Possession

by Samantha Britt

  “I’m telling you, Lord Erwin wants something from you. I just can’t figure out what it is.”

  I sighed. I appreciated Cienna as a friend. I’d been missing a friend ever since I was recruited, and I had to leave my best friend, Jem, behind in Caldiri. But I didn’t want to deal with the princess’s overprotectiveness. Not when I’d finally experienced a pleasant evening after a week of dealing with the truth of my parents’ abandonment and losing my siblings’ companionship.

  “Your father has returned.” I changed the subject. “Have you spoken with him?” I wanted to know the king’s reaction to his daughter’s drastic change in health.

  Cienna released her spoon as a servant approached to take away the first course.

  Once she walked away, the princess answered, “Barely. Brion, Finn, and I greeted him and Toli before he left to see the rest of his harem.” Bitterness dripped over every word.

  I’d seen the king’s harem only once since my recruitment. It had been at Jona’s reception before the rebels attacked and ruined the event. The group of females ranged in age from eighteen to the unknown as there were draekon who looked to be in their twenties, and they were all devastatingly beautiful.

  I glanced around the dining hall and confirmed the harem’s absence. I hadn’t noticed the group of females anywhere else, making me wonder if they only ventured out in public on important celebrations like companion ceremonies. My brain conjured the image of a room covered in bright cloth and silk drapes where the females were forced to spend most of their days. It didn’t sound like an enjoyable life, but it was surely a lavish one.

  “Toli is his newest companion?”

  “Yes.” Cienna took a healthy swig of her wine. “And she’s younger than me by centuries.” Apparently, the information wasn’t any less disgusting to the princess as it was for me

  “Is she half-draekon?” I couldn’t remember what I’d learned about the king’s latest conquest.

  “No, but it’s not like that would make their relationship any less deplorable.” She tapped the rim of her glass, and a servant quickly arrived to refill her wine. “My mother would be ashamed.”

  I bit my cheek. Speaking about Cienna’s beloved mother would not make her feel better. Besides, it’s not like I knew much about the infamous deceased queen. No one mentioned her. It was like the subject of the king’s first wife, the mother of his children, was taboo in the castle.

  I watched Cienna gulp the red liquid and said, “Careful.” Her tolerance for alcohol wasn’t high. The party the previous evening proved as much.

  Cienna placed the glass on the table, sitting back in her chair. Her eyes were sad. “My father only cares about himself. He didn’t even notice I wasn’t ill anymore.”

  I reached under the table and squeezed her hand. “I’m sorry.” I didn’t know how to comfort someone about terrible parents. I’d never even come face to face with mine.

  Cienna shook her head. “It’s fine.” She pasted on a well-practiced smile. “Let’s not talk about it anymore.”

  A server arrived to deliver the second course. I leaned out of her way when I recognized one of my kitchen friends, Kenzie.

  “Kenzie.” I grinned. “How are you?” Kenzie and her fellow recruit from Villam, Bitty, had been instrumental in helping Lorie, Bridget, and I adapt to castle life during our first weeks. They, and the rest of the kitchen staff, had been welcoming and kind. I missed them.

  “I am well, Miss Amelissa. Thank you.” Her unemotional response surprised me.

  My mouth popped open, but I wasn’t given time to reply before Kenzie curtsied to the princess and moved on to serve the next table. My eyes followed her, willing her to look back at me and give some sign her distant words had been for the princess’s benefit, but she never turned around.

  Guilt filled me as I realized my absence from the kitchens had affected my friendships with the kitchen servants. What if they’d heard the horrible rumors about me and believed them? I feared they would no longer consider me a friend. I needed to make amends.

  Pushing back my chair, I cringed as it squealed against the hardwood.

  Cienna lifted an eyebrow.

  “Excuse me. I need to visit the bathing chamber.” I picked up my long skirt and moved to follow Kenzie. I saw her walking into the alcove servants used to restock their trays. My actions drew attention, but most draekon resumed eating and conversing with each other once I moved farther away.

