“A Frostheart,” he says, unable to disguise his surprise. “Well my darling, Adelaide, don’t you have some important friends already,” he says offering me with a warm smile. “Now let me introduce you to our guests.”
The room has only just started regaining its hum of conversation, but I’m under no illusion that all eyes aren’t still secretly on Rose and me. The King walks us across the room, towards the company he had left in order to greet us.
“Ladies,” he says, holding out a hand, “Please meet Lord Julian DeVaux and his wife Lady Rayne.”
They are a distinguished looking couple with a confident, powerful charm about them. It’s in the way they carry themselves. They’re exquisite and it’s hard to look away from them.
“Julian sits on my council, and Rayne gives him the best counsel.” He winks and Rayne smiles warmly, although it’s not entirely honest. “And this dashing young gent,” he says, turning his attention to a young man with black-coffee eyes, “is their son, Dante.”
Dante steps forward and takes my hand, bringing it to his lips whilst his eyes drink me in. The intensity of his interaction makes me blush and I curse that I’m giving him the impression that he’s had a charm effect on me. He’s clearly very used to girls blushing at him.
“Princess, it is a pleasure to meet you,” he says, bowing lower than necessary. Instantly, I feel safe with him.I can’t quite articulate it, but there’s something completely trustworthy about him – he is exactly who he is, which is a rare thing at The Palace.
“Please, call me Addie,” I say.
“As you wish, Addie. I feel we will be fast friends,” he says with a smile, before introducing himself to Rose.
Whilst our introductions have been taking place, my mother has joined us and her presence bears heavily over me. “Well, now that’s done,” she says with little warmth, “shall we sit and eat?”
“Mother, may I introduce –”
“—the Princess Rose Frostheart,” she says extending a hand in welcome. Her interruption annoys me and is further evidence my mother is a complete control freak, unable to concede that maybe there is something she doesn’t know about her own court.
“I’ll have them set an extra place for you. Welcome to our home,” she says with a tight smile. She turns before Rose can return the pleasantries, leading the guests to the dining hall.
We all filter in behind her but I am in no hurry. I stay at the back with Rose. The dining hall is an excess of wealth. The chandeliers and gold encrusted dining table add to the general impression that a pirate chest puked up. I hold back until everyone is seated. I am so out of my depth.
“Come on,” Rose says, clasping my elbow. “What’s the worst that could happen?” she laughs causing me to roll my eyes.
Who the hell knows. I follow her to the table, sitting in the chair that a footman has pulled out for me. But as I go to slide in, the heel of my shoe catches on the bottom of my dress and I stumble backwards. The twinkle sound of glass shattering fills the air and I look down to see a girl, no older than seven, looking at me like she’s about to cry. She’s dressed in a black dress with a little white apron tied around her waist. An empty silver tray trembles in her hand. Around her feet are the remains of our drinks.
“You incompetent fool!” Mother yells. “What on earth are you playing at?”
At first, I think she is yelling at me, but then I understand that it is the young girl behind me who is the focus of my mother’s wrath. I stare at the little girl, watching her tremble. She’s terrified.
“It wasn’t her fault, it was mine,” I say, but Mother ignores me; she’s too busy striding towards the girl.
Mother’s attention turns to the Master of Ceremonies, Elevar, whose rage is simmering below the cool professionalism of his role.“Ensure this girl learns a proper lesson,” she snaps to him, eliciting a nod of his head.
The little girl’s eyes are about to pop with fear.
“I don’t think so!” I shout, stepping between my mother and the girl. “She did nothing wrong; the fault was mine. She will not be punished!” My power has unlocked itself from the box I so carefully keep it in and I feel it swirl around me. The queen takes a step back and I know my eyes have turned their fearsome red. I look towards Elevar, pinning him with my stare.
“If this girl comes to any harm, I will deal with the perpetrator myself. Do you understand?”
