Keane and Desmond walk to stand at the front of the room with the new man, while Lord Daniel and I hang back and wait in the middle for the rest of the crew to situate their horses. I smile when I spot Cal laughing with Holis and Mana, their easiness while standing in this throne room prompting me to match that energy. I grin in excitement and turn back to Keane and his brother, my eyes landing on two massive stone chairs that are seated behind them. The hard furniture looks forgotten and unused, and interestingly enough, made from molten rock, as if someone blew a flame so hot that the stone melted and carved itself into a throne.
A flash of white behind one of those chairs has my gaze narrowing in curiosity. The color is flicking up and down behind the stone, almost like a ribbon twitching in the wind. I frown at the random movement and watch as it disappears completely, only to see it materialize again but in a bigger form.
The white is now moving in a slow and graceful prowl, the form taking the shape of a large animal as it steps from behind the stone throne. The creature sets a large paw on the ground while its shoulders and pointed ears follow, its eyes narrowed on the visitors coming in as it quietly observes the people that have entered its domain.
Ancients.
This must be the large tiger Keane mentioned last night. The animal’s full body is lined in fur as white as the snow.
The man without his shirt drops a hand to his side casually, still engaging in a conversation with Keane and Desmond. The creature brushes up against his thigh and nudges its head against his palm, the man grabbinga fistful of hair and rubbing the massive cat affectionately. I can hear it’s purr from all the way over here, watching as the cat’s black eyes silently look around the room. They take in the rest of our group still turning in their horses, until, for some reason, they land on me.
No.
I quickly look away, hoping that the creature didn’t catch me staring straight at it. That thing could eat me whole if it wanted to, and when I quietly lift my gaze back to the cat, it looks like it wants to do just that. The tiger is now taking a slow step away from the man and sauntering in my direction, its tail flicking at its rear as it takes its sweet time.
Fuckme.
Am I prey?
Should I grab a blade from my boot?
I take a deep breath and decide to just keep still, willing the creature to understand that I’m a friend just by my gaze. The massive cat holds my eyes steadily and continues to prowl forward, as if it understands my plea and wants to determine my honesty on its own. It finally stops about an arm’s length in front of me, and I have to hold back a gasp when I realize just how truly massive the creature is.
The white of its shoulders reaches the middle of my waist, its full chest broader than my hips with its muscles as big as my thighs. Those black eyes that have been holding mine now stare at me in lethal command, its tail still flicking back and forth as if deciding what to do just like I am.
I frown at the cat.
There’s something about those dark eyes holding mine, the look behind them definitely intrigued. I decide to go with my gut and carefully reach out a hand in greeting, extending my fingers with a small smile and hoping it recognizes the neutral gesture.
“I wouldn’t, Lady,” the man next to Keane watches my hand with narrowed eyes.
I keep my gaze locked on the large cat, fully understanding that at any point my fingers can be ripped off in a blink. The creature takes another step forward, eyes finally leaving mine to sniff at my hand, then looks back at me as I swear I see a lick of flames flash behind its eyes. I nod at the creature in neutral greeting once more, gasping when the cat pushes its nose into my hand and caresses its head against my palm.
The breath that leaves my body is one of relief and astonishment. I grin foolishly, bringing my other hand to the top of its head and start rubbing behind its ears without abandon. The cat purrs into my touch and pushes its head hard into my stomach as if its asking for more love, so I take its white fur between my fingers and begin scratching even harder.
“You’re beautiful,” I murmur, entranced by this magnificent creature.
The cat pushes into my embrace again, head pressing into my hips with a loud purr that reverberates through the room.
I turn to Lord Daniel with a beaming smile, wanting him to greet this royal tiger with me, but the Discerni man is watching the two of us in slight dismay, his eyes trained on the cat with his hand angled to the ground. I furrow my brows in question and quickly look around the room. The full of our traveling group is now dismounted, their faces contorted in different emotions…
Cal is frowning in fear at the cat in front of me, his hand placed under his cloak in a spot where I know a dagger is hidden. Alanna and the twins stand next to him with shocked eyes, though I think I see the hint of a smile hiding behind Mana’s lips. Even Barnes and Claymore look a bit scared as I turn to the front of the throne room, my glance immediately finding and landing on Keane. The Prince’s brown eyes are on me and only me, his hands dropped to his sides and angled to the ground just like Daniel’s.
I frown and look at the man next to him, to his proud chest protruding from under the black fur. He’s stroking a hand against his auburn beard as the flames under his skin move even stronger now, everything about him quiet and looking lost in thought. I quickly give the cat one last scratch behind the ears and take a step back, unsure if I overstepped my boundaries. The man gives me one last narrowed look before dropping his hand from his beard and moving it to his side, the cat purring loudly in goodbye before he saunters over to sit next to him.
“This is the woman that visits on behalf of your father?” the man looks to Prince Keane and Desmond in question.
Keane gives a curt nod, finally breaking his gaze on me. “She is.”
“I should like for her to sit with Clair tonight. She will find it interesting that Alba chose to greet her.”
“Of course,” Keane nods again before addressing our group.
“We’ve had an extensive travel to reach this point and I do not mean to keep any of you longer than necessary. Please allow me to introduce Prince McQuoid of Pyre, first and only son of his father, His Grace, King Regner of Pyre. We will join the Prince’s court tonight two turns after sundown.”
Everyone in the throne room bows while Alanna and I give a deep curtsy. Prince McQuoid nods to the group in greeting and moves to stand next to Keane. He’s a little shorter than our Prince but stands tall and proud with his hardened features as he addresses the group.
“The boys will show each of you to your rooms in the guest wing. Should you need anything more there will be maids roaming the halls in grey and maroon. Feel free to reach out to them at any point during your stay here. Your horses will be fed and watered and you will find your travel packs already situated in the rooms designated to you…”
