The voice in my head laughed in that same fucking maniacal way, like it knew what she was and why she was here.
“And you are?” I growled at the female, though I kept a distance between us, refusing to move from the doorway. If she were here to attack, I wouldn’t make it easy for her.
“Zarina, Goddess of Water,” she said, her head tilted as she took me in. “And you are Ambrose Farra, Queen Cassia’s…court advisor.”
Her face remained blank, but I heard the insinuation in her tone. I was nothing more than a lowly being, inferior to the dragon before me.
“Why would someone from the Seelie Court come here?” I asked in the same insolent tone. How dare she come here and talk down to me? How dare she soil the air here with her disgusting presence?
“I’ve come to discuss rumors regarding Queen Cassia,” Zarina said calmly, picking up another paper to read. “Someone made it known to us that she is being held here against her will.”
Arianna sucked in a breath, and I fought the temptation to look at her, to bark out a word of warning. Forcing myself to remain calm, I gave Zarina a small smile. “Apologies, I’m not sure who would have told you such a thing. However, that is not true. Cassia is off gallivanting somewhere in the realm, checking in on her kingdom. The cities and towns have been going through hard times recently.”
“Queen Cassia, you mean,” Zarina frowned, her nose wrinkling at my lack of decorum and respect.
“Yes,” I smiled, hiding my sneer. “Yes, of course.QueenCassia and I have the kind of partnership where titles like "queen" are unimportant. We rarely maintain the hierarchy of the palace.”
“I’m sureyoudon’t,” Zarina smirked, putting the paper she held back on the desk. “We heard of the hardships yourpeople have been going through recently. Unfortunately, we’ve had enough of your people come to us regarding Queen Cassia’s whereabouts to have a reasonable doubt that she is traveling, as you say. I have come to check in on what we have heard. I request to be shown the dungeons before I return to my court.”
I felt Arianna’s stares digging into my back; her fear was so strong you could taste it in the air. My smile fell away, replaced with a glare. Did this bitch of a dragon truly believe she could come here and order us around? As ifwewere part of her simpering court?
They know, little manipulator. They know what you have done. They know, and she will be free.The voice laughed, vicious and cruel.
Shut it, I snarled quietly. My mind whirled, my thoughts split between needing to find out who had gone to the Seelie Court and needing to get the goddess out of the palacewithoutseeing Cassia. It was a dangerous line to walk. Dragons weren’t known for their patience. To anger one would be a costly mistake, one that I wasn’t prepared to make. Not until Bramwell and Loic’s soldiers were entirely mine to control.
Taking a deep breath, I replaced my glare with a charming smile. “Unfortunately, Goddess Zarina, that will not be possible today. There has been a regrettable loss among the palace members. All of our resources have been focused on investigating the death of a lord. However, if you’d like, you may return in a few days, and I willpersonallygive you a tour of the palace and the palace dungeons.”
Zarina frowned, her eyes sliding to where Arianna hid beside me on the other side of the wall. Her face soured as if she could see Arianna trembling like a useless chit. When Zarina’s gaze finally met mine again, she sauntered through my office until she stood before me. My heart lurched as those slitted pupils and the kaleidoscope of blues and ambers narrowed on me.
“I heard you were planning to throw a ball in honor of your…rise to kingship in Cassia’s absence. I'll provide you with enough time to investigate and mourn, and return in two weeks’ time to attend your ball. Will that suffice?”
I held back my ire, forcing the smile planted on my face to widen. “Of course, Goddess Zarina. You’ll be our guest of honor.” I inclined my head—the most I would do regarding bowing to this beast.
Zarina smirked, a scoff leaving her lips. “You may have others fooled, Ambrose; however, you do not fool me. I look forward to your tour.”
Stepping back, ropes of water circled Zarina, closing in on her until she disappeared into nothing. I stood still, staring at the space she had recently occupied. My fists drew tighter, my nails cutting into my skin. I felt the blood drip from my hand to the floor. Arianna rushed in behind me, grabbing my hands and pulling them in front of her.
“Ambrose,” she breathed, prying open my hands. Her voice trembled, and I could feel her trepidation. “Ambrose, it’s okay, calm down.”
My face snapped to hers at her words, my lips peeling up to bare my teeth. “Calm down?” I asked, my voice lowering to a dangerous tone. My body twisted, pushing up against hers, and I pulled my hands away from her touch. “We have a traitor among us, and you’re telling me to calm down?”
My hand shot out, grabbing Arianna by the throat. A whimper escaped her lips as I towered over her, my fingers tightening around her neck. “Is it you? Are you the one who betrayed me?”
Arianna’s mouth gaped open, but no words came. She could only shake her head while tears filled her eyes.
“TELL ME!” I bellowed, my fingers squeezing tighter.
“I-it wasn’t me,” Arianna choked out. “I-I promise it wasn’t me.”
My eyes narrowed, watching her struggle to breathe, pleading with what little breath she had left. My magic reached for her, probing her emotions to find the lie within her words. I found nothing but terror and despair. Pushing further, a small hope bloomed, a hope that I would believe her words. Growling, I shoved her away from me, slowly turning toward Hale. “And you?”
Hale’s chest rapidly rose and fell, his body trembling under my scrutiny. “No, Your Majesty. I have not betrayed you or spoken to anyone regarding Queen Cassia’s whereabouts.”
Hale held my stare, though fear shone through them. His emotions emanated the same sentiments as Arianna’s. Growling, I turned away, walking to my desk. There were only a few of us who knew of Cassia. Two were dead, and Sybil swore she had told no one. I still couldn’t feel her emotions; that same dark void blocked me from her. However, with Cassia’s word, I believed Sybil, even if it was reluctant.
“Call the other lords that know, along with Samian and Sybil. We need to get to the bottom of this.”
Waiting for the lords,Arianna stayed stuck to my side, her hands never straying from my body. My headache returned two-fold, the pain blaring in my head. My patience was fraying as I went over who the fuck could have made the Seelie Court aware of Cassia. Each of the lords hated that court, wanting nothing more than to destroy it, just for the land and resources alone, though my hatred for the court went far deeper.