He swallows, looking at my mother, who gives nothing away. She has backed herself away from me and is now cowering against a wall – she is no longer the mistress here. He looks back towards me and nods. Satisfied, I take control of my power and lock it back down.
“Good, then let that be the end of it.” I say, calmly. “Go and get something to sweep this mess up with, and please send Jessa here to get the girl cleaned up.”
He nods and leaves the room, more quickly than protocol would dictate.
Turning, I kneel down to the girl who is looking up at me in astonishment.
“You don’t need to be afraid of me sweetheart, let’s get you up from the floor, hey?” I say, offering her my hand. Slowly, she takes it. She’s so small, her hand is barely half the size of mine. “What’s your name, sweetie?”
“Erm… my name is Sophie, your highness.”
“Well then, Sophie, you and I are going to be friends, and my friends call me Addie, okay?” I whisper to her, as we stand.
“Now then, you’re going to go with my friend Jessa and get cleaned up, okay?” I say softly, motioning towards Jessa who has just arrived. She’s looking around the room, her eyes wide trying to understand everything. I shoot her a soft smile.
“Jessa, please take my friend here to my room to clean up, and make sure all of the glass is out of her hair and clothes before she goes back to her room.”
“Of course, Princess,” Jessa says before taking Sophie’s hand and leaving the room.
I turn back to our guests and I’m met by a mixture of looks. Fear. Amusement. Intrigue.
“No-one ever said life with me was quiet.” I shrug before taking my seat. Rose stifles a laugh while Kellan lets out a roar of belly laughter.
My mother is seething. “How dare you embarrass us like that; defy my rule!”
“How dare I? Simple Mother – punishing that girl was wrong, and I will not stand for it. I don’t care for the way you think things should be. If it’s right, then it’s right, and if it is wrong or unjust, then I will not stand it,” I answer her curtly.
My mother remains quietly watching me from her seat. She is so furious that I half expect her to burst into flames. The politics of this world are going to give me a headache.
I look to the DeVauxs. Julian seems as amused as Kellan but Dante is looking at me with a strange light in his eye. He’s intrigued, watching me, not with fear, but with anticipation of what I’ll do next; almost like he’s hunting me. I rub the goose bumps, which have appeared on my arms.
“Life is definitely going to be entertaining with you here Adelaide, that much is for sure. Maybe you’ll breathe some life into these old walls.” Kellan chuckles from across the table.
“Addie definitely has that effect on life. I’m sure by now, you all know how she saved mine?” As our starters are brought out, Rose begins telling the story of how we met. It’s some kind of soup, which I don’t really taste as I am too focused on not spilling it down myself. I’ve made enough of a statement for one night. Rose touches my arm, drawing me out of my daze and I realise someone has spoken to me.
“Sorry, what was that?” I ask looking around the room for the speaker.
Rayne smiles and says, “I asked how you managed to survive everything you’ve been through? From what we’ve heard, it sounds horrific, but you seem, well…” Rayne doesn’t finish her statement and I’m guessing it’s because she was about to say something I might take offense at; they’re wary of me now.
I shrug. “You survive because the only other option is death,” I say, wiping my mouth with my napkin and maki
ng it clear that this line of conversation is off limits.
The rest of dinner goes by to the backdrop of polite and slightly tedious conversation, and it is only the presence of Dante that makes the whole evening bearable.
Eventually, we are dismissed from the table to take our drinks outside on the veranda, it being a beautiful balmy evening. It is as we disperse that Rayne corners me in the now empty dining room.
“I’m sorry if my question earlier was insensitive.”
I nod as if to tell her to forget it, but it’s quickly revealed that she has another agenda for keeping me here.
“I want to be honest with you, Adelaide, I think you are a young woman who responds best to honesty.”
I cock my head. I admit, she’s got me curious. I didn’t have her down as a straight talker. She swipes her hair from her shoulders and fixes me with her intelligent grey eyes. “I’m sure you’re smart enough to have worked out that part of the reason my husband and I are here, is to assess you.”
