Abandoned By My Mate

Dancing with Disaster*

It wasn't a lie. I did want to go home, but the thought of being back behind those walls had my skin crawling. I wasn't ready to have my world shrink down again. I wasn't ready to leave the city when I had barely seen any of it, but at the same time I was terrified to go anywhere without Az now.

"Let me know if it gets to be too much and we can leave," He muttered, wrapping a large arm around my waist.

"As long as it isn't dark I'll be fine," I stood up on my tiptoes, just barely reaching his chin and pressing a kiss to the stubble, "You worry too much."

A small smile spread his lips at the gesture, but it quickly disappeared when the door swung open. A male called out our names, and most of the people below tilted their heads to the side. His sisters and the king sitting on his throne with a delicate female beside him didn't.

"Come," Az grunted, his scowl firmly in place, "We need to go see King Rasten before we are able to join my sisters."

We walked down the short staircase and he kept a firm grip around my waist. The crowd parted for the mountain of a male beside me, allowing us to quickly make it to the dais the thrones were on. The king had a golden crown on his head and I got the feeling that the female beside him was like that crown. Just another show of his power.

"Hello," Azrael said gruffly, tilting his head to the side and I quickly copied his movement, though our eyes didn't lower, "King Rasten."

"Azrael," The king's eyes brightened, and his stern face broke into a grin, "How have you been? I see the mating run worked out in your favor."

Icy blue eyes swept over my body and I stiffened. He was leering at me, his eyes sticking to my larger than average breasts before meeting my eyes. Wickedness lurked behind the blue and for the first time I found myself grateful that my parents had kept me locked up in their home.

"I have been well," His grip around me tightened, disliking the king's attention on me, "This is Aslin, daughter of viscount Vanders."

"Ah," King Rasten gave me a slimy smile, his white hair tinted with orange from the glow of the candles, "I forgot he had a daughter. He must have been keeping a pretty female like you locked away from bad males like Az."

"Az is not a bad male," The words snapped out of my mouth before I could stop them.

"Got quite the mouth on her," The king laughed, as if I was just a horse that hadn't been properly trained yet, "Don't worry. That goes away with time, Az."

"Father," The velvety voice of the male that had been occupying my thoughts cut in, "Duke Chersan and Count Garner still haven't arrived."

King Rasten's smile fell as soon as Killian spoke. Completely disinterested in his eldest child. His eyes narrowed at him, scowling like Killian was a nuisance and not the heir to the throne he was sitting on.

"Send someone to their estates to make sure all is well," He grunted, leaning back in his throne, no longer interested in the conversation. He waved a hand, dismissing all of us.

Killian walked away without a word, and I stared after him. Watching his tall form attempt to disappear into the crowd, his deep red hair made him stand out though. I tracked him with my eyes, only looking away when Az guided me towards his sisters.

A female was talking with them, her long black hair had been curled and tossed over her shoulder. Sharp eyes cut to me then the large male beside me. A shorter male stood next to her, a wide smile on his face as he listened to them talk. I shifted uncomfortably, something about both of them seemed familiar, but I couldn't tell why.

"It's you!" The male suddenly said, his eyes snapping to mine and a bright smile on his face, "You found a noble too!"

The memories clicked into place, and from the soft huff from the male beside me he also remembered him. The male that I convinced would be better off finding a female of higher standing. Though the female beside him still remained a mystery, I must've seen her sometime in the garden.