Chapter 14 #2
“You’re originally from Garnet, aren’t you?” Daemon asked as he stepped closer to Auraelia, every bit of him screaming to guard and protect her—not that she needed him to.
Kyra pushed back onto her heels and met his gaze. “Well, well. The dog is smarter than he looks.”
Auraelia stiffened at his side. He needed to get her out of there. She was teetering close to her breaking point, and it seemed Kyra was itching to push her over the edge. To see how far she could press her before she snapped.
Daemon placed his hand on the small of Auraelia’s back and turned his attention to her. “We should go.”
Auraelia’s eyes were still locked onto Kyra as she inhaled deeply, holding her breath for a few moments before she released it and nodded.
As they turned to leave, Kyra chuckled. “Do send my best to my queen. I look forward to seeing her on the throne.”
Auraelia stopped mid-stride and sent a streak of lightning straight through its center without glancing toward the cell.
Kyra’s scream echoed throughout the chamber as the iron tang of blood filled his nostrils.
Daemon pulled Auraelia into his arms, but just before they were engulfed in the shadows, she hollered over her shoulder, “You should take care of that. I hear infections can be deadly when not tended to.”
“Do you want to talk about it?” Daemon asked as the shadows stripped away from them back in Auraelia’s chambers.
“Talk about what, exactly?” Auraelia turned and walked toward the small selection of liquors tucked into one of her bookcases. “Do you want one?”
“Uh, sure. But, Auraelia, we should talk about what just happened.”
“Daemon—” She took a sip of the amber liquid in her glass, then turned toward him. “There’s not much to talk about. You were there. You heard what she said.”
“I did. But I also saw how she baited you. She was trying to get a reaction out of you.”
“You think I don’t know that?” Her voice was as calm as if they were merely discussing the weather. “I said that I wouldn’t kill her, and I didn’t.”
“You shot her with a bolt of lightning.”
“It barely grazed her.”
“Auraelia.”
“Daemon.”
Her tone was playful, and he couldn’t help the small smile that formed in response.
Crossing the room, Auraelia handed him a glass of whiskey, then disappeared into her bedchamber. When she returned to the sitting area, a piece of parchment was in her hands.
“What’s that?”
She cut him a glance and held her finger over her lips as she made her way to the suite's main door, opening it just enough to pass the note to the guard standing outside and to give them instructions, but not enough for them to peer inside.
When the door closed behind her, and she’d turned toward him again, he asked, “Okay, now do you want to tell me what that was?”
A sly smirk pulled on her lips as she strolled back toward her glass on the shelf, patting him on the chest as she passed. “You’ll see.”
“You’re in a surprisingly calm mood.”
“Quite the contrary, actually. I’m pissed off.” Thunder boomed through the sky outside, accentuating the words. “And I think it’s time we let the council in on the things we know.”
“We? You want me in the council meeting? What happened to no one knowing I was here?” Daemon quirked a brow and took a sip from his glass. The soft burn of the liquid giving way to the sweet taste of honey.
Auraelia shrugged. “If you’re here, you might as well be useful.”
Her words nearly made him choke on his whiskey. Coughing to clear his throat, he asked, “Excuse me?”
There was a knock at the door before their conversation could go any further.
“Could you get that?” she asked, a mischievous light shining in her eyes.
Daemon narrowed his gaze and slowly backed toward the door. “Why do I feel like you’re setting me up?”
A giggle—an actual giggle—escaped from Auraelia as she watched him and shrugged.
She’s definitely up to something.
Daemon cautiously opened the door, and standing on the other side was Xander.
The prince looked him up and down before sighing and pushing his way into the suite. “Where’s Auraelia?”
“Nice to see you again, too,” Daemon scoffed.
Xander crossed the space to his sister. “Rae, what’s going on?”
“You’ll see,” she said before taking another sip from her glass. “Do you want one? I have a feeling you’re going to need it.”
“Tell me what’s going on,” her brother repeated.
“Xander, grab a drink and sit down.”
Not even a minute had passed before there was another knock on the door. Glancing at Auraelia, who nodded in confirmation, Daemon blew out a breath.
Only, when he opened it this time, he was met with the exasperated face of Piper.
“Are we in trouble?” she asked as she stepped around him and into the suite.
“No, you’re not in trouble. Though we do have some things to talk about.
But that’s not why I asked you all here.
” Auraelia gestured to the open seats in her sitting area.
“Have a seat; we have a lot to discuss.” Glancing around the room, a puzzled look stretched over her features before her gaze landed back on Daemon. “Where’s Aiden?”
