The Umbra King (Vincula Realm Book 1)

Rory sat at the bar surrounded by her friends for Max’s last night in Vincula. They were sad, but everyone knew how much Max missed his wife, and knowing he would be reunited with her consoled them all.

Asher would have raised his glass and said something stupid to make them laugh, but he wasn’t here. Rory held hers up instead. “Here’s to hoping they don’t put me on garden duty.”

Max chuckled as the others looked on in confusion. “Hear, hear,” Max agreed and clinked his glass to hers.

“Here’s to hoping we understand the next joke,” Cat added and lifted her glass.

They chatted back and forth, but Max stayed quiet. He always did, but tonight felt different. There was a deep sadness in his eyes, and Rory reached under the table to grab his hand. “Don’t worry about forgetting us,” she whispered. “We’re all on borrowed time, anyway.”

His old eyes bore into hers. “Sometimes, when people borrow something, they don’t want to give it back.”

Her heart ached for him, for all of them, including herself. It was likely she wouldn’t lose her memories if she married Caius, but knowing they’d forget her hurt.

“That’s called stealing,” Cat piped up from across the table.

Max huffed out a laugh, blinked away his unshed tears, and squeezed Rory’s hand before letting it go.

Before letting them all go.

A couple of hours later, Rory, Max, and Bellina walked through the palace gates, and after one more round of teary goodbyes, they went their separate ways. Bellina and Max headed to the staff quarters, and Rory turned toward her room on the opposite side of the palace.

When she turned down the hall to the throne room, a meaty hand clamped over her mouth and hauled her back into one of the large banquet rooms. She struggled against his hold as her anxiety peaked. Remembering her training with Dume and Caius, she stomped on his foot while simultaneously elbowing him in the stomach.

He grunted and pushed back, and she used the distraction to break his hold. She needed to run but didn’t want to turn her back to him, so she backpedaled deeper into the room, searching for another exit.

“Little butcher bitch wants to play?” the man asked, and as he moved closer, she recognized him as one of Nina’s henchmen. Vince or Felix, she recalled.

“Stay away from me,” she warned.

His raucous laugh made her flinch, and the glint in his eye could have come from Orcus himself. The man moved fast, faster than she’d thought possible for his size, and when he was close enough, he swung.

She deflected the blow, her entire body rattling with the contact, but her muscle memory kicked in, and she held her own. Round and round they went; him attacking, her evading until he landed an uppercut to her jaw, and she swore a tooth cracked. Her movements were slowing, but she had to keep going.

Another man, the missing part of the duo, barreled through the door, and dread seeped into her bones.

One man she could take, but two was impossible. Her boot slammed into the first man’s jaw, snapping his head back. The other man ran across the room, and Rory sprinted away. The exhaustion from fighting the first man slowed her down, and pain shot through her when she was yanked backward by her hair.

She flipped around and began fighting the second man, the first where she’d left him, catching his breath. A crash sounded, and Lauren ran through the door, straight for Rory. Rory nearly folded with relief, and when the man fighting her turned and saw Lauren, he didn’t have time to scream.

Lauren snarled and transformed into a lethal panther mid stride, knocking him to the ground, and with one bite, she clamped down on the back of his neck and ripped his spinal cord from his body.

Rory screamed and fell to the floor as the panther transformed back into Lauren, but not the Lauren she knew. In her place was an Angel with bloodied wings and white fire in her eyes. She looked possessed, and when she turned to the other man, who was trying to crawl away, she took measured steps across the room as the bones dangling from her hand whispered like a wind chime.

Before she reached him, the wall between the room and the hallway blew to bits as shadows blasted through the stone. Rory screamed and covered her head, but no debris touched the ground. It hovered in the air, balanced on shadows as Caius stormed into the room, and Rory saw what the tall tales depicted.

There stood the King of Monsters, and his golden eyes blazed as shadows branched across his skin like roots. His expression was deadly, and when he saw the other man struggling on the ground, he became darkness itself as he moved across the room.

A shadow lifted the man into the air, and Lauren stood back, letting Caius have his kill.

“You dare touch your queen?” he snarled in the deepest voice Rory had ever heard.

“Q-queen?” the man stammered.

