“You will remember your place, Fae King. Or else this alliance will fall,” Aasim warned, the scales flickering beneath his skin seemed to glow as his dragon side pushed forward, the ancient power within him knocking into me as Rhael’s increased beside me.
It lasted for only a moment, the battle of wills between the two kings, before it evaporated entirely. Leaving a vacuum no one quite knew how to fill. The silence was eerie, a warning to everyone that this alliance was no longer one of friendship. I was not sure such a thing could ever exist again, between these two men.
Rhael released me without a word, turning on his heel and storming from the room refusing to look at anyone. The shadows trailing behind him like a storm set loose.
The lack of his body against mine left me feeling cold, a feeling I hated but I did not follow him. Instead giving myself a momentto think, wondering if by keeping my knowledge to myself of tonight's intrusion was going to do more harm than good.
No music followed, the ball coming to a dramatic end. Everyone left, emptying the space in uneasy silence. People whispered as the magic that had filled the space curdled into something bitter.
Aasim too deemed it was time for him to leave. With a few swift words to his people, in a language I did not recognise, they left the room. Not saying a word to anyone in a final display of power, making it clear with Rhael gone, no one else in the room was worth his presence.
I stood on the dais beside Olesia. Wondering if she would snap at me, accuse me of ruining her brother's life, and hers by association. However instead of turning away from me, Olesia turned until she was facing me. Her eyes were kind as she looked me up and down taking my hand in hers.
“I cannot let you do this, Rhael will easily let me go,” I whispered to her as she stepped closer.
The room had emptied, everyone removing themselves from the awkward atmosphere, including Aasim. Leaving us alone, which Olesia seemed to take our isolation into full advantage.
“You are too good for my brother, to allow him to disregard you so easily.” She mused, her hand reaching out to push a stray strand of hair from my face, as if she was caring for a sibling rather than a human.
“I am a slave, Your Highness. Please do not think I am anything other than that. You cannot giveyour life up for me.” I told her, worried that she believed her brother's facade. She needed to understand that by saving me she was just saving a toy. Rhael would much rather lose me than her, that much I was certain.
“It is time my brother learnt that he cannot control everything. No matter how hard he tries. You may be a slave, Elara Varyn, but you have the control in this situation. Use it,” she whispered, her hands squeezing mine as she held them between us.
“Thank you.” I replied, my hands threatened to tremble as I thought about every emotion that had scattered through my mind in the last few hours and how I had felt so out of control. As I stood there, something about her made me feel powerful, strong, like I could do anything.
“Now go, this hall will be filled with servants soon to clear away, and you look too good to be dragged down into the help.” Olesia smiled one last time before ushering me from the room.
Chapter Nineteen
I found Rhael outside, only after checking several places beforehand, that I thought were more likely places for him to be sulking in. The scene that awaited me was something I had not expected. He stood shirtless, sword in hand as he swung it towards a wooden combat dummy with such force that he split it in half. The timber cracking like bone.
Sweat slicked his skin, muscles flexing as he swung the sword again and again. Each strike was brutal, driven by something deeper than anger. His hair was loose down his back, free from its usual ponytail as he swung again, the strands sticking to his neck damp and untamed.
For the first time since entering Vaetharyn I saw his wings. Free from the two slits in his back. Dark leather-like appendages outstretched filling the night sky, moving with him as he lunged forward once more.
I remained still, just watching how they moved, stretching several feet either side of his shoulders. They resembled dragon wings, only more angular, more agile. Their movement was terrifying, but my mind also filled with thoughts of what it wouldbe like to touch them. To run my fingers along each ridge.
The heat coiling within me was dampened by the reminder of the vampire's words, like a bruise within my skin. Whispering doubt convinced me that I was just a pawn, that Rhael had offered me nothing and I couldn't trust him. I was at war within my own mind.
On one side there was Olesia, convincing me I had more power than I knew, followed by the vampire's harsh warning and offer of freedom. Shaking my head I stepped forward. Deciding there was only one way I would ever free myself from the disaster zone inside my mind.
I stopped just short of where he stood, watching him as he launched an attack of steel against wood. Cutting the dummy to pieces like it was an enemy he wanted to make sure was dead.
The anger radiating off him was enough to make me want to take at least three steps back, but I didn't, keeping still, trying to make myself seem stronger.
“Rhael.” I whispered, not wanting to startle him, but needing him to know I was there. That this outburst had not gone unnoticed. There were cuts littered up his arms and across his chest, where the sword had hit flesh rather than wood, blood dripped over his tanned skin, creating small webs and lines in the darkness.
When he finally turned to face me his eyes were wild, seemingly unfocused, it took a moment for recognition to finally settle into his features as herealised who stood before him. The wild look was replaced with a scowl, his lip curling up baring his teeth.
“Don’t. I am not in the mood. You shouldn’t be here,” he growled as he plunged the sword into the ground. The steel cutting through the dried summer mud with a sound that set my teeth on edge.
“You are angry,” I said, stepping closer, my feet walking across the grass, the edge of my dress making dust swirl in the air around us.
I knew Penny would have a fit if I returned the dress ruined, but that was just one more thing that I did not have space to care about.
“Obviously,” he snapped as he rolled his shoulders, shaking out his hands.
The simple movement shouldn't have undone me the way it did. Especially not with the conflicted emotions that sat knotted inside my chest.
