving my hands.

“No! No need. Your sister and I… started off on the wrong foot. Something tells me it won’t change anytime soon. Not your fault,” he reassured me with a faint smile.

Before he could continue, a guard barreled into the dining hall, panting and nearly out of breath.

“Commander Waters! Please, sir, you must come—quick!”

“What is it, Walter?” Benjamin asked, still calm.

Walter glanced at me, hesitating. Benjamin followed his gaze and gave a nod.

“It’s… the beast, Commander. It’s getting out of control. The spells are weakening. We need either His Majesty or you. The general isn’t here, and His Majesty is… otherwise occupied.”

Wait. A beast? Contained inside the castle? Panic prickled along my spine.

“I see. Then I will be right there.” Benjamin’s gaze shifted to me.

“Miss Durant, I’m afraid I’ll need you to accompany me.”

I groaned internally. My chance to escape? Gone.

“But—”

“My orders are to stay with you today,” he interrupted. “You’ll come with me.”

Damn. He wasn’t going to make it easy.

We rose, Benjamin adjusting his sweatshirt, Walter leading the way. I followed, acutely aware of all the staring eyes. Their curiosity was like a weight pressing down on me, and I could tell I’d face more scrutiny in the days to come.

We bypassed the elevator and headed outside, toward the dungeons where I had spent the previous night. The smell hit me instantly, along with memories I wanted desperately to forget—the kiss with Nathaniel. My chest tightened. Alright, Bailey. Admit it. You liked it. Dammit, you actually liked it. But that asshole was never touching your lips again. Period.

Walter led us around the dungeons and stopped before a blank wall. He murmured words that sounded like Latin.

“Ostendam sursum.”

A tall, engraved wooden door shimmered into existence. Concentric circles, strange symbols—protection magic. My mouth fell open. I wanted to learn how to do that.

“Patefacio sursum.” The door clicked open, the symbols vanishing, revealing a dark staircase leading deep into the castle. From below, an enraged roar echoed, followed by a scream that made my stomach twist.

“What is down there?” I whispered, my voice hoarse.

Benjamin didn’t look at me. “A dragon.”