Actually, I hadn’t clued on that at all, but despite my surprise, I nod, wanting to give the impression that I was very much in control of the situation.
“I like to be up front about everything,” she continues, “The council believes you could be a threat to our kind – perhaps to our entire existence. So, I’d like to know more about you and what you’ve been through.”
“And you think now is a good time?” I ask, full of hostile attitude.
She smiles wryly and readjusts herself against the console she’s leant against. “No, I suppose not. Forgive me. It’s just there is some sense of urgency over the situation. The prophecy surrounding you is well known, and I am sure you are aware how easily the power you hold could be manipulated. We want to make sure that doesn’t happen.”
I get that it’s just her job, that it’s not personal for her, but damn it, it’s personal to me.
“And what if I do not want to be assessed?” I ask.
“Then, Addie – the high council will rule to have you executed. Eliminate the threat.”
Rayne is called from outside, and she leaves without saying more. She knows she has placed a bomb in my hands. It’s then that I realise we weren’t quite alone. Dante comes and sits in the chair next to me; his jaw is tight, and I see that he’s angry.
“They want to assess me.”
“I heard.”
“I don’t think I have any choice.”
He shakes his head. “Probably not I’m afraid, Adelaide.”
We both stand, and he holds out his arm. “Please, let me walk you out?” he asks. I let his arm hook around me. When we emerge onto the terrace, I see the approval of our elders. In their mind, tonight has gone more to plan than they had hoped – in spite of my sabotaging behaviour.
“I’m sorry about tonight,” he whispers. “My parents…”
“It’s fine. I understand, they don’t just have the council to worry about. They have you and your role in wooing me into a respectable marriage.”
He blushes and I think how attractive he is when he looks bashful. “Ah, so you know then?” He smiles.
“Yes, Penelope, my ever so delightful assistant, filled me in about the impending Debutante,” I say with an affected shudder.
“I know our ways must seem strange to you. Hell, they seem strange to me, and I’ve lived this life much longer than you. I only hope I can be a friend to you first, and even if you don’t pick me as your husband, that I can be a friend long after.” He squeezes my shoulder, an attempt at comfort.
“I can’t imagine what you’ve been through. I am a very good listener, and I have a pair of really good shoulders, if you need them,” he says with a confident smirk.
If it was on anyone else, I’d think it arrogant, but he has just the right amount of confidence to pull off his cheekiness.
“I’ll keep that in mind,” I say.
Michael approaches me and it’s only then that I realise Dante is still holding my arm. I disengage and hope the grin splitting my face doesn’t look too goofy.
“They’re waiting for you,” Michael says, eying up Dante suspiciously. “And Kellan has requested Dante’s presence in the billiard room.”
I look over to the women gathered on the veranda drinking brandy and laughing. “Thank you for seeing me out, Dante. Michael has my safety in hand from here,” I say with a polite smile.
“Of course, Princess – until next time,” he says with a bow before making his way back to the dining room. Thankfully, I can see Rose has already saved me a seat next to her, and when I sit down, she can’t help but swoop in to get the gossip on the enigmatic Dante.
“Well, isn’t this something,” Rose says giggling.
“Interestingnight, baby girl?” Michael asks.
“Like you wouldn’t believe!” I say, downing a glass of brandy and gaining a hard stare from my mother at the other end of the table.
Rayne leans over whilst I’m still staring my mother down. “I’ll meet you in the morning for coffee,” she whispers. “Hopefully, you will have had time to reflect on our conversation by then.”
I don’t respond. I’m not sure sleeping on it is going to make the idea of being interrogated any more palatable. When Michael casts me a questioning look, I smile and he knows it’s time for him to play my fool and stop the darkness rising in me.
I breach the door as quietly as possible, falling back to see if anyone comes to investigate. Coop and his boys are scattered on my flank to make sure we don’t lose anyone if Olivia & Elaihn try to make a run for it. We wait for a full ninety seconds, but it feels like a lifetime. When there’s no sign of life, I head back to the door. I refused to carry a gun, but I have compromised and I’m carrying my own dart gun from Coop. I don’t want to have to use it, but I will if I have to. It’s better that than a bullet from one of the other hot-headed wolf boys.
