Chapter 24
CHAPTER TWENTY-FOUR
We headed down many hallways and staircases full of servants bustling about and onlookers, who whispered excitedly when they saw us.
As we walked across a courtyard that had no roof, allowing warm sunlight to filter down, the twang of a bow releasing an arrow sounded.
Immediately, I froze while the four princes converged around me.
Zeke’s hand shot out, catching the arrow by the shaft and with a single squeeze, he cracked it in half.
Gage released his wings, leapt up into the air, and a second later the sound of someone’s death scream reached our ears.
Preston and I hadn’t moved during the attack, which, despite my hammering heart and mind believing minutes had passed, had only been a few seconds.
“She didn’t even flinch,” someone commented nearby.
“The amount of trust she has in them is almost terrifying,” a woman murmured behind me.
Preston continued walking as though nothing had happened and I made sure my face was completely neutral as I walked at his side.
Internally, my mind was screaming that someone had just tried to kill one of us … most likely me.
Why? Why would someone try to kill me? Were they remnants of Charles’s assassins? Mercenaries who had been hired?
“Deep, slow breath,” Preston whispered without turning to look at me. “Your heart is racing faster than normal.”
“Thirsty,” I said, which was a half-truth.
“We’ll get water at the banquet,” Wayne promised.
Two guards stood at the doorway that led into the throne room, but they didn’t even look at us as we entered, barely dipping their head in acknowledgment of the princes.
The throne room was much larger than I had anticipated, the space large enough to seat at least five hundred people, and at the very front was a raised dais with two thrones.
In the thrones sat a beautiful woman with hard eyes wearing a stunning white gown and a man who looked like an older, angrier version of Preston.
“I see you deigned to visit us, finally,” High Queen Seraphyne said.
Preston waited until we were at the stairs of the dais before bowing and saying, “Prince Preston Vorthal greets the High King and High Queen. I have completed my assignment and have returned to continue my responsibilities as heir.”
I had bowed at the same time as him, but waited for him to finish before I said, “It is an honor to meet you, High King Alaric and High Queen Seraphyne. I am Princess Xoe Darmascus of Caltyrela.”
“We know who you are,” High King Alaric said, “though you have definitely changed over the last decade.”
“She looks just like her mother,” High Queen Seraphyne commented.
Raising my eyes, I smiled at her and said, “The rumors of your beauty pale in comparison to seeing you in person, Your Majesty.”
Her eyes stayed hard, but she sat a bit straighter, preening at my compliment. “It is lovely to see you again, Princess. We are glad that you were found safe and have returned to your rightful place.”
“In two days’ time, you have a very important new mission,” High King Alaric said before I could respond to the High Queen.
Preston straightened, so I did as well, reaching out to link our hands together again. “Yes, I am excited and ready to participate in the Games,” I answered.
Both of their eyes widened momentarily.
“You know of the Games?” High King Alaric asked.
“I do, Your Majesty. I look forward to participating.”
Someone scoffed nearby. “Not that she’ll last long.”
“Princess Xoe will surprise you, Prince Garron,” Preston said in a monotone voice that made him seem bored.
“If she’s so formidable, why not allow for a demonstration right now?” Prince Garron asked.
Turning to look at him would give him some satisfaction, so I stayed facing the thrones and the monarchs upon them. They both looked as bored as I felt at Prince Garron’s attempt to try to cause me some type of humiliation.
“You’ll get to watch her at the Games,” Zeke snarled. “Princess Xoe is not a toy for your amusement.”
“No, she’s yours, right?” Prince Garron said and I could feel his disgusting eyes on me.
“Enough!” High King Alaric snapped. “Prince Garron, you are out of line. This is a day of celebration, of the return of the crowned princes and Princess Xoe. If you’ve got enough energy to snarl like that, go assist with the eastern wall.”
There was some significance to that, but I didn’t know what it was. Mentally, I made a note to ask one of the guys later.
High Queen Seraphyne stood. “We are glad you have returned safely to us, all of you. Please, head to the banquet.”
“We look forward to seeing what you accomplish, Princess Xoe,” High King Alaric said.
It was clear he was looking down on me, but I just curtsied to them and said, “I look forward to finally acting in my role.”
