The Crown of Spheres

߷ C H A P T E R - T H I R T E E N ߷

☁︎︎ C H A P T E R T H I R T E E N ☁︎︎

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"What?" I breathed, my hands glued to the door handle.

"He passed this morning," Calder continued, his voice rasping. He reached up to wipe away the moisture sliding down his cheeks. I froze, unsure of what to say or what to do. Did this mean... "This changes a lot of things," Calder continued, shoving his hands into his pockets. "by law I must be coronated within two weeks of the King's passing, which means the wedding must be moved up."

"What?" I asked again, not wanting to understand what I was hearing.

"As I am engaged, the court has decided that my marriage must be final and consummated before I am crowned King. I've just come from the meeting," he explained with frustration and sadness lacing his words.

"Why was I not invited?"

"You are not an official member of this monarchy yet," he replied, his glassy eyes dropping to see the way I gripped the door handle. He moved toward me, so I dropped my hands and took a step back. A loud exhale of exasperation left Calder's nose. "I thought you would be happy... but you're still scared of me."

My heart pulsed painfully as the mask secured itself to my face whilst the muscles in my jaw twinged and my throat went dry. He thought I would be happy?

This would ruin everything.

"I've left you alone this whole time, I let you have a private room, I made sure you had a whole new wardrobe, the nicest food, the freedom to wander the palace grounds even when my mother advised that I shouldn't, and yet you still tremble whenever I am near you." He stressed, moving closer to me but only to push the door closed. "I have been trying my best to make you happy, to give you space, what more do you want?"

I couldn't say. How could I say? I wanted to leave here and never see him again, and he'd kill me if he knew.

"Calder, I'm sorry about your father," I replied, my voice barely above a whisper. His eyelids flickered but didn't fully close. "You must be devastated," I murmured, noticing the slight tremble of his bottom lip. He turned away sharply and walked over to the open balcony doors and collected himself. I forced myself not to hover by the door either, and gingerly moved towards the couches, but didn't sit down.

"Enough of the wedding is planned for it to happen in a few days, and your parents are already here so you won't need to worry about that. We'll be travelling to Paladis soon so the servants will pack your things for you." His tone had returned his usual cold one, with all trace of emotion or charm now gone. "I have some things to attend to late tonight but I'll come back... and then we can talk. I... want you to love me, Nynia. I... I want there to be love between us. I'd do anything for that. I'd burn this world down for you, if that would make you happy. I want you to know that..." He trailed off, nearly mumbling the last of his sentence but I heard him loud and clear.

My heart was beating so heavily I could almost hear it pounding against my rib cage like a call to war. This couldn't be happening, I couldn't be hearing this. I had planned to escape in a few days, not be married.

Panic swelled in my belly and struck out, threatening to crack through the bones that encased my vital organs.

This cannot be happening.

Calder turned and made his way over to me. There was a dark thrill in his pale eyes, all trace of sadness gone now too. He reached for my cheeks and held them with both hands. "You will be my Queen soon," he murmured, his eyes a little wide. "Then... Then our eternity together will truly begin."