The dining hall was just as rowdy as I had thought it would be. Tittering nobles fawning over the few knights that had been invited. Musicians begin to play folk songs in the corner of the room. A large fire crackled and popped in the immense hearth.
My chest ached with every step deeper into the room. My beast snarled at every person that drifted too close. Instead of pushing away the warning bells that rang through my body I embraced them. Acknowledging the feeling of panic and meeting it with reason. Killian wouldn't leave my side tonight, and even if he did no one would be mindless enough to try something indecent in front of the king.
My brother led us to the king's table. It faced towards the rest of the tables, chairs only placed on one side so Rasten could survey his subjects. Always one to keep himself apart from those he deemed lesser than. Speaking of...
Rasten had placed Aldon and Izaak right next to him and his advisors. Edwina on his other side. Down near the end of the table was Knox, deemed unimportant by my father. Though he should count himself lucky for having escaped whatever dreadful conversation that was taking place. Most likely he was trying to boast about how amazing our country is, but not mentioning the forced bondings that continue to happen.
Killian pulled out the chair beside Knox for me, the male visibly stiffening when I sat. No one had noticed the low back of my dress thanks to the hunking mass of Azrael. My eldest brother took the seat beside me, helping calm the storm that swirled inside me.
"I see you've escaped Rasten." Killian commented, causing those fiery eyes to sweep past me and land on my brother.
"A remarkable thing." Knox replied, his eyes moving back to the nobles, "Is this how all of your feasts are held?"
"They are now," He frowned, brows furrowing together, "When my mother was still alive they were much more joyous. Instead of just nobles she would invite everyone. So many people would attend we had to open the courtyard."
"That sounds more like what we do." The dark male replied, horns glittering red with the reflections of the flames.
"How do you celebrate?" I asked, my confidence dwindling when those red eyes that met mine were full of so much disdain I almost choked.
"Depends on what we are celebrating." He grumbled back in that thick accent that had some of his words melding together.
"What is your favorite celebration then?" His scowl deepened, but he quickly covered it before my brother could see.
"In your language it would be called the fall of starlight." Every word that dripped from those scarred lips at me leaning closer, completely enraptured by him. "It is to celebrate those who have become bonded. Males take their female high into the sky and the female leaps off of them. Plummeting to the earth only for another one of her mates to catch her."
"Have you participated in that celebration?" I didn't realize the implication of my question until after the words had been spoken. He would think I was trying to find out if he was unbonded and in an effort to save myself I kept talking, "Or your brother?"
His eyes had widened in surprise, but as soon as I spoke of his brother they narrowed again. Killian snorted beside me, though I couldn't tear my eyes away long enough to see if he was laughing at me or not.
"No," Knox turned back to the nobles beginning to settle down into seats, "Neither of us have participated."
I was about to ask why it was his favorite when he hadn't been able to join when servants began to bring out the different dishes. Such great quantities of food that would be better spent given to those that can't afford it. Killian was scowling at the wealth being displayed, as if he didn't indulge himself as often as possible.
"Are you alright?" I murmured to my brother, his clenched fists sending off more alarm bells.
"Of course," He huffed out a sigh, "Just a bit antsy."
"How unlike you," I teased, peering around him to see how my sister was doing.
Her smile was real this time as she talked to Aslin. Most of the words I couldn't make out, but I did hear something that sounded like growth. Azrael leaned closer to his mate, murmuring in her ear. Her pretty face went red, pupils dilating. She began scolding him just as plates overflowing with food were placed in front of us.
I glanced over at Knox who was handed his plate by a female with trembling hands. Her face heated as though warmed by the fire in his eyes when he looked at her. My chest tightened with emotion, something similar to the fear that usually plagued it, but darker. The beast that prowled beneath the human facade snarled when she smiled at Knox.
"Thank you," I gritted out, snapping the other female out of whatever hold those molten eyes had on her.
"Of course, princess." She tilted her head to the side before quickly rushing into the crowd.
"Easy." Killian muttered, "You look like you want to burn holes in her."
I snorted, turning back to Knox who was taking his first bite, "How is it?"
He chewed slowly, still looking annoyed with being so close to me, "It's fine. Just a little..."
"A little what?" I frowned, turning towards my own plate.
"It's nothing." He shrugged his broad shoulders, "Just not what I'm used to."
