14. Chapter Fourteen
Chapter Fourteen
Ariella
I pull over the soft fabric of the new top with confident hands, adjusting it as best I can—it is surprisingly small and will expose my breasts if I’m not careful. The material clings to my skin in a way that’s more intimate than comforting, the cool silk emphasizing just how exposed I am.
The low neckline and the high slits of the skirt weren’t what I expected, and I almost laugh at the irony. An assassin's body draped in seduction. I don’t know whether to feel empowered or objectified.
Caspian had lingered in the doorway before leaving, his gaze caught on the revealing outfit before I told him it was fine to go ahead. I needed space, and he seemed to understand without my having to say, though there was a glimmer of something in his eyes—concern, perhaps, or maybe something darker as I had just described the vision to him. How the realm felt up and down, twisted into exactly as I imagine chaos to be. The artifacts that felt so important in that body—Aris' body. Significant enough that I considered my life theirs and the Accord's.
I shake off the thought and turn to the mirror, studying my reflection .
The vision lingers, refusing to be pushed aside. Every detail of it— the twisted strands of essence, Caelum's bloodied expression, the monstrous shard that ended him —is etched into my mind like a scar. I feel raw, as if the very air around me could slice open wounds that haven’t healed. The words from the ritual still echo through my head, a relentless nuisance that scratches at the back of my skull.
Eris’ena ēthra ulthira, sey’enya varan’dai élum. Arisēth velūra, éna na’yris.
I lean forward, bracing myself against the small table beside me, my body tired. I feel caught between realms—tethered here in the physical but haunted by the Aether. The vision was unlike anything I’ve ever experienced before. Even possessing the entire ethereal affinity, having visions is not guaranteed and even more rare than the essence itself. This one was too real . I felt the heat, the pain, the crushing despair.
And Caelum's eyes— Angel, his eyes . So familiar I’m not sure I’ll ever look at Caspian the same way again.
My hands clench into fists, nails digging into the wood, creating damage I’d care about if I was a better person. Every truth Eris gave is a weight I’m not ready to carry. I keep trying to tell myself it was just a vision, only words that the Seer says are important, that none of it was real. But deep down, I know better. I doubt the Angel offers empty warnings. Actually, I'm surprised it would offer me anything at all.
I release a slow, unsteady breath and move to the bed. The ornate blade they gave me sits on the edge, a token of honor for tonight’s gathering. I grab it, appreciating its familiar heft. A weapon is at least something I understand. The rest—the vision, the Seer’s cryptic words, and whatever this party in our honor is supposed to mean—feels like one massive manipulation. A farce to waste my fucking time.
Who are these people? And why do they know so much?
I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being pulled into a game I don’t fully understand. Something else I need to adapt to, lest both realms collapse at my inability to get it together.
I take one last look in the mirror, straightening my spine. The soft silk flows down my form, its hue shifting with the light. I may be exposed, but it feels right. Like armor now—at least to those who might underestimate me. I can still wield a blade, nude or not.
I harden my gaze as I turn toward the door, swallowing thickly from the strange weight of the night ahead that’s pressing down on me. I might not know what’s coming, but at least I’ll face it head-on.
Walking through the city is a different experience at night. There are no lights to guide, but the flowers placed in each garden emit a soft glow, providing just enough for me to navigate. I slow my feet in between gardens, breathing in the sweet air. It’s peaceful—especially as the Palmluvela are at the edge of their city, where the gathering is being held.
How grating it is that my first urge in experiencing something like this is to wonder what Caspian would think. How it would feel to experience it with him .
Fuck’s sake, I’m far too attached.
And he’s right…I can fight these emotions all I want, but we both know the genuine truth.
My feet speed up, leaving behind those pathetic thoughts. I just wish to get this party over with, then leave in the morning. We have much to do, and according to the Seer, such little time that I’m nervous to waste even the smallest amount doing anything but what’s needed of us.
Light flickers ahead, becoming brighter as I walk, and the sounds of music and chatter increase. I stride down the path I assume leads to the party through these trees, my breath catching at the hundreds of luminescent flowers lining it. This city is beautiful.
Through the thick of the trees, I finally spot the fire, but pause as I’m about to leave the safety of the shadows when I hear a familiar chuckle.
“What’s it like to be the prince? I mean, you must have people fawning over you all the time.” If I thought I was annoyed before, the heat spreading through my veins tells me my mood is about to become much worse.
I peek around the trunk of a tree to see two women dressed much like me, standing in front of Caspian with pathetic stars in their eyes.