Preston and I spun on our heels before clasping hands again and following the others out of the throne room and towards the courtyard, where the banquet was being held.
“Should I expect more attacks?” I asked softly, leaning closer to Preston to look like I was just leaning my head on his shoulder, loving on one of my mates.
“Yes, but there will be guards around the courtyard, so it will only be from those in attendance,” he answered.
That did not make me feel better.
“The other royals?” I asked.
“No,” Zeke answered. “My brother is the only moron who would speak out like he did. The others will not do anything.”
“The others would have hired someone expendable,” Gage said softly as he walked closer to us.
“Just maintain your calm exterior and let us handle your protection,” Zeke said. “Just like you did earlier.”
“Not going to lie, it goes against my instincts to stay still when there’s a threat,” I whispered.
Preston squeezed my hand. “We know and we appreciate you doing as we’ve requested.”
“Do I get a treat later?” I asked, teasing him.
He purred quickly and said, “Yes, perhaps even more than one.”
Now I wanted this to end as quickly as possible so I could get back to his room.
With a quirk of one side of his lips, he tapped the tip of my nose and said, “Focus, Princess. We have plenty of time for treats later.”
Wayne’s sisters noticed us first and rushed over, grabbing my hands and pulling me away from Preston. They dragged me towards the table they had been at, wanting me to sit with them. Not wanting to hurt their feelings, I sat on the bench seat between them.
“You look gorgeous,” Elira and Vexa crowed from either side of me.
Wayne pushed his way between Elira and me, ignoring her pout as he slid onto the seat, and Zeke pushed his way between Vexa and me on my other side, having a bit of trouble getting his long legs under the table without hitting either Vexa or me.
“Stop stealing my mate,” Wayne chastised, though there was only happiness in his tone and on his face.
Preston and Gage sat across from us, so clearly it was okay for us to sit at this table.
“We should have,” Vexa said and Elira finished, “lunch tomorrow.”
“I’d like that,” I said with a nod.
The sound of a projectile whistling through the air had my head snapping up, but I held perfectly still, remembering the guys said I had to let them protect me.
Zeke’s hand snapped out, grabbing the shaft of an arrow that quivered in his grip a foot away from my face.
Wayne leapt up from his chair, let out his wings, and flew at the wall where a man dressed in all black with a mask covering his face was trying to flee. Wayne caught him and snapped his neck.
The soft-hearted techie looked enraged as he glared down at the body. “How dare you try to harm my mate and endanger my sisters!”
Ah, he was upset about his baby sisters being in harm’s way, too. Now his fury made sense.
There was movement behind me, but I just tensed and didn’t move.
Preston was suddenly standing at my back and I could hear him fighting someone.
I picked up the cup of water on the table and drank from it calmly, like the princes weren’t fighting off people trying to kill me. “Do you think Lyra would want to join us for lunch tomorrow?” I asked the twins.
They nodded. “Definitely!” they both replied.
“She didn’t even react,” an unfamiliar male voice said from nearby. “Her trust in the princes seems absolute.”
Food was brought to the tables and our glasses filled with some type of bubbly drink.
Preston returned to his seat, his clothes not even wrinkled or a speck of dust on them. “I think you’ll really enjoy this,” he said as he picked up his own glass and took a drink.
Wayne grabbed three bread rolls from the basket in the middle of the table, set one on my plate first and then the other two on his sisters’ plates.
The rest of the evening was spent having simple discussions with the twins and listening to them tell stories about things that had happened while the princes were gone.
Most of them were trivial things and I realized they must have been trying to get Wayne to relax after the attacks on me. They really were sweet girls.
Finally, after what felt like a year, we said our goodbyes and headed back towards our rooms.
Instead of going to my room, I let Preston take me to his.
A servant watched us, but only smiled and hurried on their way, no doubt to spread rumors of me going to his room.
Once we were inside, Preston pressed me against the closed door, kissed my jaw, and licked up the column of my throat as he whispered, “You were great tonight.”
“Who attacked me from behind?” I asked as my hands worked at the buttons of his jacket and shirt, desperate to get to his skin.
“Someone I’ve never seen before. He’s being held in the dungeons until we go interrogate him and find out who hired him.”