  I’d successfully made it to the alcove when a familiar face stepped into my path.

  “Nolan,” I greeted with a happy smile. He’d trained me during my first weeks in the kitchen. Like the rest of the staff, I considered him a friend.

  “Amelissa.”

  My smile fell. He usually called me by my nickname.

  “Nolan,” I said, gazing over his shoulder at Kenzie. She stacked plates on her tray, pointedly ignoring me. “What’s going on?”

  “Nothing, Amelissa.”

  I looked back into his hazel eyes. “Then why is Kenzie ignoring me?” And why are you ignoring me?

  He shifted his feet. “Look. Now’s not a good time. The king is here, and we’re supposed to be working.” His expression begged me to let the matter, whatever it was, drop.

  I wanted to plant myself at the alcove and demand to know what was going on, but I didn’t. The last thing I wanted to do was get my friends in trouble. But that didn’t mean his dismissal didn’t sting.

  “Fine,” I whispered so only Nolan could hear me. “But may we speak later?”

  Nolan pressed his lips together. Then he nodded. “Yes. Sure. The next time I see you.”

  I wanted to insist we set up a time and place to meet. I made a mistake by isolating the few friends I’d made in the castle, and I wanted to make it right. But I refrained after noticing a draekon at a nearby table look between Nolan and I with thinly veiled interest.

  After nodding, I turned and moved towards the entrance of the dining hall. I could use a moment of reprieve with no curious eyes watching my every move.

  I was on my way to visit the bathing room when a confident male voice stopped me in my tracks. “Well, hello. Who do we have here?”

  Unease traveled from my stomach to my toes. I knew without turning around that I would regret attracting the attention of whomever had spoken. There was an eerie, powerful quality to the male’s voice, and it made my hair stand on end.

  I adopted a passive expression before I calmly looked over my shoulder. The composed façade instantly fell as I took in the impressive sight of King Roderick, flanked by two lethal royal guards.

  I spun around to face him before dipping into a practiced curtsy. I stayed down, dropping my eyes to his boots. I’d attended enough Court functions to master the submissive greeting. “King Roderick.” I applauded myself for sounding calm, despite the rapid beating of my heart.

  The king of the draekon drew closer. His guards moved with him as if tied to him by an invisible string. “What is your name?”

  “Amelissa, Your Majesty.”

  “Amelissa,” he repeated. I saw his hand wave out of the corner of my eye. “Please rise.” I locked my knees, keeping my eyes cast downward.

  My hands shook, but I hid them in the folds of my skirt. I could feel the king’s dark eyes assess me, trailing over my skin, leaving an unsettling sensation behind.

  “How long have you worked in my home?” He’d known I was human from the moment he noticed my blonde hair. But how had he deduced I wasn’t a companion?

  “Four months.”

  “I see. And what is your position?”

  “She is our secretary.” Prince Brion appeared, and I finally lifted my eyes from the ground. The last I saw him, he was silently eating his meal on the raised dais. He must’ve used the draekon’s gift of speed to cross the room so quickly.

  “Our secretary?” the king asked his son without taking his eyes off me.

  I didn’t doubt we had the attention of the entire back-hal
f of the dining hall. The polite chatter around us ceased, and I knew the surrounding draekon were listening to our conversation.

  “Mine and Finn’s,” stated the prince. “Amelissa assists with our day to day tasks, allowing us to focus on our military strategy to defeat the rebellion.”

  I swallowed and watched the prince, praying my face didn’t reveal my discomfort. I’d suspected the draekon planned to meet the rebellion on the battlefield, but it was difficult to hear it confirmed by the formidable prince. It didn’t matter that I felt betrayed by Lin, I still didn’t want anything bad to happen to him or Lorie. Knowing Prince Brion was a general and in charge of the strong royal army, I feared for my family’s wellbeing.

  “Is that so?” King Roderick appeared intrigued. Like everyone in the castle, he’d jumped to conclusions regarding why I really worked for his sons. I tore my attention from Prince Brion, returning my gaze to the floor, not wanting to add any more fuel to the fire of rumors.