“He’s on the ship, why?” Daemon responded, crossing the room to sit on one of the couches.
“He’s on the—” Auraelia stopped, her eyes narrowing in on her friend. When Piper’s cheeks flushed, Auraelia’s brows shot up to her hairline, her mouth dropping open before she promptly shut it.
“Can someone clue me in, please?” Xander exclaimed as he threw himself down into one of the armchairs.
Auraelia pulled her gaze from Piper and turned it toward her brother. “Xander, breathe.” Once everyone was seated, Auraelia drained the contents of her glass and began. “I want Daemon and Aiden present at the council meeting today.”
“You want to do what?” Xander asked, disbelief filling his tone as confusion marred his features.
“I believe she said she wanted Daemon and Aiden at the council meeting today,” Piper chimed in, one brow winging up as she focused on her friend.
“I heard what she said, Piper. I just don’t understand why she said it.”
“Because they’re the ones with information on Davina.
And I certainly can’t tell them without them bombarding me with questions on how I came by the information.
” All eyes were trained on Auraelia as she spoke, but before anyone could interject, she continued.
“Look, we haven’t met with Aiden in over a month.
He could have new information to share. They’re both here.
And I think it’s time that the council learned what we know. ”
“Rae, I’m not disagreeing with you, but I have to ask. What brought this on?” Piper’s gaze flicked between Daemon and Auraelia as worry lines etched into her forehead.
Leaning back on the couch, Daemon let a smirk take over his lips. “You want to tell them, Princess? Or should I?”
“What’s he talking about, Rae?” Xander asked as he narrowed his gaze on his sister.
The look Auraelia gave him was one of sheer annoyance, but she huffed out a breath and explained. “I went to see Kyra today. And before you go off on your tangent about how I should have let you know, you shouldn’t have gone by yourself. You’re not my keeper, and I didn’t go alone.”
“Rae—”
“Xander, I mean it. I don’t want to hear it. Daemon went with me, and look,” she gestured to her body, “I’m in one piece.”
Daemon chuckled from his spot on the couch and muttered, “Kyra can’t really say the same.”
“What the fuck is that supposed to mean?” Xander asked, turning his wide-eyed gaze to Daemon.
“Ask your sister.”
“Goddess, dammit, Daemon. Would you stop?”
Xander scrubbed his hand down his face and groaned. “Rae, what happened in the damn dungeon?”
Auraelia blew out a short breath through her nose. “I may have shot Kyra with a bolt of lightning—”
“You killed her?” Piper asked, surprise filling her tone as her eyebrows attempted to merge with her hairline.
“No, I didn’t kill her. It grazed her leg. Maybe now she will think twice about how she speaks to me.”
Xander and Piper sat in shocked silence, their eyes wide as they stared at their Queen.
“It was more than a graze, and I think you’re leaving out some details, Princess.”
“Fuck, Daemon. Shut. Up.”
When Xander’s and Piper’s gazes didn’t falter, Auraelia threw her hands up and sighed. “Okay, fine. I also siphoned her air…twice.” She turned a hardened glare at Daemon. “Happy now?”
“Extremely.” Daemon raised his glass to her and winked.
He may have hated watching Kyra bait her, but being the one to bring out the fire that had been extinguished all those months ago was quickly becoming his favorite hobby.
Slumping down into his chair, Xander dug his fingers into his temples. “I think I’ll take that drink now.”
The group fell into a tense silence while Auraelia poured everyone a glass of whiskey. When she returned, her gaze fell on Daemon. “How quickly can you get word to Aiden?”
A mischievous smile stretched across his lips. “Drop the wards, and I’ll have him here in a few seconds.”
Auraelia nodded and turned to her brother, who had just downed the entirety of his glass. “Xander?”
“Yeah, I’m on it.”
Sitting up straight in his chair, Xander tilted his head side to side and placed his glass on the table before turning toward Daemon. “I’m going to drop them for one minute. Is that enough time for you to get there and back?”
Daemon stood from the couch and nodded.
“Rae, I need a piece of parchment and your dagger.”
Auraelia scrunched her brow but got the items and handed them to her brother.
Slicing the blade across his palm, Xander dipped his fingers into the swelling crimson liquid and scrawled a symbol onto the parchment.
“You have one minute before I destroy this rune, and then they’re back up. I suggest you go.”
Daemon flicked his gaze from the bloody parchment to the prince, then gathered his shadows and left for his ship.