"I see." My stomach rolled, physically rejecting being around so many people in such a tense situation.
My gaze drifted as I picked at my plate, heading right towards the dark male beside me. Try as I might I felt drawn to him, maybe it was the mystery he was shrouded in. Or it could be that on some primal level I wanted him, something my subconscious had no issue picking up on and twisting it into a new horror show.
"Maeve," Killian's voice pulled me out of my thoughts, and I quickly turned towards him, my cheeks reddening. "I think Az and Aslin are ready to get out of here."
"Already?" I frowned, trying to remember how much time had passed.
"We have been sitting here for over an hour." He smirked, "What were you so distracted with?"
"My boredom." I twisted towards my brother, "Do you think Rasten will leave any time soon?"
I felt it then. The exact moment he noticed the exposed back of my dress and then the scar that spread across the right side of it. Awareness of being watched by a predator spread, raising the hair on the back of my neck, goosebumps spreading across my arms.
"Doubtful," Killian muttered, peering over at where the king sat, bombarding Aldon with questions.
"Should one of us try to save them?" I joked, attempting to cover the uncomfortableness of being watched by someone so closely.
"Once people start dancing you and Fia should go ask them to dance." Killian suggested, drawing our younger sister's attention.
"Who is Fia asking to dance?" She raised a brow, innocent doe eyes in full force.
"Either Aldon or Izaak." I supplied helpfully, "We don't need to ask Knox because he was the only one spared."
Fia nodded sagely, her lips pursed together, "A very lucky fate indeed."
"How did you manage that anyway?"
I turned back to the dark male, leaning back towards my brother when I saw that flames were literally flickering in his eyes. Red and orange spread and devoured like wildfire, taking over his entirety of his eyes. Fear and curiosity waged a heated war inside of me. The result was trembling hands and sweaty palms even as I resisted the urge to lean closer and examine the change.
"Are you alright?" I hesitantly asked, my brother's arm coming to rest on the back of my chair.
"Knox," Aldon suddenly appeared, rapidly speaking in a different language before placing a heavy hand on his brother's shoulder.
Said male finally peeled heated eyes away from me glaring up at his brother before replying. I sucked in a deep breath drawing a new set of red eyes towards me. Aldon's eyes narrowed, but again the attention was dragged away as more words were fired surprisingly quietly from Knox.
The whole heated affair was thankfully interrupted by Rasten. He sent out a signal that had the musicians playing louder, the calm folk music shifting to classical. Servants had already been clearing tables and as soon as the music shifted they rose like possessed puppets, allowing space to be created for dancing. As expected the king and his advisers rose, quickly leaving the room without so much as a word to any of the nobles he had invited.
"And there he goes," Killian mumbled, rolling his eyes at the monarch.
"And so it becomes the crown prince's sole responsibility to make sure everyone parties." Fia giggled, pushing back her chair and standing. "Aslin, would you care to abandon my brother and dance with me?"
"I'd love to," Aslin stood, shoving her chair back and drawing a few concerned looks from the nobles.
"Killian," I leaned towards him again, "Can we go outside for a minute? I need some air."
"What's wrong with the air in here?" He muttered sarcastically, quickly standing despite being annoying.
"I think I could use some fresh air as well." Azrael cut in, his face falling back into a blank mask as soon as his mate left his side.
"Great." I followed my brothers towards one of the side doors that led to the garden.
We slipped outside together, their eyes shifting black in the dim lantern light. I let my own change, enjoying the cold air that calmed some of the fire Knox's eyes had spread over my body. My brothers wandered off, but their eyes continued to glance over at me every few minutes that slowly ticked by. A crunching sound came from behind me and I whirled.
"Sorry," Lena, the female that had done my make-up earlier, approached me slowly, "I didn't mean to startle you miss."
"It's alright," I replied hesitantly, my brothers instantly drifted closer to us, "Do you need something?"
"I-" She wrung her hands, "I have been trying to speak with you about...about what happened in the gardens those months ago."
"What about it?" I growled, narrowing my eyes on the nervous female.
"I wanted to thank you." Her cheeks flushed.
"Why do you want to thank me?" My brothers came up behind me.
"Not just you and not just me," Lena wrapped her arms around herself, "Aslin also played a part in everything. You-you weren't the only one who Avery thought he could help himself to. I guess he got bored with going after the commoners."
"Excuse me?" Killian growled, narrowing his eyes at her.
