16. CHAPTER 16
Sorin
It had been a long time since I had incited a bar fight. And over a woman, no less. Valerian was all too obliged to join in when he heard the first punch thrown. The man who had been harassing Aveline fell before me, his cheek red and likely broken where my fist had connected.
I would teach him a lesson for speaking about a woman with such a vulgar tongue.
Teach him a lesson for daring to question the crown prince.
If I were to ascend the throne, I needed to demand respect and accept nothing less.
He was too drunk to mind his tongue, but I would leave him with a reminder he would never forget.
The man was bewildered as I brought the chair down, cracking it over his head. He was knocked out instantly. Valerian hollered behind me and I turned to aid with dispelling the others.
What in the seven hells had possessed Aveline to come into this tavern? The crowd was beyond rowdy.
The strain of recent political events was still tangible in the air. The citizens of Gothryn had been sheltered from war for many years, but the truce with Myros was on the precipice of breaking, and everyone could feel it.
All I could think as my fist connected with another jaw was that, not unlike this fight, the war with Myros had all started over a woman…
many centuries ago. Back, even before King Mavros’s grandfather had taken the throne.
Myros and Gothryn had arranged a political marriage between our two kingdoms. The bride sailed from Myros, across the Saltale Sea, to marry the Gothryn prince.
Only…she never arrived. She was thrown from the vessel during a volatile storm, succumbing to the tumultuous waves and drowning.
Myros claimed she was murdered by dragon fire. They claimed intentional sabotage of the alliance. Gothryn claimed it was a divine punishment from the old gods for aligning with the Veytari in the first place.
The war between us had lingered ever since.
I laughed to myself as another man was knocked out at the end of my curled fist. The tavern had devolved into utter chaos at this point, people screaming and sprinting in every direction. Drinks and blood were being spilled about, shouts and cries filling the air.
The Veytari woman had taken direction well and had gotten Aveline out quickly before the situation deteriorated.
One Vireth thought to jump onto my back but was easily shaken off with one quick snap of my powerful wings. I could hear Valerian laughing at my back, having one hell of a time. I’m sure he was glad he decided to join me tonight.
Another Vireth ran straight into my fist, or at least, it felt that way.
It was almost too easy.
I dispatched the last without so much as a scratch on me, Valerian joining me to clap me on the back.
Unconscious bodies were strewn around us. Half of the tables in the tavern had been broken, bottles littering the floor and a gouge taken out of the wooden bar somehow. I made a mental note to dip into our coffers to pay the owner of the establishment for the repairs.
“It’s been a long time since we’ve had this much fun together, Brother.” Valerian’s answering smile revealed his white teeth, coated in blood from a split lip.
I shook my head, a hint of a smile creasing the corner of my mouth.
I turned my face away before Valerian could see. I needed to set a good example for my youngest brother, and starting an all-out brawl was the exact opposite of that.
I hadn’t been able to control my anger when I had seen that man touching Aveline against her will.
Valerian and I had followed her and the Veytari she was traveling with into the bar, the hoods of our cloaks up to keep our identities hidden.
We were barely two sips into our ale before I tasted the tension in the air, only to see that man’s hand grazing Aveline’s backside.
One moment she had been sitting in the booth peacefully drinking her own ale, and the next she was pressed up against him—her delicate arm bruising in his grip.
Even if it hadn’t been Aveline, I would have stepped in.
No man should ever lay hands on a woman against her will. He was the lowest form of coward and was punished as such. I should have thrown him in the dungeons, but a broken jaw would surely make him think twice next time.
I wasn’t sure what it was about her…but she drew something primal out of me. Despite finding poisons in her room earlier—which I had yet to tell anyone about—I felt the urge to protect her.
I had only just met her, but I couldn’t stop thinking about her.
I cursed myself as I turned back toward Valerian.
“Came here to spy and got a bit more than we bargained for, eh?” He laughed, grabbing a mug half full of ale and taking a long swig. I could have sworn I saw something floating around in the amber-colored liquid. “I do believe that was the son of the duke of Skaelwynne who was mouthing off to you.”
I grumbled, ambivalent. “Never seen him before.”
“That won’t change the price you’ll pay Father for shedding his blood. And in plain sight for all of Ravenwood to see!” He slammed the empty mug back down on one of the few tables that hadn’t been knocked over or broken in the skirmish.
