Blue Flames

Chapter 29

Her form-fitting black gown sheathed a generously curved figure with a small waist. She looked haughty and imperious, and I had the thought that if only she smiled sincerely she would be a sight to behold. However, the superior glint in her eyes and the detached expression on her face made her look stiff and unapproachable.

"Idar, Natalia." Arthur nodded to both. Idar inclined his head. The witch, Natalia, stared at Arthur as if he'd killed her mother. Her eyes brimming with such hostility that I gripped the hilt of my sword tighter, expecting her to attack him at any moment.

Arthur, however, was now greeting his other sibling. A scowling mountain of a man with long black hair in unruly waves down his back, a short beard and arresting eyes in a blue so pale it almost looked white. The contrast between his eyes and olive skin tone gave him an intense feeling.

"Leon," Arthur said, "I'm surprised you're in Idar's company."

Unlike Idar, who was dressed immaculately in a black suit and tie like most of the other guests, Leon sported a white dress shirt that almost exploded at the seams from the bulk of his muscles, tucked into well worn jeans and combat boots. He looked so out of place in this castle.

"Spare me," he grunted, his scowl only deepening, "we only happened to meet at the door." His voice was as gruff as his appearance.

"Ah, how you wound me, Leon." Idar said, a smile stretching on his clean shaved face, "I thought you enjoyed my company."

Leon only grunted in reply. His impossibly pale eyes shifted to me. It was like looking in the eyes of a creature that lived in the darkest depths of the ocean.

"I would love to chat, Arthur, since you've been having some interesting occurrences in your city. However, your company is a more intriguing subject, I must say." Idar said, his dark eyes focusing on me.

He may look like Arthur, to a certain degree, but he gave off an entirely different vibe. Maybe that was simply because I knew Arthur and how warm and caring he could be, despite his arrogance. 

Idar was.... I didn't know how to describe him. There was a word....

""You've been keeping quiet on such a delectable morsel, Arthur." Idar added, his eyes trailing over me from the top of my head to the tips of my boots. I instantly disliked him.

Oh, yes. Slimy. That was the word that fit him.

Arthur stilled beside me. My magic buzzed inside my body unvolontarily, and I realized with a jolt that I could also feel something else. Deep inside where my magic pulsed with life, there was a faint echo of another entity, another power. 

A familiar one. 

I glanced at Arthur. What was that?

"Have a care, Idar," Arthur said in a languid, ostensibly friendly tone, "I would hate it if you insult my companion."

Idar's eyebrows climbed up his forehead. "Is that so? I suppose she is under your protection."

"She is," Arthur said, "and she's rather handy with a sword, I would hate for you to be staring at the wrong end of it."

Natalia frowned and gazed down her nose at me. Idar seemed surprised for a fraction of a second before he threw his head back and laughed, the sound, although clearly amused, was devoid of warmth.

"Oh, well. I guess I should not speak thus of the lovely lady, then," he said, clearly dismissing Arthur's words as a joke. Good. 

"Hmm." Leon said, his gaze shifting to Arthur's, "do you have an idea about her lineage?"