"She's a Basilius." Thrane corrects, drawing Nyx's vicious glare. "Aurelia is a Basilius. Not a Kitarni."
The tension between the two is thick and it's damn near suffocating.
"It's a nickname," I break the silence, earning a narrow-eyed stare from my cousin. "Whether you like it or not, Thrane, Kitarni is just as much a part of me as Basilius. There's no changing that."
My goal of shattering the awkwardness falls short of victory. No one speaks, no one moves. Thrane's hardened stare latchesonto me and for the first time since I've known him, I wish he would speak.
"I suppose all that really matters is one day, Shaye will be a Harland," Atlas presses his hand to my thigh and squeezes reassuringly. But all his added comment does is further irritate my cousin.
Thrane rolls his eyes and takes up his lazy posture once more, kicking a leg over the armrest of his chair. "Ah yes, the engagement. Is that still a thing? I thought it was merely for show."
Atlas leans forward, rooting his elbows to the table. "Point me in the direction of the priestess and I'll marry her today."
"Perhaps," Sylvane clears her throat, diffusing the stare-off. "Perhaps, we should focus on our strategy for now."
My mother rescues me with a wink and it soothes my nerves.
"How diplomatic of you, Sylvane," Thrane offers a smile that doesn't reach his eyes. "Of course, you're right. We need a plan."
When no one immediately speaks, Nyx huffs, "If it's up to me, we should go to Tronovia. We can start with convincing our uncle to join the war."
Thrane quirks a brow, swiveling his attention from Nyx to Ronan. "You have been here for nearly a month. Surely you have had correspondence with him about the matter."
"He has been updated," Ronan confirms. "But Tronovians, especially one as shrewd as my father, won't promise troops or resources without a sit-down meeting first."
Thrane taps his fingers against the armrests of his chair. A barely-there grin graces his face for a split second before he lifts his head. A decision has been made.
"We travel to Tronovia in one week's time." Thrane declares and glances from person-to-person seeking agreement. When no one objects he nods. "Good. Then we will make the necessary travel arrangements. We will go over logistics in three days."
The meeting was short and to the point, just as Thrane seems to like. With instructions given, everyone abandons their seats and heads for the door, but as soon as I slip my hand into Atlas' and stand, Thrane clears his throat.
"Aurelia, a moment in private."
Atlas winks at me and squeezes my hand once before leaving. Nyx sits back down and kicks his feet up on the table.
"Did you need something or are you hard of hearing?" Thrane side-eyes him.
Nyx rolls his shoulders back, meeting Thrane's glare with one of his own. "I am her bodyguard. Where she goes, I go."
And how he has kept to that promise ever since Bastian's attack. If I'm not with Atlas, Nyx is nipping at my heels.
"I believe I requested a private audience with Aurelia."
Nyx grabs a hand full of dates and tosses them one by one in his mouth completely unbothered. "Pretend I'm not here. I'll be quiet."
"I find that hard to believe."
"Nyx – "
"Orders are orders," Nyx interrupts me.
It's been hard for him to accept how close I was to being taken and how close his brother was to being executed. I know Nyx well enough now to understand he puts that entire incident on his shoulders and bares it as his failure to protect me. It will be virtually impossible to convince him to leave my side, and I'm learning to pick my battles wisely. I don't have the energy to fight everyone.
"Fine," I allow. "But not a word."
Nyx drags his fingers along his lips and tosses the imaginary key behind him.
I glance at my cousin. "Should I sit?"
