“Don’t.”
He chuckled. “I’m merely admiring a unique beauty…” He went motionless. “A mortal? Is she a Chosen?” Interest brightened his deep green eyes.
Daén had made it known three Chosen were found. All three were mated to warlords. And there was the latest one Thrase had mentioned, mated to one of the Darkrean enforcers. Optimism was stirring among his people after millennia of hopelessness. Aerén refused to be the one to take away their joy, even with this current pain in his ass.
“The tests will be carried out on our return. She is undermyprotection,” he stated, stopping at the desk and shutting off any further conversation about Leya.
He frowned at the neatly stacked messages on the table. While the council took care of most things, more important matters were sent directly to his brother while Aerén searched for the Chosen.
He had to start taking care of business.
Cidéra washisterritory, and these were his people.
“I’ve already spoken to Elyon Anedaén,” Eregen said, dragging Aerén’s attention from a missive about the lack of farming land. “But he doesn’t seem aware of the agreement between our families. I think you’d probably know about it, so it’s best to work out the details and ensure everything’s in order.”
Aerén stilled. He didn’t like the direction the conversation was taking or the unease stirring within his gut. He let his shield crack open a little, his empathetic side instantly picking up on the male’s determination to get this done, along with a tinge of excitement. He wished he could as easily discern Leya’s true feelings toward him, instead of being left with the prickly creature who passionately kissed him yet shied away from more.
Since he wasn’t interested in Eregen’s thoughts, he didn’t bother to delve deeper. Hell, the male’s emotions just booted Aerén’s headache into a major one.
“You aren’t easy to talk to,” Eregen told him. “All right, let me lay this all out.”
“Yes, please, enlighten me.”
His sarcasm floated over the male.
Eregen sat down in the ornate chair opposite the desk and leaned back. Aerén remained standing. “Before Elyon Dandre and Queen Aderyn went missing, a verbal agreement about a betrothal between my sister and you was reached.”
Aerén narrowed his eyes. “Verbal?”
“Aye.”
“Of a betrothal between your sister and me?”
Eregen nodded. “Aye.”
Cold anger swept through Aerén. There were those females who’d do anything to get more from him, and he’d always made it clear up front, before any bedsport happened, that he wasn’t interested in a mate or a relationship.
He’d met Asennka of Issyrus a time or two, but the provocative female who flirted with him didn’t draw him on any level. Yet, the other provoking female he clashed with, he wanted to throw her over his shoulders, haul her to his room, and not leave for weeks.
“And they sent you?”
Eregen sat forward, fingers lacing on the desk. “My sire’s busy with council work, and as the older brother and a subject of yours, I agreed to approach you and get the engagement details settled. The magic will be returned soon, and you and Asennka can have the mating blessed.”
If he clenched his teeth any harder, Aerén was sure he’d crack one. “I know nothing of thisbetrothal.”
Eregen rose, his expression firming. “All contract, verbal or written, is binding, Your Highness.”
The ass wasn’t listening. “Any contract concerning me will be written by me and signed off byme. I rule Cidéra,” he countered.
He picked up another message, anger crashing through him like a tsunami. If he didn’t, he’d punch Eregen, and he didn’t want to revert to his old self and let his fists or sword do the talking.
Being back on Empyrea, it all weighed down on him once more. The eons-old pain of his sister’s death, his fractured family life, his missing parents. And now this! A fucking nonexistent betrothal contract flung at him.
Bottom line? He knew—he always knew—none of the females gave a fuck about him, only what they could get out of him. In this case, being tied to the original, so-calledblessedfamily, along with a title, rank, and elevated social standing.Hedetested it all.
Then a fragile mortal female fell into his life with her pretty smile and warrior attitude…
The truth hit him like a punch in the solar plexus, stealing his breath.