  “She looks like she belongs in a harem rather than working behind a dusty desk.”

  I sucked in a breath and stepped back, my eyes flying up to the king in disbelief. No one, aside from the female in the library, had vocalized such a scandalous thought. My cheeks burned, and I looked from father to son, fearful of where the conversation might go.

  Prince Brion put an end to his father’s indecent implication immediately. “Absolutely not.” Prince Brion spat the words like they tasted vile. “She is our servant. Nothing more.”

  My blush deepened, mortified to be caught in the distasteful conversation. But at the same time, I appreciated the public announcement that denounced so many of the rumors floating around the castle.

  “Indeed,” the king addressed his son, finally taking his eyes off of me. “It seems we have catching up to do. You and your brother will meet me in my office within the hour.”

  His authoritative eyes swung back to me. With unnerving intensity, he continued, “And be sure to bring your secretary along.” All hope that the king believed his son disappeared with that one word.

  King Roderick knew his son was lying, and I was seized by terror as I worried what would happen if he learned of my family’s involvement in the rebellion.

  Something told me the male who conquered the continent all those years ago wouldn’t hesitate to go against his son’s deal with Lin. One look into those cold, calculating eyes convinced me that the king would decimate all those I held dear, ending the rebellion with ruthless draekonian tactics.

  7

  Trophies of animal heads covered the walls of King Roderick’s office. Apparently, the king enjoyed hunting, but he enjoyed showing off the fruits of his labor even more. There was no other reason to showcase so many stuffed carcasses. They definitely didn’t fit in with the gilded opulence of the room.

  My stomach rolled when I saw the life-like busts. While I knew they were fake, the creatures’ black eyes seemed to watch me where I stood. No matter where I looked, a dead animal met my gaze, increasing my anxiety. I twisted my fingers in front of me, shifting my weight from one leg to another as I waited for the impending meeting.

  “Stop fidgeting,” Prince Brion muttered from my right. He and his brother also stood, waiting for their father’s arrival. Unlike me, however, they were at ease, content to wait in the suffocating room, under the murdered animals’ gazes.

  I tried to stop shaking, but my nerves were getting the best of me. I laced my fingers, digging the heels of my hands into my stomach. It didn’t work. Tremors traveled up my limbs. I couldn’t help but believe the king would discover my brother played a part in the attack on the castle. What would he do when he found out?

  “Relax,” Prince Brion tried again, almost as if he could read my mind. “Nothing will happen to you.”

  It wasn’t me I was worried about, but I nodded anyway.

  Prince Finn leaned forward to look around his brother. “Seriously, Amelissa. It will be fine. Brion and I will handle everything. You won’t even need to speak.”

  My lips wobbled in a shaky smile, and I nodded again, unable to express my gratitude with words.

  The wide double-doors banged against the wall, making me jump out of my skin. King Roderick entered, waving a hand. Heeding the silent command, his entourage of guards remained outside the office. Two reached forward and pulled the doors closed, shutting us in. I tried not to hyperventilate.

  Prince Brion and I stepped out of the king’s way as he walked to the six-foot long desk placed at the back of the room. The black stained wood had been polished recently, making it shine in the candlelight. King Roderick pulled back the leather chair and made himself comfortable before he looked in our direction. “Tell me about the attacks,” he said.

  Prince Brion stepped closer to the desk, cleared his throat, and told his father about both rebel attacks that’d occurred during his absence. His tone was flat and his sentences short. His explanation was to the point while taking care to not leave out any pertinent information.

  Except for the roles my brother and parents played in the whole thing.

  I’d held my breath when the prince started speaking, waiting for the moment he revealed my brother’s traitorous involvement. But it never happened. Prince Brion didn’t so much as reference finding my brother or his four elven colleagues.

  The omission was huge.

  And dangerous.

  And greatly appreciated.

