CHAPTER I #5
“Will you bring your friend with you?” he looks at Stormfall.
“I will,” I nod, eyeing the braids at his back.
Isham smiles and extends his arm, motioning for us to continue again.
“It was a beautiful Bonfire that was held on behalf of the late King Zander…” he murmurs.
Never before have my eyes narrowed so severely on another being. What in the Ancients is he playing at?
“It was…”
“We were surprised by the news of his passing, Lady Alexis,” he adds.
“I doubt that.”
Isham grimaces and turns to look at me, shaking his head.
“What reason would we have to see the end of his life?”
I raise a brow at the youngest Prince of Livyatan. “For the same reason your man Edam sought to take the life of Lord Daniel.”
You and yours are evil, with no proper regard for life. Especially not the lives of
children.
The Prince frowns openly, his eyes moving over my face, assessing. He watches me for a long moment before he lets out a heavy sigh, his voice eerily calm in his reply.
“I added the fourth term for a reason, Lady Alexis. Your late King held it. I had no desire to see that terminated.”
Such an open admittance.
But is it truthful?
I honestly can’t tell. Everything about Isham is equal parts guarded and friendly, as if he’s perfected how to hold onto information while simultaneously give little tidbits away with a smile.
He gives me one of those smiles now, the gesture seeming so genuine that I have to remind myself, again, that this is the same man whose Kingdom sacrificed human lives to awaken one of the Ancient Ten. Young human lives. Children.
“How young?” I ask in calm anger.
Isham’s body goes stiff.
“How young, Your Highness?”
“Before they reach the age of ten…” he replies quietly.
“Why?”
“You know why,” he holds my gaze. “The Ancient demanded.”
“Nothing is worth such a price.”
“I disagree,” he says coolly, “though I put an end to the practice the moment she woke.”
Lies! My heart screams.
Hirovale told Keane and I less than a fortnight ago that the Leviathans were waking Rivian’s magical creature somewhere off their borders, that they were still continuing the sacrifices.
“No,” I scoff, “you still have one more to wake.”
Isham’s eyes go round before a small grin starts to touch his lips. His gaze darts to my shoulders and neck, to the angry posture now consuming my body as I fold my arms over my chest.
“You remind me so much of the desert women from our Kingdom, Alexis. Fearless and direct, perhaps a bit too direct for your own good. Under any other circumstances I would wish to get to know you better…”
“The feeling is not mutual, Prince Isham.”
“A pity,” he smiles, “though I suspect that feeling will soon come to change. You will visit my lands in the near future, Lady, and I can’t help but think that our time together will broaden your perspective of me.”
I shake my head hard. “The only perspective that has changed is that I find you less trustworthy now. We agreed on no grey and yet you openly lie when you tell me you’ve stopped the practice.”
“No grey, indeed,” he lifts a brow, “and no lie has been said. The sacrifice of the young ones have stopped. Though the human sacrifices that still continue come willingly, by our own priests.”
Fuck me.
People are actively giving their lives to bring forth Rivian’s creature?
Stormfall’s talons grip my shoulder hard.
“Lady Alexis!” a voice calls from the village.
Isham chuckles and turns to the road with a polite smile, almost as if in expectance we would be confronted. I turn and spot Barnes walking steadfast in our direction, his tall body clad in all black as he stops before the Prince and gives a small bow.
“I was going to take a trip up to the Palisades, Lady Alexis. Will you join me?”
“Yes. I would like that very much.”
The Warrior Discerni takes a small step into my side, standing between me and the Prince. Isham gives one last chuckle before stepping away with his own bow.
“A very good night to you, Alexis,” he smiles. “I will see you at the coronation.”
“Goodnight, Isham,” I reply, just as Barnes places his hand on my shoulder and guides us forward.
“There’s no Palisades, is there, Barnes?”
“No,” he frowns, removing his hand as we walk back to the castle. “His Highness wrote to me. I saw you two from the inn.”
Of course.
“You shouldn’t be with the Leviathan on your own, Alexis,” he continues quietly.
“It was only a matter of time,” I sigh. “Cal is having another fight soon, two days following the coronation. Will you be able to join us?”
“Unfortunately not,” the Discerni shakes his head. “I suspect the Leviathan delegation will want to return to their Kingdom shortly after the coronation.”
Interesting.
That means Barnes won’t travel with us to Woodlands…
“I’m sure there will be other occasions,” I nod just as the castle comes into view.
My gaze follows the steps to the double doors, to the man who is now standing tall before the entry. He’s clad in all black as well, his appearance formidable and daunting as his intense gaze lands on mine from afar.