“I’m surprised you didn’t kill him,” I said as I shoved his shirt off of his shoulders and let it fall to the floor, my hands immediately going to his pants next.
He unlaced my dress and watched as it pooled at my feet, a hungry glint in his eyes.
“It was hard not to kill him,” he admitted.
“He should die, slowly and painfully, for trying to harm you. And he will, after we confirm who hired him, but I’m certain I know who it was, so his death will come soon. ”
“You say the sweetest things,” I whispered as I finally freed his erection and began to stroke him.
Preston picked me up by my butt, carried me to a nearby couch, and set me down. The next second, his lips were suctioned to my clit and I had a death grip on the back of the couch.
Someone knocked on the door, earning a growl from Preston and me.
“Who is it?” he asked between licks.
Wayne pushed open the door, holding a tablet in his hands. “I have an update on—” His words stopped when he noticed what was going on and he slammed the door closed, flicking the lock up as well.
“What’s the update?” Preston asked, alternating between sucking and licking me so fast that I couldn’t even keep track if I had wanted to. Which I did not. I was just trying to keep from screaming my orgasm while Wayne stood in the doorway.
“It can wait,” Wayne growled, set the tablet down, and began hastily removing his clothes. “Why didn’t you have the door locked? What if someone had walked in?”
“If someone barged in besides one of our pack, I would have murdered them,” Preston said nonchalantly.
“So much murder talk tonight,” I said, my voice breathy as my orgasm began to crest.
“She’s close,” Wayne said, finally shedding the last of his clothes and sitting beside me on the couch.
“She’s holding out because of you,” Preston hummed.
“Oh, stars,” I gasped. The humming was a much different feeling. A good one.
“Let’s not keep her waiting,” Wayne growled, claimed my mouth in a greedy kiss full of longing, and gripped one of my breasts in his hand, his fingers lightly squeezing my nipple.
Preston sucked on my clit and inserted two fingers inside of me, curling them just the right way to toss me over the edge and send an orgasm tearing through me.
I screamed, but Wayne swallowed it down as he continued to kiss me.
Trying to get away from them because of the over sensitivity was impossible, they held me in place, drawing it out until I was a writhing mess.
“Was that my prize for allowing you to handle my safety?” I asked, breathless.
Preston blinked at me a moment before bursting into laughter, Wayne right along with him.
“Yes, pet, that was your prize,” Preston said between laughs.
“Why do you call me, ‘pet?’” I asked. It was a question I’d wanted to ask since he first called me it, but I’d never found the right time.
He smiled and tapped his finger against the tip of my nose. “Because you are small, adorable, and I just want to nuzzle and cuddle you. Like a pet.”
Coming from him, it felt like the sweetest name ever.
Trying not to let him see how much I liked his explanation, I said, “I suppose I’ll allow it.”
His eyes sparkled with mirth as he asked, “Is that so?” before tickling me mercilessly.
“Wayne, help!” I yelled between laughs and trying to fend off Preston’s fingers.
Wayne scooped me up into his arms and raced towards the bathroom. “Hurry! Let’s get you wet to distract him.”
“Traitor!” Preston yelled as he followed us. “Give her back. She deserves a dozen more tickles as punishment for her insolence.”
Preston grabbed Wayne’s arm, stopping him, though I could tell he wasn’t being rough, just playing the part.
Wayne set me down and pushed me dramatically. “Hurry! I’ll fend him off!”
I couldn’t stop my laughter and was bent over, clutching my stomach as I watched Wayne try to keep Preston from entering the bathroom.
“We could work together,” Preston whispered loudly to Wayne. “You get her mouth and I’ll get her—”
I threw my hand up into the air with a wide smile. “I agree with this plan!”
Wayne smiled and walked into the bathroom, cornering me in the shower. “Looks like your prize isn’t complete yet. What do you say, Princess, do you think you can handle two princes?”
Licking my lips, I said, “I never back down from a challenge.”
Wayne and Preston purred loudly, the sound echoing in the bathroom.
Preston turned on the water and nudged me under the steaming liquid. “Get warm first. Your skin feels cooler than normal.”
Even with a raging hard-on, he was still more focused on my care. These princes were something special, and I would kill anyone who tried to separate us.