Chapter 5 Dragontail Atrium #3
He stood unmoving, arms crossed, the room slowly emptying around him as he spoke to Rory Rey. He didn’t look up. Neither of them did.
I wasn’t even sure why I was going. Maybe to apologize for whatever my family had done to him. Or maybe I just wanted him to see it: I wasn’t weak. I wasn’t afraid. I had been placed in Dragontail, hadn’t I?
By the time I reached them, they still hadn’t turned. I had to clear my throat, louder than I meant to.
They turned, slowly, clearly annoyed.
“Well, look who it is,” Rory said with a smirk. “The Princess herself.”
“My name is Thea,” I snapped. “Not Princess.”
“Is that short for Theodorena or something? Never did learn what they name noble females with crowns these days,” she said, voice dipped in mockery.
Lorik didn’t react. Not even a twitch at the corner of his mouth. His eyes stayed on me, dark, unwavering, unreadable. Did he ever smile?
“That was a joke,” Rory added, almost bored now.
“Can I speak to you?” I said to Lorik.
Lorik looked at Rory, giving her a nod. I could tell already that he was not the expressive type, always mysterious and extremely hard to read.
“Anyway, I’ll leave you two.” She stepped past me, pausing just long enough to toss over her shoulder, “Tell your friend to stop staring like she owns something. We’re sleeping together. That’s none of her business.”
Her footsteps echoed through the nearly empty atrium as she disappeared under the far archway.
“That was… something. My friend…She’s…” I said softly.
“I don’t have time for explanations,” Lorik cut in. “And I doubt you came to discuss my sleeping arrangements. Or did you, Princess?”
His voice hit me like ice. Cold, controlled. His eyes didn’t blink, didn’t soften.
“My name is…” I exhaled, annoyed. “Forget it. I came to apologize, given that you are my counsellor, and wanted to start on a good foot. I wanted to apologize for whatever my family did to you. For whatever reason, you hate me. But maybe you just hate anyone born with a crown. Maybe you’re one of those people who can’t see past the bloodline. ”
I crossed my arms, pulse hot behind my ribs. He didn’t say a word. Was he always so cryptic? So I continued since I couldn’t bear the silence.
“I didn’t ask to be born into this. I didn’t want a throne. I didn’t choose privilege. I try to be decent, even when people like you treat me like I’m the enemy just for existing.”
“You still haven’t figured out what your family did to us?” he said, getting closer to me.
He cannot kill me, I thought. He cannot kill me. He got even closer. My heart was pounding with fear and adrenaline. I was tall, but he was massive. His face was above mine.
“Your family destroyed my whole world,” Lorik said, each word carved with cold precision. “And you come here to apologize in the most insincere way possible, making it all about you, about your guilt, about how you feel. Like that somehow washes the blood clean.”
His voice didn’t rise. It didn’t need to.
“Your family kills first and never ask questions. The Solenhart throne condemns without trial. Your royals rewrite truth whenever it’s convenient for them.”
The words hit harder than any blow he could’ve thrown.
I couldn’t speak. Because he was right. I had made it about me. About my shame, my confusion, about my need to feel like a better person than my own lineage.
He looked past me then, as if I were no longer worth his attention. The hatred in his tone was real, but controlled, measured, almost surgical. A blade delivered with purpose, not heat.
Finally, he looked back and stepped away.
“Your boyfriend is here,” he said, voice low and sharp. “This conversation’s over.”
I stood frozen, his words still ringing through my chest, scraping against bone. My breath caught, hot and useless.
I swallowed hard. My pulse was still racing when I heard familiar and quick footsteps. “Leave her alone!”
The voice slammed into the quiet like thunder striking glass, sharp and unmistakable. Thalen.
He was already stalking toward us, jaw clenched, magic sparking faintly at his fingertips.
Shame ignited into anger very fast, blazing.
“You cannot kill her,” Thalen hissed again.
“Well aware, Barret,” Lorik replied, not even bothering to look his way. “But you’re in the wrong atrium. This is Dragontail territory. Leave. And remember—I can kill you.”
“You won’t touch her,” Thalen shot back. “I won’t let you.”
“I don’t need saving, Thalen,” I snapped, spinning to face him. “I’m fine.”
Behind me, I heard the back door creak. Lorik was already walking away through the back door.
Thalen caught my arm, not hard but firm enough. “What were you thinking?”
“He is my counselor, so I thought of apologizing for whatever my family did and actually figure out why he hates us,” I snapped. “You could’ve told me yesterday when I asked. You completely evaded the question.”
His jaw tightened. “Yes, he hates the Solenhart throne and probably my father even more. But the reason he hates us matters a hell of a lot less than the fact that Beatrix Solenhart, the queen, is here and... she is furious.”