Coop is on my six as we approach the door. He rounds me and goes in first; torch and gun ready.
“Clear!”
We follow him in, one of his guys staying at the door to make sure the exit stays clear in case we need to retreat. We make our way down the stairs swiftly; these guys have worked together for a long time and it shows. Except for a few flickering lights in a side corridor, it’s dark. The wolves go in first, breaking off and clearing each of the rooms as we work down the corridor. Eventually, there is only one room left.
“Kaden?” Elaihn’s soft voice comes through the space.
“Elaihn? Are you okay?” I ask.
“Is that really you, Kaden?” she asks.
“Yes, it’s me. I’m here to take you home and keep you safe.”
“Lies!” Olivia shouts. “Why would you want to do anything but torture us. We tried to kill you, and if you come in here, I will succeed at what we previously failed.”
“Olivia, calm down. We are not here to hurt you. We want to speak with you, but I’d much rather do that back home – where there’s warmth and food,” I coax. I know she must be hungry by now.
“You’re nothing but a liar, Kaden. You’re just like the rest of them,” Olivia says warily.
“I would never hurt my sister, Olivia. Even after everything. I know you and Addie were close once; she wouldn’t want you harmed.”
“Addie is gone!” she screams. “I saw it with my own eyes. See, Elaihn, it’s all just lies!”
“She’s not gone, Olivia. I can’t tell you what happened because I don’t fully understand it myself, but she came back to us. A lot has happened since that day. If you’d just come out, we can explain everything.”
The room goes quiet and I strain to hear; it’s as if they’ve disappeared. The wolves are getting restless; diplomacy isn’t their thing. I give them the signal to take the room and they bang the door open. The noise is terrible and this combined with the light flooding out from the room, disorientates me for a moment. When my vision clears from the sudden burst of light, I come face to face with the girls. Olivia and Elaihn both have swords and
they are ready to take anyone down. The wolves have created a semi-circle around them.
“It didn’t have to be like this,” I say, with regret. Elaihn shoots me a look of cold hatred, and I give the signal for Coop to take them down. The drugs work their way into their systems quickly and they both drop.
“Let’s get them back. I assume you have trucks nearby to transport them?” I ask.
“Yep, I sure do; the quicker we get our stuff together, the quicker we’re on the road. We’ll head out within the hour,” Coop confirms.
“And we have enough to keep them out until we’re at the Manor?” I ask, wishing we were heading straight back. This delay is irritating me.
“We do,” Coop nods, “As long as nothing eventful happens on the way home, the rest of this should run smoothly. We’ve been out here a fair while and we’re all looking forward to going home to our families and some real food.”
I smile at him and wait whilst they gather their stuff together. Eventually, the trucks are in motion.
It took three days to get back to the Manor; Driving takes a whole lot longer than flying, and it makes me antsy. The trip is especially tense as we are having to check the girls are out but also fed and hydrated. One of the trucks has been set up like a medical bus but it still feels like an amateur operation.
We’ve been back a day, and they’re both still out. Dimitri has them separated in rooms that are doubling as cells until we can speak to them. We’ve removed the drugs, but left the blood so that when they come around, they’ll be groggy as hell, but not hungry – and therefore in a slightly are co-operative mood. I’ve barely moved from Elaihn’s side. I’m waiting for her to wake. I can’t believe we lost so much time. When I saw her across the field with Cole, I thought I was imagining things, but now she’s here, and the guilt I feel at leaving her is insurmountable. I should have known she wasn’t dead, and if I hadn’t given in to the darkest parts of myself, I might have noticed; I might have felt she was still alive.
“Kaden?” she whispers. Her voice is gruff from the lack of liquid.
“I’m here, Elaihn. I’m so sorry.”
Soar (The Immortal Chronicles Book 3) Page 8
