by Ravyn Fyre
My anger at her reaction had nothing to do with her and everything to do with Lord Kalen and his archaic hierarchy.
I forced myself to tamper my outward appearance as I coerced a smile to my face, despite the fire brewing in my gut, before I answered her. “Forget what?”
When she smiled in return, I promised myself I would do everything I could to protect the girl in front of me, regardless of whether the problem happened to be the girl standing in front of me. With a half shrug, I added, “Besides, I doubt just anyone could make me look the way you do. I guess that means you’re stuck with me. Unless you’re sick of me already, that is?”
“Oh no, Lady Jade! On the contrary, this is where I should be.”
“Good. Now freshen up while I go relieve myself, and then you can fill me in on the proper table manners that’ll be expected of me while we make our way to the dining room.”
She gave a slight nod, which had me rushing into the bathroom to give her a sense of privacy. Closing the door quietly, I leaned against it, closed my eyes with a sigh, and stewed. Struggling to get control of my racing thoughts and heart, I tried to meditate and failed miserably as my brain tossed ideas around my head like a tornado. The more I thought about the injustice Selene and others like her endured, the angrier I got. I schooled my expression to hide my anger and opened the door with a flourish. After I assured myself Selene was once again in control of her emotions, I gestured towards the door and said, “No time like the present. Shall we?”
Selene bowed and, with a nod of her head, she glided forward and pulled open the door to reveal an enormous hallway devoid of light. The second she stepped foot outside the bedroom, the opal veins running through the granite walls lit up from within. The soft glow reminded me of Himalayan salt lamps; only instead of a warm orange glow, the opal emitted a rainbow of colors. I stepped out into the hallway, and my guards Rom and Kiso filed right behind me.
I listened as Selene listed off a stream of the do's and don’ts of dinner etiquette along the way, though they only vaguely registered in my conscious thoughts as panic set in the closer we got to the king. His presence was like a lighthouse that guided me in the darkness. Even without Selene’s help, I had no doubt I would have been able to find the dining room independently. I needed to stay as far away from the king as possible if I intended on confronting him later because every time he touched me, I lost all logical thought and forgot about anything other than his touch. Selene pulled on my arm as she stopped abruptly and looked at me. “My lady? Did you hear what I just said?”
Squirming in place, I raised my eyebrows and rattled off some of the stuff I remembered from her speech from the corner of my mouth. “I . . . might have missed the last thing you said, but I got the stuff about how to act at dinner. Like no slurping and sit up straight during the whole meal, etcetera. Something about no one likes a slumpy queen. Although, in my defense, I’m not the queen yet.”
Selene chastised me with her eyes before she relented and repeated herself. “I told you to watch out for the Marni. Their latest representative, Princess Onyx, is spreading rumors she is Lord Kalen’s true mate.”
“What a bitch!” I muttered under my breath. “I guess that means dinner could get ugly when he announces I am his mate.”
“I doubt Lord Kalen will make a statement in words, but when he places you next to him, that act will be all the statement anyone needs. I will point her out, but if you feel someone shooting you with daggers from their eyes, it is probably her.”
“No need. I believe we already had the pleasure of meeting this morning in the great room, but I appreciate the forewarning. Always nice to put a face to your enemies.” Taking a deep breath, I steeled my shoulders and looked straight ahead before I continued. “No sense in delaying this any further. I can feel Lord Kalen growing anxious from our delay. Let’s get this over with before he thinks I’m going to run.”
Plastering a smile on my face, I followed Selene into the room and looked about in wonder. Large totems carved with intricate designs bordered four silk-covered arched doorways across from the entrance. Silhouettes of naked men and women could be seen dirty dancing together behind the veil. The erotic scene ignited the flames smoldering inside of me.
When my thoughts drifted to Lord Kalen, and the sensation intensified, I averted my eyes to the domed cathedral ceiling above me and counted to five under my breath. Taking in the beautifully painted scenes of a foreign landscape centered me enough to let out the breath. I didn’t realize I was holding and lower my gaze to the occupants of the room.