Before he could say another word, Caius grabbed the man’s jaw and ripped it from his face, tossing it on the ground as a strangled cry emitted from the man’s throat. “You will never speak of her again,” the king told him. “Tell Orcus hello for me.”

The man’s head snapped with a resounding crack, and his body fell in a heap on the floor.

Lauren dropped the bloodied bones in her hand and ran back to Rory. It was then Caius turned, and when he saw her, he ran, shadows flying erratically in every direction.

Rory trembled, wanting to back away as Lauren approached her, but she didn’t. She knew the Angel wouldn’t hurt her.

“Don’t pass out on me,” Lauren said as she helped Rory to her feet. “Are you hurt?”

“I—I think I lost a tooth,” she said absentmindedly, searching the floor for it.

Lauren wrenched open Rory’s jaw and looked around. “Just one. Nothing a potion can’t fix.”

Rory stood motionless, taking in the gore of it all. “I knew you weren’t a house cat.”

Lauren threw her head back and clapped as she laughed. “You’re fine. We need to ge—“

Darkness encased them in a shadowy coffin, cutting her off as Caius pulled Rory into his arms. “I saw him,” he rasped into her hair. “I didn’t think I’d get here in time.”

She held him, needing him to calm her nerves as much as he needed her to calm his. “I hope you like holes because I lost a tooth,” she mumbled into his shirt.

He pulled back and pried her mouth open as Lauren had done, and Rory swatted his hands away. “Lauren said she’d get me a potion.”

Caius’ eyes returned to normal, and the vein-like shadows receded from his skin. “Why did you look like that?” she asked cautiously.

He smoothed her hair out of her face where it’d come loose from her ponytail. “I have a temper.”

She ran her finger along his jaw where the dark lines once marred his skin. “Did you lose control?”

“I don’t lose control,” he said smoothly. “But I intend on killing anyone who hurts you.”

“Not if I get to them first,” Lauren said, making them both turn. She was inspecting her blood-covered nails. “Which I did.”

Caius’ arm banded around Rory’s waist. “I owe you my life,” he said, dipping his head respectfully.

“You didn’t almost die,“ Rory protested. “I did.” Being able to joke after almost dying had to be a good sign. They say trauma makes people funnier.

She would likely throw up later to make up for it.

“What happened?” Caius asked Lauren.

Lauren placed her hands on her hips, and for the first time since meeting her, she looked guilty. “I was trailing her, as you asked.”

“Excuse me?” Rory cut in, breaking Caius’ hold.

He didn’t look sorry. “Go on.”

Rory tabled the conversation for later, but she would come back to it.

“An enforcer stopped me in the foyer to ask about a disturbance,” Lauren went on. “By the time I broke away, I jogged to the throne room, knowing she would use the dais door, when I heard the struggle.”

“And then she turned into a cat,” Rory accused, offended no one had told her.

“Panther,” Caius and Lauren said in unison.

Rory pointed at Lauren. “You let me pet you.” Another thought occurred to her. “You saved me from Ronny.”

Lauren flipped her hair over her shoulder. “I did. He deserved it.”

Rory narrowed her eyes. “Then why did you give me the third degree about his death?”

“Why are you giving me the third degree now? I saved you. You’re welcome, by the way,” Lauren returned, popping a brow.

Rory crossed to Lauren and wrapped her arms around her neck. “Thank you. I will bring you all the big juicy steaks you want.”

Caius’ hand covered his mouth, and Lauren mouthed something over Rory’s shoulder. “Make sure they’re fatty cuts.” She gently extracted herself from Rory’s arms. “I need to bathe. Try not to die while I’m gone,” she called over her shoulder as she left.

“That’s not funny,” Caius said gruffly before addressing Rory. “You need to bathe, too.”

“That felt rude,” she muttered under her breath, suddenly tired as she followed him to her room. When they stepped into the hallway, the still suspended debris crashed to the ground, and Rory jumped at the sound. “Can I have all the healing potions this time?”

“Yes. After your fall, I had the palace doctor set up a fully stocked infirmary. I’ll send for him.”

“No,” Rory rushed. “I don’t want to be poked and prodded. I’m okay, just banged up and toothless.” She puffed out her chest. “I actually kicked his ass. If he hadn’t been triple my size, I wouldn’t have needed Lauren’s help.”

Caius beamed with pride. “That’s my girl.”

