Chapter 30 #2
Apparently, the attractive question mark wasn’t interested in speaking with me, and I didn’t miss the insult in that. I was likely just another pretty trophy to mount on his wall, my opinions and personality all but meaningless to him.
“I'm quite warm,” I snapped, wafting the men back. “One at a time perhaps?”
“Me first,” Kahn muscled his way to the front of the group, and I retreated another few steps as I lost all sight of the other men beyond his huge form.
He was seeing me, but not really. And I decided I preferred the count’s disinterest to the rabid attention from the others.
“You're very pretty,” he said, his azure eyes twinkling.
“Prettier than the moon. And I quite like the moon.” He started rambling about moon craters and I zoned him out, starting a count in my head which would lead me to the moment when I could escape this show and run back to my rooms where I would no longer have to feign interest in these loathsome men.
“Your upper lip is curling,” Zira said under her breath and I flattened the expression, letting my gaze trail beyond Kahn to where Count Nazari was speaking with my father.
What in Osaria was he saying to him?
My father nodded then laughed and I couldn't hide the bewilderment on my face.
It was just too damn hard getting used to schooling my expressions when I hadn't had to for so many years. How the hell had he made the emperor laugh? A man who had been stone-cold to me since Magdor had claimed him as her husband was now laughing with a complete stranger right in front of me as if none of the distance between him and the man he’d once been even existed.
My blood heated and irrational anger tore through me over their interaction. I’d been unable to get more than a couple of sentences out of my father for years, and this man, this stranger was joking with him like they were old friends.
“You’re snarling,” Zira hissed but I didn’t give a damn. To hell with how I was perceived. It didn’t matter anyway. I was the princess and if these suitors wanted my father’s throne, then they were going to have to go through me whether they liked me or not.
Count Nazari shot me a look then jerked his chin at me and I sensed it was an order. A summoning. Anger scored along my chest and set my pulse pounding furiously.
How dare he? I was supposed to be the one with the power here. And yet, I should have realised that I wasn't. I was their prize cow being prodded and poked, examined for good breeding. But fuck that.
I shook my head in a fierce refusal to his demand. He cocked his head, puppy dog like, though those dark eyes of his kept promising he was all but innocent.
I seethed as I drew my gaze away from him again and Kahn continued to try and come up with the words he needed to describe me.
Magdor stalked at the back of the men, eyeing them up as if assessing how strong they might be for the coming fights.
Her gaze raked down the warrior Lord Kalaviv who was clearly one of the biggest threats.
His biceps pressed against his tunic and several medals gleamed on his chest, speaking of the battles he’d fought in and won for his empire.
No one cared for the fact that I didn't want any of these men to win the brawls.
I wished I could fight for my own hand and run away into the sunset with myself.
My skill with a blade was likely superior to all of theirs, though I was curious about what their Affinities were.
Probably peacocking and boasting about their status.
And if there was an Affinity for shrivelled cocks, I truly hoped they were all fully gifted with it.
Women were not permitted to enter the pageant.
Even if I had been attracted to the fairer sex, I wouldn’t have had the luxury of being allowed to marry a woman like the rest of the empire could – heirs were more important than my happiness.
And if that was all that was desired of me, maybe I could have married one of these pompous pricks, provided him with sons then taken a lover to fulfil my needs.
But of course, I would not be permitted to take a male lover for fear of bastards slipping onto the throne.
My future husband would be held to no such standard though, and as my gaze fell over the men before me again, I couldn’t help but wonder if any of them would be inclined to keep mistresses in the palace.
My father had never done it openly, though I heard rumour once that he and Magdor brought a highly paid whore to their rooms on occasion, the act involving all of them, though I chose not to believe in such scandalous tales.
The idea of bringing a whore into the palace for my husband was somewhat abhorrent while also appealing in its own way – after all, if I didn’t want him in my bed too often, what better way to keep him out of it than to have another woman satisfying the urges of his body?
But I’m the pretty little prize right now, and whoever wins will want me properly fucked before they get bored.
Bile pushed at the base of my throat, and I wondered if hurling myself off the edge of the balcony right now might be a preferable fate.