Angel save them, because I will not be responsible for my actions after the day I’ve had .
“Ah, sometimes, I suppose. I’ve learned to ignore it, so I do not notice it much any longer,” Caspian answers, his voice sounding too light for my liking.
Actually, knowing that he’s nearly naked with just fabric wrapped around his waist and still standing near them…
Breathe, Ariella.
There are a lot of people that live here. Surely they wouldn’t notice if two went missing?
I press my back against the textured bark, memories of the other night surfacing like an unwanted storm. Perhaps instead of tearing their hearts out, I’ll just make the women watch him fuck me against this tree. That seems a reasonable compromise.
“Are you betrothed?” one of the dead women walking asks, the smile in her tone evident.
The prince’s response is immediate. “Not in my father’s eyes.”
She hums, and I peer around the trunk again, weaving my umbral strand to cover me from any flickering light. The women give each other a loaded look and fuck if I don’t know exactly what they’re about to offer. I want to march over there and assert my claim over the prince, but I stop myself before my body moves.
I’m interested to hear what Caspian has to say.
“So you have no loyalty to any woman, then?” the second one questions.
The prince chuckles, clasping both hands behind his back as his head tilts. “I know you’re both aware of who I arrived with. I am loyal to her.” I think I’ve ceased breathing. Did I hear that correctly ?
“The Silver One?” Both women laugh as the first reaches out to trace a finger down Caspian’s abdomen. My fingers dig into the tree so hard I feel the give of their skin just before hot liquid coats the tips. “We didn’t get the impression you two were together—she seemed to ignore your presence whenever we saw you both…” As if that would have stopped them. “I wouldn’t think that’s a way for any woman to treat her lover. Especially the Prince of Eldoria, of all people!”
His lips purse. “Is that what you saw? I seem to remember her attention quite differently.”
The second woman, a mere inch taller than the first, leans forward with a sort of urgency. “We didn’t mean to offend you, Your Highness.” I’ll be surprised if my teeth do not crack from the way my jaw clenches. “The opposite, actually. We thought you might enjoy some company, as you’re only here for the night.” She gestures between her and her friend.
It takes every bit of self-control I possess to remain unmoving.
Caspian clicks his tongue as his gaze roams both of their bodies. “The two of you being that company, I assume?” They nod and their smiles widen when he steps closer. I wasn’t planning on answering for three deaths tonight, but what has to be done will be done if he moves even a hair closer.
“Listen carefully,” he continues, his voice dropping to a seductive tenor. The first woman reaches back out to trace his taut muscles, and he seems to not notice as he smiles. “I do not appreciate you trying to make me a fool. You two are very aware of who Ariella is to me, so the fact that you thought your collective worth was even in the same realm as her is insulting.”
My jaw drops, and suddenly I’m feeling hot for an entirely different reason. Fuck. I want to walk over there and drop to my knees before him.
I’ve never pleasured a man with my mouth, but I’m practically salivating to show Caspian just what those words did to me.
I will later…but for now, I have egos to ruin.
Stepping from the shadows, all three heads snap my way as I look between the women. They’re pretty. I’m certain they acquire much attention, especially together, and that makes this so much sweeter. They both watch me with palpable hatred, but my focus shifts to the prince, who’s eyeing me like a predator.
I say nothing as I stalk up to their group, grab the back of Caspian’s neck, and pull his lips to mine. His hands find my waist not a moment later, the touch tingling as he slides them back to mold us together. His tongue meets mine, and I moan against his mouth, arching further into his hold. I pull at him harder, as if he could get any closer, and he bites my lip, drawing blood when I rub against his erection.
The taste of copper hangs sweetly on my tongue as the warmth of his body envelops me, drowning out the venomous stares from our audience.
I’m dizzy from the unconditional passion and reverence in his kiss. I could lose myself here, in this moment that speaks louder than any words we’ve shared, but I’m painfully aware of the eyes lingering on us. I can sense their fury coiling in the air, and it is sweet.
I pull away just enough to meet Caspian’s eyes—hungry and alert—as our heavy breaths share the non-existent space between us. He flashes a warm smile, dragging a finger down the length of my spine. My heart catches, and I shiver.
“Angel, I’ll publicly reject every woman in the realm, one at a time, if this is the response it will garner.” I’m so enraptured that I almost forget about the scheming women—almost.
Looking to my left, I raise a brow at the women. “Are you waiting for him to humiliate you again, or were you hoping to see exactly how I treat my lover ?” I mock their earlier words, continuing when the first opens her mouth. “Leave before I change my mind to skin you both alive and feed your rotting flesh to the griffins.”