I froze, blinking slowly at the realization that rocked through me. Why had I thought I was his only victim? Who else was hurting these females? Why was she only saying this now?
Fear.
She was afraid of me. She was probably afraid of everything if she was anything like I was in the time after Rae. Who else did Rae hurt? Who else did Avery hurt?
"I'm sorry," I rocked back on my heels, "I didn't know-"
"Don't be sorry," Lena smiled, "It- what happened was horrible for you, but I just thought you should know that you saved quite a few of us..."
"What do you mean by that?" Az asked, his hand thudding against Killian's arm to get him to stop glaring.
"The king wasn't doing anything about it..." She trailed off, taking a deep breath, "So we were going to do something that couldn't be ignored."
"What were you going to do?" My voice shook slightly, matching her own trembling.
She straightened, staring right into my eyes, "We were going to jump off the walls that night. So all the nobles would see the terror of the King's reign. But then we saw his body being carried away, and the way you both tore into his body. You made him suffer in a way we had never been able to do. So thank you."
"Why didn't you say something?" Killian ground out.
"We tried." Her eyes watered, "No one listened."
"I'm sorry." My brother finally said before turning on his heel and striding away.
"Lena," Az frowned, "Come to the library tomorrow at one. You can have a chat with Aslin and Maeve then, alright?"
"Alright," She wiped her eyes, "Thank you. Both of you."
Az and I watched in silence as she quickly fled the garden. Killian had disappeared completely, probably off doing the brooding that Az usually does. Red eyes caught my gaze and I turned to see the Dradan males slowly approaching.
"I guess we aren't getting any time to process this." I mumbled, my headache beginning to return. "What are our odds of escape?"
"Zero." Az huffed just as three pairs of red eyes narrowed in on us.
"Good evening," Aldon greeted, tossing an arm around Izaaks's shoulders.
"Aldon," My brother grunted, shifting slightly closer to me. "What brings you three out here?"
"Can an evening be described as good when you spend it next to the king?" I asked, the throbbing in my temples growing.
"No," Izaak laughed, "It definitely cannot be."
"Easy Izaak," Aldon huffed, a wide smile spread across his face, "What are you doing out here? It's freezing."
I shared a look with my brother, "It's not cold."
"Definitely not cold." Az confirmed, a small smirk on his face, "First snow up in the mountains was cold, what with everyone basically naked."
I pulled a face, glaring up at him, "I don't think that was a necessary detail."
"Did everyone participate in that?" Aldon asked, visibly confused.
"In the snow?" Izaak looked more horrified about the cold than the naked part.
Flickering eyes slowly swept over my body. Almost like Knox was imagining what I would look like frolicking naked in the snow. Unease mixed with the flush slowly spreading over my body.
"It's more of a mountain celebration." I breathed out, "Aslin got to participate for the first time this year."
"Yes," A vomit worthy smirk spread over my brother's face, "She did."
"Goddess," I scolded, "Can we get back inside so I can pawn you off on someone else? I'm sure you're going to start going through withdrawals soon."
"I suppose," Az rolled his eyes, "We don't want any more dramatic reveals or for someone else bolting off into the night."
"Oh," I pursed my lips, "What if the next dramatic reveal was Aslin running out saying she is pregnant?"
"Maeve..."
Azrael's snarl came out more angrily than I had thought it would, but the true surprise was the way Knox lurched forward before quickly pulling back. Red eyes narrowing in on my brother like he was actually a threat to me. Interesting, but hopefully unimportant.
"Do you feel cold?" I asked Knox as we all began to slowly make our way back inside.
"Do you not?" He replied softly, red eyes scouring the darkness that surrounded us.
"No," I replied firmly, "I do not."
"I'm not used to this kind of weather," He mumbled, his steps slowing slightly, "It's very...hot where we come from."
"Knox," I resisted the urge to roll my eyes at the beast of a male beside me, "Why are you talking about the weather with me?"
"Is there a reason why I can't?" He turned fully towards me, crossing those tree trunks he called limbs across his chest.
I wanted to scowl at him, to snap back a snarky comment... but Az was waiting at the door. I couldn't find it in me to care enough that he had suddenly decided to make conversation. Not after the bombshell that had just been dropped. Plus, the sooner I could get away from all that intimidating strength the better.
Well? What do we think of this chapter? How many of you have read my other books?