A joke about not being anyone’s girl was on the tip of her tongue, but she swallowed it. She was his girl, and they both knew it. “I’d still like potions tonight. Just basic bruises, cuts, and muscle aches.” She paused. “And a tooth regrowing one. Does that exist?”

“The first three I can get tonight.” He eyed her mouth as if he could see through it. “You’ll need to see the dentist tomorrow for the correct tooth potion.”

“Thanks,” she replied. “What did you mean when you said you saw him? Back in the banquet room.”

“It’s the bond. When one of us is in danger, the other has a vision.” He gave her a half smile. “I’ve had them for a couple of years, but I thought they were nightmares.”

“You’ve been dreaming about me for years and said nothing?” she asked, her voice raising an octave.

He exhaled. “No. I don’t see you in danger. I see through your eyes. The same would happen for you if I were in danger, but I’m a Royal locked in my own realm, and the odds of that happening are not high.”

“Not for long,” she reminded him as they approached his office. His hand stalled on the doorknob, and his knuckles turned ghostly. “Caius?”

Hand still on the door, he turned to look at her. “I promise to avenge our sisters, but if I fail, you mustn’t ever tell anyone what you are to me. If Gedeon finds out, he will torture you out of spite.”

Rory nodded numbly. “Okay, but don’t talk like that. If you think you’re going to lose, you will.”

Caius pushed open the door and stepped inside, surveying the room. Rory tried to follow him, but he held up a hand. “I need to make sure no one is in here.”

“I doubt there would be two assassination attempts in one night,” she said, ducking under his arm.

He gave her an annoyed look and closed the door behind them, turning the lock before checking the other door. “I don’t think I’ll lose, but I won’t underestimate my brother.”

“Before we head up, will you send for the potions while I shower?” she asked, slumping against the bookcase leading to her room.

“I’ll get the potions, you get showered, and then we’ll both get in bed,” he said, pulling on a rope in the corner of the office, ringing for a maid.

When Rory stepped out of the shower, she felt like a new woman. She wasn’t bloody like Lauren, save for her mouth and a small cut by her eye, but nothing made her feel better than washing the day away.

Caius waltzed in with a basket, and the sight was so odd, Rory couldn’t help but laugh. He gave her a wry smile and set the basket on the table to unload. “Take these,” he instructed as he handed her three potions. “I brought food and juice.”

After shooting down the potions and gagging, she peeked over his shoulder and squealed when she saw a donut. She had it halfway to her mouth when he snatched it from her hand. “That’s mine.”

She tried to get it back, but he held it in the air. “You’re missing a tooth.”

He was right, but donuts were soft. “Why did you bring food if I can’t have any?”

He reached into the basket and pulled out a bowl. “I brought you applesauce.”

“Applesauce?” It was thoughtful, and she knew that, but if she had to watch him eat a donut in front of her while she ate pulverized apples, she would lose it.

He chose that exact time to bite into the donut with a wide grin. “Delicious.”

She jumped at him and grabbed blindly for the donut, but he moved out of the way, spewing crumbs as he laughed. He shoved another bite into his mouth, but before he could hold it above his head again, she swiped it from his hand and tore into it with her teeth.

His chewing slowed as his face darkened at the sight of her ravaging the pastry. “Do you shove everything into your mouth with that much enthusiasm?”

She antagonized him as she chewed slowly, careful not to use her side with the missing tooth. “You know I do.”

“Careful, Miss Raven,” he warned.

She took a step back and shoved the rest of the donut in her mouth. “Or what?” Bits of food fell from her mouth in a very unappealing fashion.

Caius watched her every move as though chewing food was the sexiest thing alive. “You almost died today, and I’d rather not heal you only to break your back.”

Everything in her flushed hot, and his expression revealed the truth in his words. “The potions worked fast.” She stuck a finger in her mouth and slowly licked the sugary glaze from its tip.

He followed every flick of her tongue, and when he rubbed his thumb across his bottom lip, she knew she had him. The truth was, she needed to forget what had transpired today.

Yes, she’d held her own, but if Lauren and Caius hadn’t shown up when they did, the outcome would have been different.

Caius shook himself and turned from her. “Tempting me will only make your punishment worse when the time comes.”

