The Prince walks onto the steps of the castle with commanding lethality, the look on his face something I never wish to see again. He’s cold and calculated, the angles of his Discerni features sharp and calm as his brown eyes instantly find mine. His gaze quickly dips down to my skirt that is misplaced against my legs, almost as if knowing exactly what has taken place. He then looks back up to my disheveled hair and my heavy breathing, his face giving nothing away as he takes in the dagger in my hand that is now starting to tremble.
Keane takes a silent step forward and moves his cold gaze to Tadeo, eyes darting to the blood running down his nose and the small slash I made against his neck. He quietly walks over to stand next to Barnett, ignoring the Lord’s fearful glare on him.
“What happened?” he asks without emotion.
More sets of feet bound out of the hall as I turn to look past the Prince and Barnett. Cal and Desmond run through the double doors, both of them stopping at the steps to look around at the situation. Desmond frowns at the sight and immediately walks over to stand next to Keane, while Cal turns his head to the side, grimacing as Holis, Mana and Alanna run through the doors as well.
“Barnett,” the Prince asks again, eyes never leaving Tadeo’s.
Barnett narrows his eyes on the Lord in answer, “Lord Tadeo made unwanted advances towards Lady Alexis, Your Highness.”
My heart stills in my chest.
This can’t be happening.
Prince Keane remains cool and collected, his voice hard, “do you deny this, Lord Tadeo?”
“I do,” Tadeo responds, wiping his nose of blood, “nothing was unwanted, Your Highness. Just a misunderstanding.”
My hand grips the dagger in my hand tighter. “Liar.”
Tadeo looks back at me and smirks.Smirks.He drops his gaze to the blade in my hand, continuing in challenge, “she threatened the use of green agate against me. A human girl with her easy temper should not be allowed to wield such a weapon.”
A few of the Discerni in the crowd shift on their feet as Tadeo gives another wicked smile.
“A human threatened me with a life-ending weapon,” he tells the crowd directly, “this goes against the Old World rule!”
Keane’s eyes are still hard and fastened on Tadeo, his gaze staring at the curved smile on the Lord’s lips.
“Barnett?” the Prince asks coolly.
Barnett’s gorgeous hazel eyes turn to me with sadness before he nods. “It’s true.”
The small crowd gathered around us quiets in an instant. I look again towards Cal, meeting my friend’s gaze as he shakes his head. He’s silently telling me not to do anything rash, though the look on Alanna’s cool grey eyes standing next to him is telling me that she meets my animosity towards the Lord.
A loud caw pierces the sky from the small woods beyond the stables, drawing the crowd’s attention as Stormfall glides over with his yellow eyes glowing in the night. I exhale a breath of relief and watch as the edge of Storm’s wing brushes aggressively against the Lord’s cheek before he lands proudly on my shoulder.
“Lady Alexis,” the Prince says my name in demand.
I give Tadeo another glare before turning to Keane, my dagger still in hand.
“Do you deny threatening the life of Lord Tadeo?” he asks coolly, brown eyes holding mine with his Discerni indifference.
“I do not,” I reply straight, speaking both to him and the crowd. Stormfall stretches his wings behind my back as I continue.
“And I will continue to do so without hesitation if he ever lays his hand on me again.”
Keane’s eyes burn in approval as the crowd behind him shifts again, considering my words.
“Her use of force is justified,” Desmond tells his brother quietly.
Barnett nods his head in silent agreement.
“I demand she be stripped of all green agate!” Lord Tadeo looks directly at the Prince, “her actions violate the Old World rule.”
“And your actions violate the common decency shared between those people who walk the same World,” I turn to glare at him.
A few Discerni in the crowd murmur as I hold back a scoff. The Old World rule he speaks of is archaic, born from Aireal and the aftermath of stripping the Kingdom of magic. It demands that no human be allowed to retaliate against a magical being in a life-threatening way. Hence, why Cal and I kept our trainings secret. Because green agate is the only stone known throughout the Four Kingdoms that can end magical life… pierce a Discerni with metal or wood and they’ll heal within a day, but pierce them with green agate and the healing properties that run in their blood won’t do a single thing to help. They’re as wounded as any other human might be.