I was under the impression I’d be walking into something quaint; instead, I found a giant banquet room capable of seating hundreds. Leveling my gaze, I scanned the tables in front of me, looking for friendly faces. Onyx made no attempt to cover her contempt at my presence. I turned my nose up and pretended she didn’t exist as we started forward once again.
I noticed how quiet the room was as all eyes followed my movement through the room. People whispered as we passed by the tables on the main floor until the place went silent once again when Selene led me to the open seat next to Lord Kalen. His overbearing presence commanded the room while his lust-filled gaze commandeered my libido. The second my ass connected with the chair, waiters filed in serving the first course.
The zing coursing through my body tempted me to forgive the king for any wrongdoings. At this point, I felt like I would do anything to ensure the feeling continued. Grinding my teeth, I focused on my anger to ebb the pleasure his proximity did to my female parts. Once I felt I had a modicum of control, I spared a glance in his direction and politely smiled before I hissed, “Please tell me you didn’t make everyone wait to eat until I got here.” I found my gaze focused on the dimple his smile produced from my statement and made myself focus and look away.
“Mere coincidence, I assure you. Your maid has impeccable timing and taste. You look beautiful, Jade.” Leaning closer, he traced my ear with his finger before his breath sent a shiver down my spine as he whispered, “Although I must be honest, if I wanted to make everyone wait until you graced us with your presence, no one would be able to stop me. Tell me, mate, what has you on edge. Do I need to cut off someone’s head?”
I gasped at the suggestion of violence and pulled back to look him in the eye and crumpled in relief when I saw laughter in his eyes. Shaking my head at how easy my emotions were swinging from side to side, I took the easy way out and stalled. I needed more time to steel myself against the man if I had any hope of winning. Moving the food around on my plate, I deflected, “What is on my plate?”
“An ailnot petal salad with kalenberries and pealegumes, drizzled with a citrus vinaigrette. Delightful on the taste buds. Try it.” Kalen stabbed a petal and held it to my lips as he waited for me to open my mouth.
The only ingredient I understood from his description was citrus. Being a picky eater, I almost declined until he lifted my chin with his finger and practically begged me to acquiesce. The intensity of his stare made me question if opening my mouth and accepting food meant more than it appeared, but the moment the aroma reached my nose, I opened my mouth willingly and closed my lips around the most delectable bite. Closing my eyes, I moaned in approval. Opening my eyes slowly, I looked up at him with a smile. My whole body buzzed with desire, and when he offered me a glass of wine, I didn’t hesitate to part my lips as I greedily waited for him to bring the glass to my mouth.
A horrible scream filled the air, breaking the trance I was under. I whipped my head towards the sound, a mere millisecond from accepting the king’s offering, to find a petite pixie from Onyx’s table writhing in pain as she toppled over to the floor in convulsions. The king and most of his guards jumped into action. Coming to a halt, they formed a circle around her as her cries cut off on a gasp.
Flopping onto her back, she arched off the floor as she took a shaky breath and let out a silent scream. The crowd backed away in a panic as the veins and arteries in her face turned black.
With every beat of her heart, the inky blackness spread to the rest of her body until whatever was preventing her from making noise let loose, and she let loose a dead curdling wail that rattled my bones.
Chapter Six
The room erupted into chaos as people pushed and shoved their way towards the guarded exits. Lord Kalen’s voice roared above the crowd stopping everyone in their tracks. “No one is allowed to leave until I have had a chance to question each person individually. Since the majority of you have an early day tomorrow, the faster we accomplish this, the better.”
I climbed onto my chair for a better view, only to wish I hadn’t, as the poor girl’s body turned into black goo like time was on fast forward. Steering my eyes away from the scene, I found something even more alarming. Princess Onyx was glaring at me until she realized I was watching her, and she flashed me a triumphant smile that disappeared almost as fast as it appeared, making me question if I ever saw it in the first place.
