Valkyrie's Sacrifice (Academy of Immortals 3)

“Heavens no,” another voice chimes in. My eyes flick over. The priest. My priest. He’s never far away, making sure I stay on the path. The path my father commands. War. Strategy. Winning. “It was God’s will that Prince Rupert knew to send the troops around the backside of the mountain. He prayed, sacrificed, and atoned for his sins. The result was a blessing.”

This, of course, is horseshit. I didn’t pray, and I never atoned for any of my sins. The feeling I got in my gut was deeper than a religious moment. It came from somewhere beyond the heavens. Perhaps Hell itself, because the insight I had may save the lives of my army, but it certainly took the souls of thousands of other innocent men in the process.

I take a sip of wine and eye the females sitting across the room. The twins are lovely creatures; evil and full of spite. They belong to the Priest. He claims they’re possessed by the Devil and were sent to him for redemption. I think it’s just his predilection—an excuse for him to fulfil his own fantasies under the guise of doing the Lord’s work. The twins are like spiders. Each and every night they spin their web, luring in prey. Tonight’s victims walk in the back door, dressed in their seductive, revealing clothes, right into their trap.

Once upon a time I asked the Priest about love and marriage. He laughed and said I was too young to consider such things, but that God had given me a gift. In return, it’s my duty to focus on war. On expanding my father’s empire. To take what I want, kill whoever gets in my way, and women? They are my playthings.

New females are brought to me to choose from, to play with, to use to quench my desires. I pick one, or two, send them to my chambers and take my time.

But tonight, something is different—there’s an ache in the pit of my belly. Nauseating. It’s been growing stronger as the evening passes, and when I catch sight of the concubines across the room, I break into a clammy sweat.

There are two females sitting between the twins. One shaking with fear. The other sitting with a rebellious expression on her face. The defiance draws me in almost as much as her unparalleled beauty. Her hair is pure white, her skin smooth and pale. Her eyes burn like a fire under ice and the pain in my stomach twists and turns into something else.

Longing desire.

“Her,” I mutter quietly. “Someone bring her to me.”

“To your room?” My attendant asks. I like privacy when I’m with my females. I like to take my time, I like to see their faces when they realize they’ve been left alone with me, the Dark Prince.

In my chambers, the concubines get to learn why I’m called The Devil.

“No.” I reply suddenly. “Bring her here.”

The insistence in my voice catches the Priest’s attention. He looks over his shoulder and pauses when he sees the girl.

“Are you sure?”

No.

Yes.

“Are you questioning me?” I respond back. Certainly, the Priest has an extreme amount of control over me, but ultimately, I’m in charge.

“No, Your Highness.”

“Good.” I snap my fingers. “Bring her to me. Now.”

My attendant rushes away, and I know that I shouldn’t pick her.

But every instinct tells me that I should. Like I said, I always follow my gut.

Why? To break her? To snuff out that defiance? The fire in her eyes?

Whatever it is, I’m about to find out.

14

Hildi

“Your presence has been requested by the Dark Prince,” the man says from a few feet away. He makes an effort not to look me or any of the other girls in the eyes. I stand and circle the table, aware that Elizabeth may not even notice me leaving the couch. She’s caught in Clara’s web. The man starts toward the main table and I hear Cora ask, “You’re taking her to the table? Not his room?”

“The prince requested her at the table.”

“But—”

The attendant cuts her a harsh glare. “Since when do you question the desires of the Dark Prince?”

Clara draws her attention away from Elizabeth, and the twins exchange a curious look, but I have no time to know what it means as I’m nudged forward.