  But Prince Brion wasn’t the only one who knew what really happened that night. I half expected Prince Finn to speak up and fill in the gaps in his brother’s story, but he was silent throughout the entire speech.

  I was so caught off guard I missed when the conversation switched to a different topic.

  “You have confirmed the elven ambassador had no involvement in the attacks?”

  Prince Brion said with confidence, “Without a doubt, Lord Erwin and his king played no part in the rebellion’s poorly executed attacks.”

  King Roderick gave his son a skeptical look. “He should have been interrogated.”

  “He was,” Prince Finn spoke at last. “Most thoroughly.”

  “Indeed? What torture techniques were used?”

  I pinched my lips together, holding back my gasp.

  Prince Finn named four different methods he claimed had been used on the elven ambassador.

  Bile rose to my throat.

  I’d seen Lord Erwin’s disheveled appearance after he’d been released from the dungeons, but I had no idea he’d been tortured for information. I eyed Prince Finn. He seemed so kind and benevolent. How could he bear the thought of harming an innocent man?

  King Roderick had the opposite reaction. “Well done,” he praised. “An effective combination.”

  I swallowed back the acidic taste in my mouth.

  The king looked away from Prince Finn. Hard eyes landed on Prince Brion. “And why aren’t you out in the forest rooting out the rebel filth?” His approving tone had disappeared. I detected nothing but contempt as he addressed his oldest son. “I left your brother in charge of Draek, so you could do my work. Why have you returned without completing your mission?”

  I saw the fabric between Prince Brion’s shoulder blades ripple. “I returned to the capital after the first rebel attack, and I stayed to help ensure the safety of the city and its citizens,” he answered evenly.

  I almost nodded to offer my support, but I stopped myself just in time.

  Don’t be stupid. This doesn’t concern you.

  “Besides, my men and I have found and neutralized several rebel camps since you’ve been gone. I’ve brought you many traitors’ heads to prove our success,” Brion stated.

  That time I couldn’t contain my small cry of dismay.

  All at once, three pairs of draekon eyes landed on me. I could feel their weight pressing on my skin.

  “Your secretary has no stomach for violence.” The princes’ expressions conveyed concern and irritation while the king’s was full of ominous curiosi
ty.

  “No,” Prince Brion said without inflection. “She does not.”

  “Come closer, child.” The king lifted a hand, waving me forward.

  Seeing no other option, I willed my legs to hold as I inched closer to the desk. Neither of the princes made a sound. I stopped two feet away.

  King Roderick smiled, showing off his sharp canines. I wondered how many people he’d killed by sinking his beast’s teeth into their flesh. “Closer.”

  I couldn’t hide my shaking hands as I took another step. The king continued to wave me forward until my thighs pressed against the front of his desk. Then, he stood from his chair and put his hands on the desk. He leaned forward until our faces were less than six inches apart.

  Wide eyed, I could only stare at his attractive, yet deadly, face. I avoided meeting his gaze by staring at his chin, afraid he would be able to see all of my secrets if I met his eyes.

  “She is pretty.” He spoke to his sons behind me. “Where is she from? Avelin?” He’d placed the origin of my fair hair and blue eyes. I swallowed back my terror.

  “Caldiri,” I heard Prince Finn say.

  “Ah. My old friend’s land. Quite the social experiment he’s got going on down there.”

  Social experiment? What was he talking about?

  “Indeed,” Prince Brion said. Was it just me, or did he sound nervous?

  The king continued to observe me, humming to himself. He raised a hand, and I flinched as he stroked my cheek with a calloused finger. My reaction made him grin.

  He dropped his hand and waved me away, sitting back in his chair. I hurried back, nearly tripping from my eagerness. A strong hand pressed against my spine, steadying me. The stabilizing touch remained long after I’d regained balance. I longed to wipe my cheek to erase the gross feeling left by the king’s touch, but I didn’t dare do more than breathe.

  “How much of the Royal Forest did your forces scout before your return to Draek?” The king resumed the previous conversation as if nothing had happened.