Page 13 of Her Ivory Flame

Silas was tense behind her but she chuckled to herself, seeing the king squirm was the most entertainment she had in a long time.

Grabbing the top of her hood she pulled it back to reveal herself, her white braided hair falling down the side of her chest. She looked up to meet the king’s opal eyes with a century's worth of anger.

It wasn’t long before the recollection of who she was flashed in his eyes and visibly saw him reel back. She watched his eyes widen and his wings flinching on his back.

“Alyra Adair,Princessof the Valkyrie at your service,” she replied, her eyes not leaving his and gave him a lazy bow.

“That's not possible.” Disbelief in his voice.

“Alyra?” Declan’s voice drifted from the right, the corner of her eye catching his movement towards her. She did not take her eyes off the king both in distrust and fear of seeing Declan’s expression.

“Declan, is this really her, your fiancée?” Emris questioned with irritation.

Mustering all the courage she could, she turned to meet Declan’s emerald gaze, his brown hair dangling just above them. Pain crept into her heart instantly when she saw the hurt clouding them, her old life crashing full force into her with a heaviness she had never felt.

“It's her.” Declan whispered quietly, his eyes searching hers. “How? We looked everywhere for you.”

“Was that before or after someone in this kingdom betrayed my people.” She snarled, her eyes going back to the king. “Have any ideas on who that was?”

Emris’s eyes narrow. “No one from my court would do such a thing.”

She stepped forward with clenched fists at her side. “Lies,” she yelled. “Mavros knew we were coming, which meant someone from your command told him of our plans. My people were slaughtered and I was left to be tortured for months by Mavros himself.”

The king didn’t flinch at the information, only lowered his face and glared back at her with a furious look. “How dare you comeinto my court and accuse my males of treason. How do you know it wasn’t your own people that betrayed you?”

“My people had honor,” she snapped back.

“Enough.” Silas barked behind her, her eyes glancing back at him before stepping back at his side.

“There is a lot to explain my king, if you will let me,” Silas urged.

“This will be interesting.” Emris grumbled and gestured for Silas to continue.

They had decided to keep details out of their story, at least the details of what Mavros did to her and she hoped he would never find out. She didn’t need his sympathy from him, or for him to get any ideas of his own.

She let her eyes wander to the other males standing around the king as Silas talked, her anger making her incapable of handling another glance at Declan.

Opposite of the throne from Declan, a shorter red-haired male stood with scholar robes on who she assumed was the scribe for the kingdom. He had a bag slung across his chest filled with more books and short cropped hair that had started balding in spots. She watched him frantically write in his book, no doubt trying to document the story Silas was currently divulging to the king.

Next to the scholar, a tall muscular male stood in full battle leather attire. Lethal was the first word that came to mind in the way he stood while she looked him over. He had shoulder length black hair that was half tied on the top of his head and a largesword across his back with another strapped to his hip. He was built thicker than any male she had yet seen; even Silas was no match for him in sheer size.

He had the stance of a predator, tension in every muscle and she could barely tell he was breathing by the stillness of him. Intrigue surged through her as she looked him over, an odd feeling washing over her that chilled her to her bones.

She scanned him from his feet to his face, and when she got to his eyes she realized they were staring back at her. She had never seen maroon-colored eyes in any Fae before, and in truth, he was the most handsome male she had ever seen.

His nostrils flared on the edge of her vision when their eyes met, the maroon color seeming to darken as they stared at one another. They narrowed on her but the rest of his body seemed utterly still, and she wondered if it was because of her or the tension in the room.

She couldn’t help but stare, watching his facial expression stay still like stone, but his eyes, something about them made her stomach twist.

“Alyra?” Silas whispered.

She jumped slightly, his voice startling her. He gestured to the king and she realized he was speaking to her.

“Once word gets out you are alive, Mavros will try to take you. Assassins, mercenaries, and anyone else willing to do his biddingwill come for you from all over.” Emris said with more irritation spewing from him.

She nodded in agreement but knew he was not done speaking.

“You will stay here under guard at all times by some of my males. Since it has been noted you can’t access most of your power, you must train with them daily to get it back. You are useless to me otherwise.”