“Yes,” Barnes replies, also spotting Keane and giving the Prince a small nod. “Have a good night, Lady Alexis.”
“You as well, Barnes.”
I take a deep breath and walk towards the Warrior Prince, my heart racing when I notice the cool appearance that has taken over him. Keane catches my gaze from the top of the steps, his sharp features indifferent yet obviously upset as I slowly make my way up to him.
“I only wanted to make you aware,” I say.
Keane stares at me quietly, his eyes narrowing on mine. “You expelled me, Alexis. You forced me out. That was the only way I could look after you.”
“I did,” I sigh, knowing that I have to explain.
“I haven’t told you this before, Keane, but your summoning grips me when you’re curious.
I can barely breathe when it comes. The feeling takes ahold of my lungs and chest and doesn’t let go.
It’s really uncomfortable. I only tried to push you back so that it wouldn’t be so hard against my body. ”
The Prince’s eyes soften at my words.
“I had no idea…”
“I should have told you sooner,” I shake my head, “it’s not on you. To be honest, it’s always been manageable until tonight. How curious were you?”
“Curious?” he scoffs, remembering why he’s here in the first place. “I wasn’t curious, Alexis, I was fearful!”
“Fearful?” I laugh and step past him. “Keane, we were walking in front of the full of the village. What could you possibly fear?”
“My father was assassinated in front of the full of his court, Alexis…”
Shit.
I stop and turn around with a heavy sigh.
“Fuck… you’re right. You’re so right. I’m so sorry, Keane.”
I take a step towards him and reach for his hand.
“This is all still new to me and I’m still learning the proper etiquette. A Prince of the Kingdoms asked to talk and I couldn’t deny him. Isham’s been trying to get me alone for a few days now.”
“For a while?” he asks, lifting a brow, “and you haven’t said anything?”
“When was I supposed to?” I whisper just as a Discerni couple walks past us. “When you were asleep?”
The Prince takes a step into my front, his chest nearly brushing against mine.
“I’ve been putting this off until after the coronation, but no longer. You need an escort, Alexis.”
“An escort!” I laugh. “You can’t be serious.”
“I am. Deathly.”
It’s my turn to scoff now, and I do as I turn around and walk back into the castle.
“I have been walking around this castle, alone, for ten years now. Not to mention that I have Storm!”
Keane follows strong next to me as a Knowledge resident walks past us. The woman eyes us quietly before pulling out an oak slab from her pocket. I roll my eyes at the nonsense I know she’s about to write just as Keane grabs my hand and pulls me to a stop.
“Storm is not enough, Alexis. Not for any Leviathan. Until we assign you a proper escort, you may take your walks all you want with the Pyrenese and those from Disce, but you will not be alone with anyone from Livyatan.”
Keane’s gaze goes hard, willing me to hear his words and understand the seriousness behind them.
“He only wanted to talk…”
“Alexis…”
“Okay,” I nod, angling to pull my hand out of his hold. But he doesn’t let me go, just keeps his brown gaze on mine, making sure that I understand his request.
I sigh, knowing that he’s right to be fearful, especially after what happened with his father.
“Okay,” I repeat with a small smile and extend my fingers through his. “I hear you, Keane.”
The Prince watches me for a brief moment before intwining his fingers in mine.
He gives a small nod before pulling me forward, guiding me to his side as we both start walking away from the Great Oak.
I take a sharp breath as my body flushes beside his purposeful stride, the insistent hold on my hand tugging harder the moment he walks us up a flight stairs.
Ancients.
I know what he intends. Know what this pull means. And my whole body is coming alive at the intensity of it.
I follow diligently by his side and down the hall, every step a reminder of just how much I’ve been craving this man.
I’ve missed the feel of him on me, in me…
claiming me. Our touches have been too brief over the last few days to fully satisfy my need for him, but we have the time now to find ourselves in each other, and I can tell he wants to use it.
As do I.
“Keane,” I squeeze his hand, quickening my walk to meet his strong steps.
Keane looks back at me with a fire in his eyes, his gaze darting down to the curves of my breasts that are exposed from the low cut in the middle of my shirt.
I nearly groan under that look and let him diligently guide me towards our room, watching as he places a hand on the door and the emblem flashes a strong black.
The Prince pulls me into the reading room just as Stormfall flies off my shoulder, the Bird of Ash leaving the two of us alone before I turn around with a foolish grin.
“You expelled me, Alexis,” Keane says quietly, eyes raking over my body as he shuts the door behind him.