Rory deflated. She could press him, but she was tired too, and if he wouldn’t fuck her stress away, then she would sleep it away. The cool air hit her still damp skin, and she shivered before walking to turn out the bathroom light.

Caius followed close behind. “Why are you shaking?”

She straightened the products in the shower, used her towel to wipe down the glass doors, and tossed it in the hamper before turning back to him. “I’m cold.”

He frowned and scanned her clinically. “Wait here.”

“No.” She trailed behind him and closed the bathroom door behind her. It freaked her out to leave doors open when she slept. Waking up to a person sized gaping hole in the wall was not her idea of a good time.

“You’re impossible,” he grunted and opened the dresser she never used. “Put these on.”

A bundle of fabric hit her in the chest, and upon inspection, they appeared to be a pair of his sweatpants and a t-shirt. “You own sweatpants?”

He tilted his head to look at the ceiling, muttering to himself. “Yes. Put them on. As much as I love seeing you in that scrap of silk,” he said, gesturing to her shift. “It’s not practical to sleep in all the time.”

“It was this or a set of flannels,” she pointed out. “It’s too hot in the staff quarters to sleep in flannels.”

Caius’ lips lifted into a bemused smile. “You know there are different styles of pajamas in town, don’t you?”

If she weren’t hopping on one leg to pull on the warm pants that smelled like him, she would have told him to go screw himself. “I used my credits on sleep shorts, but they’re no warmer than a shift.”

“You don’t have credits,” he replied, exasperated. “You can buy every set of pajamas in every size and color.”

The pants slipped from her hips because she was shaped like an ice pop stick, and she tugged them back up. “Stop doing that.”

Large hands grabbed the fabric around her waist and cinched it closed. “Hold this,” he instructed and disappeared into the bathroom, only to return with a ponytail holder. Grabbing the bunch of fabric from her, he secured it with the tie.

“They make these with drawstrings, you know?” she said, inspecting his work.

The shift slipped over her arms in one fell swoop before he pulled the shirt over her head. “I buy my clothes to fit.” He placed a kiss on her forehead. “I don’t need ropes in my clothes; only my bedroom.”

Rory turned his chin to look at her. “Funny. Next time, bring them over to play.”

Lips brushed her ear. “You are not getting me naked tonight, Miss Raven. Crawl in bed, or I will put you there myself.”

Sighing, she slipped under the blankets and waited for him to join her. After showering and changing into sweats, he slid in beside her and folded his arms beneath his head.

“I almost lost you today.” He’d been holding back his emotions for her sake, she knew, and as much as she didn’t like to be coddled or have attention brought to a situation she’d rather forget, he needed to unload.

“But you didn’t. You gave me protection I was too stubborn to accept.” She was on her side with one arm under her head, and the other reached for him, settling on his chest. “Thank you.”

“It’s my job to protect you,” he said, swallowing hard. “I almost failed.”

“It’s not your job,” she murmured. “That responsibility lies on no one but me.”

He rolled his head to look at her. “You’re wrong. As my mate, I was made to protect you, and you me. Would you let me die?”

“No.” Her answer was instantaneous. She could no more let him die than herself. It wasn’t love; it was instinct—one she would follow without question.

His hand grabbed hers, stopping its descent. “Careful.” Lacing his fingers with hers, he murmured, “Tell me about Cora.”

Rory’s stomach tightened, and she swallowed her emotions before exhaling. “She was good. If she did anything considered mean, it was in defense of someone else, usually me.” Tears pricked Rory’s eyes. “One time, she heard me crying in the bathroom, but I wouldn’t let her in.” She laughed at the memory. “She shifted into her lamb and kicked the door in with her back hooves.”

Caius’ expression softened with a crooked smile. “That sounds like something you would do.”

Rory’s laugh was light. “She shifted back and wrapped me in her arms, asking no questions. I never liked to be pressed, and she knew that. We sat in the bathroom for an hour, and when I was finished crying, she said, ‘Never lock me out again.’”

A soft sob ripped from Rory’s throat, and Caius pulled her close, rubbing soothing circles down her back. “She sounds exactly how I imagined your twin would be.”

Rory shook her head against his chest. “She didn’t deserve to die before me. She would be ashamed to see what I’ve become.”