I wanted to be wrong about my suspicions. I wanted to believe Onyx wasn’t capable of killing an innocent person. My hackles rose at her possible involvement as I struggled to find a motive or what benefit the girl’s death provided her. Staring her down, I raised my eyebrows in a silent challenge to her and gave her an evil smile when she glared back with acceptance.
I lost her as the guards corralled everyone to the back of the room, and a team of men and women wearing biohazard suits filed into the room. They worked quickly to contain and sanitize the area using a multitude of powers, as Kalen interviewed everyone with General Jaelel at his side.
I jumped down from my chair and moved to step forward to get a closer look, only to be stopped short by a large guard. Shaking my arm to get loose, I was surprised when the guard folded me into his arms and whispered into my ear, “The king has instructed me to take you back to your room.”
I would have struggled or spoken up if I had the time but, as I drew in a breath to scream, the room tilted and faded out. For a second, I feared I was passing out for a third time that day, only to puff up my cheeks and let out my breath slowly when my bedroom came into focus a second later. The guard dropped his arms and stepped back as I swung around and pointed my finger at his chest.
“The next time you transport me somewhere, I want you to have my permission! I almost peed myself!”
After a guffaw at my outburst, he hung his head in defeat when I narrowed my eyes at him and gave him my best “don’t fuck with me” look.
“I only take orders from Lord Kalen, my lady.” I opened my mouth to voice my displeasure but snapped it closed when he added, “But I promise to warn you next time before we flash. If it makes any difference, you handled your first flash very well.”
His praise had me standing straighter for a moment because it felt great to be good at something without trying for once. Usually, if I set my eyes on something, I had to work for it. My gift being the only exception. However, I did have to work hard at learning how to control it.
The high didn’t last long when I remembered why we flashed in the first place, and I deflated, both physically and mentally, into a pile on the floor. The guard rushed forward, and I held a hand up to stop his progress. Lifting my gaze, I cleared my throat and said, “I’m okay. Drained, discombobulated, and slightly delirious.”
My answer didn’t seem to appease him as he crouched to my level with a panicked look on his face. With a sigh, I closed my eyes and counted to five before I answered him. “I’m not broken or injured, just human. Please give me a moment to break so that when I build myself back up, my fractures will make me stronger, not weaker.”
Opening my eyes to plead my case, the guard saved me the trouble with a firm nod and a tight smile. He stood up and moved towards the door to the hallway. Stopping with his hand on the knob, he locked the door and looked back at me. Pulling myself together, I looked about the room for a weapon in a panic.
The guard took notice, and with his hands out, he shook his head, licked his lips, and swore under his breath. “Shite. I have no idea why I got stuck watching you. I’m no good with females.” Taking a knee, he bowed his head and spoke calmly.
“I mean you no harm, Lady Jade. I locked the door because I can flash out of here and didn’t want you to have to get up. You needed a moment, and I gave it to you, but your safety will always be my priority. Please accept my apology for scaring you; it was not my intention.”
The day taught me if I wanted to survive, I needed to adapt faster to my environment. There was no limit to this new world, and whether I asked for it or not, this was my new reality. Strengthening my core, I forced myself to stand, using the bedpost like a lifeline. Taking a deep breath, I pushed my fear aside and walked toward the guard on shaky legs. “Apology accepted as long as you stand up.”
Raising his head, he flashed me a wicked smile and straightened his six-foot-three muscular body with a grace that shouldn’t be possible. I admired his form, and as I studied his face, I admitted he was handsome. Immediately upon thinking about him, he winked at me like he was reading my mind. I quickly added I thought his features were too feminine for my tastes. His frown was enough to confirm my theory; he could read minds, and I smiled wickedly back at him.
I missed my gift more than ever and fingered the necklace with longing. Refusing to dwell on what I had no control over, I dropped my hand and decided to accept my circumstances, but under my terms. The first thing on the list was to establish allies in this rat race. The guard standing in front of me was as good as any.