But as I pictured my skull cracking on the flagstones below, my heartbeat quickened and I found myself deciding to live.
I still had hope, though maybe it was a fool’s hope.
There simply had to be another option to all this, I just wished I could see it.
Lord Kalaviv pushed Kahn aside and Magdor's son cracked his knuckles as he backed away.
“Princess Austyn, how beautiful you are.” Kalaviv lowered his tone as he bowed his head to me, his dark curls falling forward. “And how bored you must be.” His eyes glittered with playfulness and I gave him a flat look.
“Yes, very,” I said. “Men are often so dull.”
He frowned like he was looking for the joke in my words, then roared a laugh, clearly deciding I was making one. But I was more than happy to assure him I wasn’t.
“Something amusing, Lord Kalaviv?” I asked lightly.
“Forgive me, your highness, I did not expect you to have such…” He faltered on the end of that sentence, his gaze dipping to the swell of my breasts and lingering there before he looked back up at my face.
“Personality,” he decided and I, in turn, decided I no longer gave any care to schooling my expression.
Perhaps if I was lucky, they’d dislike me so much that they’d return to their kingdoms and be done trying to claim me.
“Yes, an unfortunate side effect of the female form,” I said dryly and I caught the sound of a snigger from Count Nazari’s direction.
“Quite,” Kalaviv agreed, clearly not picking up on my sarcasm, or preferring to ignore it.
“So you agree?” I pushed. “Women would be better off without thoughts and opinions of their own?”
Kalaviv opened and closed his mouth, stumped by me and I liked the zing of power that gave me. He stepped closer, painting on a charming smile as his eyes roamed over me again.
“Of course not,” he said. “Women have many interests that I admire. Tell me, princess, what interests occupy your time? I hear the palace of Osaria is home to one of the finest sewing rooms in The Twelve Kingdoms. The spinning wheels are made from black dragonwood, is that correct?”
“I have no interest in sewing, my lord. But if you enjoy it so much, perhaps the empress will give you a tour?” I looked to Magdor who swept closer, her eyes as sharp as razors as she assessed the cut of Kalaviv.
“A tour? Good heavens, no,” she tittered, waving a hand at me.
“The princess can be very vivacious, can she not? My son has spent many years in her company, however, and knows how to handle her quirks. She has many of those, don’t you my dear?
” Magdor looked to me, playing her own game and not falling for mine.
She only cared if Kahn won anyway, so if Kalaviv took a disliking to me, all the better for her.
“Well Princess Austyn comes from a long line of good blood,” Kalaviv said haughtily, speaking to Magdor as if I was no longer there. “I am sure her quirks are most manageable. And I would be delighted to have the opportunity to manage them.”
My teeth clenched together and I felt Zira’s hand curl around my arm as if she expected me to strike him.
I wasn’t fool enough to start a war between our empires though, so I simply brushed past him and left him in my stepmother’s company – a fate which was arguably worse than a punch to the face anyway.
I could feel Count Nazari’s eyes on me like they were tunnelling into my flesh and it made my skin flush with unexpected heat. I suddenly very much had his attention. What was with men and competition? If I was as ugly as a dried-out trout would there be this much testosterone in the air?
“All of this is very formal.” Captain Hariot stepped forward with an apologetic frown, his hands clasped behind his back.
“I do hope I win my first brawl and have a chance to spend more time with you alone.
Oh, and I'll try my best not to get too bruised.
Unless you're into the wounded warrior type?”
He had a jovial kind of demeanour, and his eyes kept wandering around taking in the men he was in competition with. His attention lingered on Count Nazari and he bobbed his chin towards him.
“You must be drawn towards some of these suitors, a feeling in your lady waters perhaps?” he asked. “I am of quite the calibre, but there are some strapping young men here indeed. Which of them has caught your attention, princess?”
I followed his gaze to Drake who was still entertaining my father then ripped my eyes off of him and back onto the captain. “It hardly matters what I think. The man who wins the pageant shall steal my hand regardless.”
“Yes, indeed.” He slowly wetted his lips, his attention still on Nazari before he turned to look at me once more. “I am sure your eyes cannot help but wander in the meantime.” He chortled.