“If she was the person you say, she could never be ashamed of you.” He lifted her chin with his finger. “Despite what you think, you are good in your own way. Everyone does bad things. Yes, some are worse than others and deserve a fate worse than death, but most are only trying to navigate life and all it throws at them. Never discount yourself for your flaws.”

Her lower lip trembled as she swallowed another sob. “How can you know? I did terrible things. Terrible, and I deserve a fate worse than death.”

“You are stuck with me for eternity,” he teased. “That is punishment enough.”

She sniffled with a wry smile. “You’re not so bad, Umbra King.” Laying her head back down, she said, “Tell me about Atarah.”

His arm tightened slightly, and his heart pounded harder against her cheek. “She was something else. Good doesn’t describe her. When I took the throne, we began discussing reform for Vincula.”

“What else could this place need?” Rory mused. “Some inmates prefer it to Erdikoa.”

“Things can always be better. Visitation, for one. Allowing pre-approved friends and family members to visit or, at the very least, allowing inmates to bring pictures of loved ones from home.”

She shifted closer to him. “Why can’t they do that already?”

“We weren’t sure. The visitors are a safety concern. There would need to be a protocol in place to ensure they bring nothing in or that they wouldn’t stir up trouble. We were brainstorming on ways to make it work. As far as the pictures, I can’t say.”

Rory stayed quiet, giving him the time he needed to continue. “Gedeon murdered her before we could put our plans in motion.”

“And you’re sure he killed her?” she asked cautiously. It was a sensitive subject, and she understood the conviction. She’d been wrong about Caius, but not wrong about what she saw. Identical twins. She still couldn’t believe it.

Even though his face was the one she saw, she no longer saw Cora’s lifeless body when she looked at him. There were subtle differences she hadn’t noticed before. Gedeon wasn’t in color, and the way Caius carried himself and the lack of cruelty on his face. Caius’ hair is shorter than Gedeon’s, and the Umbra King wouldn’t be caught dead in the light suit his brother wore.

Since getting to know him better, she knew he could no sooner put a knife in her sister’s heart than he could in hers. She hoped he brought her Gedeon’s head on a spike.

“Yes. Gedeon’s soul is black, and it suffocated me growing up, but I never told our parents.” He huffed out a false laugh. “I was trying to protect him.”

“How did no one else feel it?” she asked.

“Royals cannot see souls as Fey do, except for the Scales of Justice. Even then, Adila can’t see the souls of other Royals; only the accused.“ He shifted under her. “I couldn’t see all souls, only black ones, and in their presence, I felt weighed down. No one knew, and I was too afraid to tell anyone because I thought something was wrong with me.” He glanced down at her. “It makes sense now.”

She chewed her lip, trying to make sense of the way he was staring at her. “What do you mean?”

“As I learned when I was older, Royals display a bit of their Aeternum’s abilities.”

“It’s my fault,” she whispered. “I wish you’d been able to see the beautiful souls instead. They’re a sight to behold. I was obsessed when my abilities manifested and could see colors for the first time.”

Her breath stalled. Her grey-scale sight. She shot up and twisted to look at Caius. “Cora had grey-scale sight.”

His head moved slightly before he sat up, too, coming to the same conclusion she had. “She was Gedeon’s Aeternum.“ He scrubbed a hand across his jaw and cursed as he threw the blankets back and paced the length of the room.

“Why would he kill her? Isn’t he supposed to protect her?” Rory asked incredulously.

Silence stretched between them before Caius stopped, his face lighting up with understanding. “He wants to stay in power.”

“He wants to stay in power?” Rory parroted. “What does that have to do with Cora?”

Caius cursed. “If she is his Aeternum, and he trapped her soul, he would never have children, thus he would never give up the throne. Neither would Adila and I, for that matter. That son of a bitch.”

“No,” Rory gasped. “He can’t mean to keep her soul in a jar for all eternity. That’s cruel.”

Caius’ face was grim. “He murdered his own sister and Aeternum. Cruel does not begin to describe him.“ He sat on the edge of the bed, looking tired.

Rory reached for him, needing something to anchor her, and his hand landed on top of hers. “We’ll free her soul,” he swore. “Even if he kills me before I kill him, I’ll find her first and set her free.”

She crawled into his lap and laid her head against his shoulder, glad when he wrapped his arms around her. There they sat, much like she and Cora had so long ago, and comforted each other until they fell asleep.