Chapter Eighteen #2
If Rhael wanted to beat the vampires he needed the land kings of Alasgad to be united, not punching each other in a crowded ballroom.
“Then it is agreed.” Aasim smirked, his smile widening as he looked over Rhael's angry, wild expression as he tried to push against my shoulder once more. He could have pushed past me if he had wanted to, but he didn't. He let me hold him back.
“It is not,” Rhael argued, his voice had lowered back to a normal speaking volume but still dripped with anger and venom.
“I will go... Willingly.” Olesia announced, the emphasis placed on the last word not lost on me as I stood there, frozen. Rhael no longer fought against me, although I could still feel his muscles tensing and relaxing beneath my hands.
“Olesia,” Rhael whispered, almost a plea. Begging his sister not to do this.
“Brother, we will talk about this later.” Olesia replied, reaching out her hand to touch his arm before letting it fall to her side. I admired the strength of the princess.
She was willing to leave her home, her comfort, to protect her people. But I also knew Rhael would never see it this way. To him this was a betrayal, a defiance I was not sure he would ever forgive.
“Excellent. Then it is settled. The young princess will come with me and my people when we leave in two days' time.” Aasim clapped his hands together and I turned my eyes to him, narrowing as I looked him up and down.
It was a brave move, one Rhael would have warned me not to make, but at that point I did not care.
In my eyes, the Dragon King was nothing more than a coward, he had chosen to antagonise rather than strengthen. His old grudge with Rhael clouding his judgement. This alliance would fall apart, even I could see that, unless they could find common ground.
“Over my dead body.” Rhael growled low, almost under his breath.
“You will remember your place, Fae King. Or else this alliance will fall,” Aasim warned, the scales flickering beneath his skin seemed to glow as his dragon side pushed forward, the ancient power within him knocking into me as Rhael’s increased beside me.
It lasted for only a moment, the battle of wills between the two kings, before it evaporated entirely.
Leaving a vacuum no one quite knew how to fill.
The silence was eerie, a warning to everyone that this alliance was no longer one of friendship.
I was not sure such a thing could ever exist again, between these two men.
Rhael released me without a word, turning on his heel and storming from the room refusing to look at anyone. The shadows trailing behind him like a storm set loose.
The lack of his body against mine left me feeling cold, a feeling I hated but I did not follow him. Instead giving myself a moment to think, wondering if by keeping my knowledge to myself of tonight's intrusion was going to do more harm than good.
No music followed, the ball coming to a dramatic end. Everyone left, emptying the space in uneasy silence. People whispered as the magic that had filled the space curdled into something bitter.
Aasim too deemed it was time for him to leave. With a few swift words to his people, in a language I did not recognise, they left the room. Not saying a word to anyone in a final display of power, making it clear with Rhael gone, no one else in the room was worth his presence.
I stood on the dais beside Olesia. Wondering if she would snap at me, accuse me of ruining her brother's life, and hers by association. However instead of turning away from me, Olesia turned until she was facing me. Her eyes were kind as she looked me up and down taking my hand in hers.
“I cannot let you do this, Rhael will easily let me go,” I whispered to her as she stepped closer.
The room had emptied, everyone removing themselves from the awkward atmosphere, including Aasim. Leaving us alone, which Olesia seemed to take our isolation into full advantage.
“You are too good for my brother, to allow him to disregard you so easily.” She mused, her hand reaching out to push a stray strand of hair from my face, as if she was caring for a sibling rather than a human.
“I am a slave, Your Highness. Please do not think I am anything other than that. You cannot give your life up for me.” I told her, worried that she believed her brother's facade.
She needed to understand that by saving me she was just saving a toy.
Rhael would much rather lose me than her, that much I was certain.
“It is time my brother learnt that he cannot control everything. No matter how hard he tries. You may be a slave, Elara Varyn, but you have the control in this situation. Use it,” she whispered, her hands squeezing mine as she held them between us.
“Thank you.” I replied, my hands threatened to tremble as I thought about every emotion that had scattered through my mind in the last few hours and how I had felt so out of control. As I stood there, something about her made me feel powerful, strong, like I could do anything.
“Now go, this hall will be filled with servants soon to clear away, and you look too good to be dragged down into the help.” Olesia smiled one last time before ushering me from the room.