Their expressions shift, mouths agape, as if the promise in my words renders them mute. The taller one fumbles, stepping back, shock painting her face a ghastly white. The other blinks, disbelief flickering before she’s dragged away and they disappear into the crowd of people.
Caspian faces me, his smirk growing wider, as if I’ve just unveiled a new layer of myself for him to admire. “My fierce assassin,” he teases with a giddy lightness, his voice a sultry whisper that makes my blood sing. “Dare I say you’ve grown? Months ago, you would have had their heads for even looking at what’s yours. ”
I roll my eyes but can’t help the smile tugging at my lips. He’s not wrong—admittedly, I’ve gone soft. It’s shameful.
A shame I’ll deal with tomorrow…right now, the prince is all I wish to focus on.
“I’ll admit that was quite attractive.” My voice is no louder than a breath, but Caspian’s eyes shine like I’ve given him the realm.
He shrugs. “Perhaps I’ve grown, as well. It’s time I stop living blissfully unaware in my ignorance and begin focusing on what’s important.”
“And rejecting two beautiful women that were offering themselves at the same time was important?”
“No, Ariella,” he murmurs against my mouth, and my stomach feels like it will explode from the fluttering. “What’s important is you.”
I lean back, attempting to push some distance between us, but Caspian only squeezes me harder, refusing to separate our bodies. His words linger in the air for a moment, so simple yet undeniably significant.
But, who am I if I do not challenge everything good in my life? I force a laugh, a soft sound tinged with disbelief. “Me? That’s a fucking joke, prince. There are at least a hundred other things you could consider important—like your kingdom, your duties—”
He cuts me off, his lips brushing against my ear as he whispers with a seductive fierceness, “None of that matters without you. I’ve lived foolishly, thinking being a prince only meant wearing the crown and entertaining the nobility.” His breath sends shivers cascading down the back of my neck, igniting a fire that simmers in my veins. “I know differently now, but all of it is obsolete in comparison.”
“And what would you say to the people of Eldoria that wonder why their prince prioritizes the subject of their worst nightmares over them?”
He smirks as his fingers weave through the hair along my back. “I’d say they just haven’t met you yet.”
I grin—the movement genuine—and drag my hand over the smooth expanse of muscle along his abdomen, erasing whatever disease those women shared when they touched him without permission. “You are too good at being charming…it’s not natural.”
He flexes under my hand—something I am beginning to very much enjoy.
“Well, let’s not keep our hosts waiting, angel. We are the guests of honor, after all.” He pulls back, sliding his fingers between mine before leading us into the crowd.
They part as we approach, their eyes following our movements with an intensity that makes my skin crawl. The clearing opens to reveal tables laden with food and drink, surrounding a massive fire that reaches toward the stars. Flowers bloom everywhere, their ethereal glow casting strange shadows across faces turned our way.
Rael stands from his seat at the head table, arms spread wide before he gestures. “Our honored guests arrive.” The man to his right speaks, his voice carrying across the gathering, and to my shock, every single person drops to one knee.
I grip Caspian’s hand tighter. “What the fuck? ”
“Please,” Rael’s companion translates as the leader gestures to two ornate chairs beside him. “Join me.”
We make our way through the kneeling crowd, and I fight the urge to draw my dagger. This feels wrong. Like we’re walking into something bigger than ourselves.
“You seem unsettled,” the man says for Rael as we take our seats. He waves his hand and the crowd rises, returning to their festivities.
“Why wouldn’t I be? Your people just bowed to us like we’re—”
“Royalty?” His eyes sparkle with hidden meaning. “Perhaps it is because the Prince of Eldoria is royalty. Or perhaps there are things about yourselves you’ve yet to discover.”
Caspian leans forward. “What exactly are you insinuating?”
Rael smiles and raises his glass. “To fate,” he gestures, then turns to address another guest before we can question him further.
The night progresses in a blur of strange customs and cryptic conversations. Every time I try to press Rael for answers, he deflects with practiced ease. By the time the moon reaches its peak, exhaustion weighs heavy on my bones.
“We should rest,” Caspian whispers against my ear, and a deep shiver overtakes my insides. “We have a long journey ahead.”
I nod, grateful for the excuse to escape the suffocating attention. As we rise to leave, Rael catches my arm.
“Remember what I said about the price you must pay,” the translator murmurs at his leader’s unspoken words. “The path ahead will be difficult.”