I shrugged. “I will answer to our father. I always do. I couldn’t let him speak to me that way.”
Valerian raised a brow at me as he cocked his head to the side. “Is that all it was?” He spread his arms wide, indicating the mayhem we had left lying at our feet.
My brow wrinkled. “What else?”
Valerian’s hand landed on his stomach as he laughed. “Oh, I don’t know. Maybe it has something to do with that mouthy little man calling your new, gorgeous handmaid a whore?”
My gaze darkened, pinning him with a look that said more than words ever could. He was treading on thin ice. He put his palms up in mock surrender.
“Whatever you say, Brother. I just think the testosterone was a little thick in the air, that’s all. I thought your eyeballs might pop right out of your pretty little head when he grabbed that plump, round a—”
“Finish that sentence. I dare you.” Heat rose up my neck to flood my cheeks as I cut him off.
He shook his head, mouth sealed shut in submission.
I grabbed a half-filled mug of my own and took a swig. Not my favorite brew, but I needed something to take the edge off.
“What in the seven hells happened in here?” a familiar voice asked from the open doorway.
My head tilted back—gaze locked on the ceiling in disbelief.
Emrys.
Just my luck.
I didn’t turn, merely grabbed another pint and downed it as quickly as the first.
He moved into my field of vision, righting a chair next to Valerian and throwing himself down onto it. He was sporting deep purple rings beneath his eyes, his black hair mussed. He had likely come from a party of his own.
“Nothing,” I replied simply.
The second mug of ale was beginning to warm my belly.
He shared a glance with Valerian that I didn’t bother analyzing.
Emrys’s gaze flitted back to me. “Starting a fight without me? Tsk, tsk, Brother. You know I crave blood the most out of the three of us.”
“How could I forget?” I replied through gritted teeth.
“Does this have anything to do with that human woman and the Veytari I saw dipping into the house of ill repute down by the blacksmith, does it?” He shared a laugh with Valerian, his sharpened canines on full display.
Gods above.
I stormed toward the open doorway, not pausing to see if they would follow, but knowing that they would. The moment the clammy summer air touched my skin, I took flight, my wings beating vigorously at my back. It was a matter of moments before I was landing at Madam Ysabeau’s door.
I tucked my wings into my back, concealing them.
“Back so soon?” one of the women lingering outside crooned. “It’s only been a few hours since we sent Calliope…”
I didn’t stop to answer her.
I stormed inside, Valerian and Emrys almost crashing into my back as I abruptly halted right past the entrance.
Aveline and the Veytari woman were sitting not far from the doorway, huddled together.
Their gazes were drawn up to the three of us.
I could have sworn the Veytari woman’s jaw dropped before she righted herself.
The fae stood, brushing down her skirts. She appeared as if she was thinking about whether she needed to bow or not, ultimately deciding against it, seeing as we were standing in the middle of a brothel. Naked, writhing bodies were visible out of the corner of my eye as I fixed my gaze on her.
“I wasn’t sure where to take her,” the woman admitted.
My lips curved into a smirk. “You thought a blood house was the next best place for a human with a reputation that has already gotten her into trouble once tonight?”
“I didn’t know—” she began, shaking her head. I raised my hand to stop her.
“It’s fine…” I paused, waiting for her to insert her name.
“Enora.” She bowed her head in respect, and I did the same in return.
“It’s nice to meet you, Enora. This is my brother Emrys and my brother Valerian.”
I glanced behind me to find them with twin smug smiles spread across their obnoxious faces. They were enjoying this all too much.
It had been…a long time since I had done anything that could even remotely be seen as stepping out of line. Valerian was right that I would be answering to Father about this.
“The infamous princes of Blackwater. You lot come with a reputation all your own,” she replied, her gaze lingering on each of us.
I swallowed. “The hour grows late. I think it best we escort you back to the castle. The population of Gothryn might be diverse…but this part of the city isn’t safe for any but Vireth once the sun sets.”
She nodded once, turning toward Aveline and reaching her hand out toward her.
Aveline followed, sticking closely to her friend’s side without a word.
I gestured with my arm for them to go ahead, and we all filed out of Madam Isabeau’s.
I prayed that the woman at the entrance would say nothing as we passed her a second time.