Wiping my hands on my dress nervously, I waved awkwardly and introduced myself properly. “Hi. My name is Jade Marcene Cordel. Supposedly the king and I are mates. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” I held my hand out and was a second away from dropping it in embarrassment when he shook it firmly and answered.
“The pleasure is all mine. My name is Tanen Soltan, and I am a royal guard and the king’s best friend. Seeing as you are his mate-to-be, that duty now extends to you as well.”
“Thank you, I guess. Do you know when Kalen will be back?”
Tanen paused for a moment with a far-off stare. Shaking his head, he chuckled softly before he answered. “He says he’s over halfway done and can’t wait to hold you in his arms. Oh, he’s got it bad. The man is spoiled and isn’t used to answering to anyone. I look forward to watching you put him in his place often. Whatever you do, promise me you won’t go easy on him.”
I highly doubted I would be putting anyone in their place, least of all the king. That fine male specimen did something to me. Every time I was around him, all logical thought ceased to exist, and thoughts of sex overruled me. My body acted like it was putty in his hands. I panicked when I remembered Tanen could read my mind and risked a peak to gauge his reaction to my one-track mind. He seemed uninterested, which perplexed me until he arched an eyebrow in question.
Throwing my hands up in frustration, I growled. “Argh, this stupid necklace is driving me crazy. Can you read my mind or not? And if you can’t, what is your gift?”
“You guessed correctly. I can read minds, but I have to be listening and focused on the person. The exception to that would be thoughts concerning me. Those thoughts I hear whether I want to or not. It can help or hinder my performance. What is your talent?”
So used to never speaking about my gift, I avoided the question. “How could something that awesome be considered a hindrance. You must be unbeatable during a fight if you always know your opponent’s every move. No wonder the king selected you to guard him.”
Tanen blushed, despite his dark coloring, and cleared his throat before changing the subject. “The king shouldn’t be much longer. I’m to inform you of the exits in case of my demise before he arrives.”
When I guffawed, he gave me a look that spoke of how serious he was before he continued. “No one has access to this wing besides the king’s most trusted guards and your maid. His quarters are enchanted only to allow the king and myself flash access, but it never hurt
s to be prepared. Kalen instructed Selene to stay away tonight, so do not answer the door for anyone. Rom, Kiso, or I will flash in if we hear the slightest of struggles, but there are two other exits from this room besides the hallway if we are too late. Let me show you.”
Following behind him to the bathroom on autopilot, I noted the button he pointed out but snapped out of my daze when he mentioned how it worked.
“Hold up! My bath turns into a water park theme ride if I push this button? Where in the hell does it spit me out? Better yet, where would I go once I got there? I have no idea where I’m at or who I can trust. You guys have not thought this out! I don’t even have my powers! How am I supposed to defend myself?”
Tanen looked chastised as he shrugged his shoulders in defeat. “This secret passage leads to a safe room. Trust no one besides the two of us for now. Lock yourself in and wait for word from Lord Kalen. As for defending yourself, I hope it doesn’t come to that, but if you permit me to approach, I will turn off the power blocker on your necklace.”
“Thank you! I would very much appreciate that.”
Tanen stalked forward and asked me to spin around and lift my hair. I complied and was surprised when tingles ran down my spine as he messed with the device until I realized the sensation for what it was. Spinning around to face Lord Kalen, I realized my mistake a second too late when Tanen’s arms wrapped around me in surprise, making the scene look less than innocent.
Chapter Seven
The king’s growl shattered the silence as he tossed Tanen away from me like he weighed less than a feather. Pushing me behind him, Kalen flashed to the location Tanen was headed and huffed out his frustration when his friend had anticipated the move and flashed, mid toss, to a different location as far away from me as possible. Holding up his hands like he was facing off against a rabid dog, Tanen started talking in a calming tone. “Easy big guy. I’m not trying to steal your woman. Besides flashing her here and unlocking her necklace, I haven’t touched her! Do I need to remind you? You’re the one that asked me to keep her safe. If something happened to me, she wouldn’t have been able to protect herself.”
