She grinned when he bared his teeth to her in a playful manner, snapping them near her neck. “What if I am evil, Aziel? What if I’m evil and just an incredibly good actress—what if I’veenchantedyou.”
Aziel shrugged, his hand moving from her waist to the curve of her spine, pressing her so close to his body that she could feel every hard line of his frame. She shivered, lips parting. “Then you could call me your fool, Nymiria Celentas.” Nymiria looked up as a breeze rustled through the streamers overhead, filling their surroundings with the faint sweet scent of the flowers that were sewn into them. “You have many questions.” A statement. Not a question.
He always knew what she was thinking and while he claimed that it was magic, she couldn’t help but feel like it was more than that. She believed it had something to do with thisbondbetween them, but she couldn’t be too sure. While she had heard of mates before, she hadn’t spent much time discussing the topic.
She ignored that pestering subject, shaking it from her mind and releasing a much-needed sigh. “Your brother has informed me that all hell is about to break loose in Yaar,” she began. “What did he mean by that?”
Aziel groaned and closed his eyes, grumbling something under his breath that sounded like a string of curses directed right at Oran. “You don’t need to worry about that. I was hoping to have you out of Yaar before anything happened.”
“Beforewhathappened?”
“War.” He shrugged.
“War?!” Her eyes darted around at each of the guests, her voice coming out as a strained hiss as she spoke. “You cannot start a war with Yaar.”
“Well,” Aziel sighed. “I’mnot starting anything. Your father is.”
Nymiria could have slapped him if he wasn’t so damn captivating, but her hand certainly tingled with the urge. “Aziel, there arechildrenhere. Innocent people who are just as much of a victim of your father’s asweare. A war would devastate them.” She exclaimed quietly.
Aziel lifted his eyes, quickly glancing around before he ducked his head closer to hers. “Moonflower, war is not fair. The Eadynite army will do all that they can to prevent casualties with civilians, but we cannot let the world continue the way it is going.”
“You cannot beat death with more death.”
“Actually, youcan.Trust me.” He laughed, but upon seeing that she was not amused, his smile fell. “I’m not making light of this situation, Nymiria. But if we do not end thisnow,more people will die. More Mystics will be captured and imprisoned. Gods, there is a new Mystic babe born every day in Yaar. Do you think that if my father continues to sit on the throne that he will allow them the same privileges asyou?”
Nymiria snapped back, recoiling from him. “Donotuse my position against me. Not when I have had very little say in what I have been made to do with myprivileges.”
“I didn’t mean it like that—”
“Then, how did you intend for it to sound?”
Aziel carded a hand through his hair. “A lot lessinsensitive.” He tugged at her hand, pulling her close once again. “I just meant that the majority of the Mystics found here do not face trial at all. He sends them straight to slaughter. Despite the ordinance of laws he has in place where every Mystic faces a fair trial, he has bypassed the trial processes more times than I can count.”
Nymiria worried at her lip, brow furrowing as she stared out at the others. “There has to be something that can be done to protect the allies here. There are humans here that help Mystics escape—”
“We could offer them refuge.”
She frowned. “And risk overpopulation? Can Eadyn sustainmoreas it stands right now?”
Aziel watched her as she thought. He could visibly tell that whatever conclusions she was making in that beautiful mind of hers were magnificent. He didn’t doubt her at all. “We are a kingdom full of Mystics. We have elemental wieldersand we have strength. I believe that there could be options if your father and I spoke with the right people.”
Nymiria nodded slowly, incisors scraping over her lip as she thought. After a moment of silence and dancing, she let out a soft chuckle and shook her head. “This is all very typical of you Unseelie. You don’t think too much about consequences.”
His features darkened at that moment. Not in a way that was terrifying, but in a way that had Nymiria’s heart pounding with exhilaration. “If I think this way when it comes to war, moonflower, could you imagine what I’d do to the world if you were to be harmed in any way?” His hooked finger pressed against the underside of her chin, gently forcing her eyes to meet his. “I would killeverything. I would destroyevery living thing. I won’t let this world hurt you again.”
His words slammed through her with such force that she was left winded, her eyes wide and her lips parted. “Aziel—” His name on her lips was like a breathless plea, her head moving back and forth as she slipped from his embrace. “Don’t say things like that.”
Confusion washed over his face, his hand still poised in the air from where he’d forced her to look at him. “Like what?”
“Just…don’t. Don’t do that.”
He stepped forward, hand uncurling to reach for hers, but she stepped out of the way. “Nym—”
It was too late.
Her fear was back with a vengeance, filling her mind with hateful thoughts that no amount of power could cease. Her ribs felt as if they were squeezing her lungs. And when she turned, her legs were shaking. She trembled everywhere.
Forcing herself not to look back at him, Nymiria ran.
