Chapter 51
Aiden
I swallowed thickly, wishing I could be anywhere-fucking-else but here.
We’d been here for maybe twenty minutes and my mother had made her appearance. Across the room, she sat in a chair that’d been pulled out from a table. She looked like a queen holding court, men and women gathered around her as if she had something interesting to say.
She wore a blue, silk gown, one of her favorites.
It matched her massive sapphire jewelry set, another one of her favorites.
She even had a matching tiara that she used to wear while getting ready.
When I was young, she’d once told me that the tiara was given to her by a Royal, though she never specified who or why.
The fact that she never wore it out made me feel like maybe it’d been stolen.
I almost rolled my eyes. So many things from my childhood were making sense to me now that I’d been around normal people. Even having lost their parents, Skye and Zephyr were still more normal than anyone else I’d been around while growing up.
Lucille’s dress was like a cheap imitation of Skye’s.
I didn’t know how Rafe had known what she’d wear, but he’d really nailed it.
Lucille hadn’t seen us, yet, but she was starting to notice the people whispering and gesturing.
The moment she spotted Skye wearing a similar outfit, she’d be storming over to us.
I was currently trying to prepare myself for that moment while also looking over my shoulder constantly, making sure my mother’s favorite henchman Jones wasn’t around. If I saw him, I’d probably start a firestorm like Landon.
Skye went still as a statue beside me, and then a white-hot burst of fiery rage unlike anything I’d ever felt licked down my spine. It was gone a moment later, but I turned in surprise, my eyes wide as I took in my Key, staring at my mother with murder in her eyes.
Skye wanted to set this entire building on fire, with all these people locked inside.
It wasn’t a bad idea, really, but her anger would only add to my fear.
And because Skye was wonderful, she realized that, and quickly relaxed. She squeezed my bicep gently, tugging on me slightly to draw my attention. Some of her perfume wafted to me from her hair, and I breathed it in, feeling more relaxed.
“What do you want to do?” She asked the question as if I were about to tell her to kill Lucille in front of everyone, and she was more than ready to do it.
Actually…Skye was probably the only person in the world who could get away with killing her. Even if people somehow realized it’d been Skye, Rafe would protect us. The Royals could get away with anything.
“Fuck, is that Marion?” I hissed.
Skye turned, following my gaze and then groaning softly.
Sure enough, there was Marion Holmes, the old Healer we’d met in Alaska.
She was dressed for a funeral, in a shapeless black dress with some matching black flats.
She was speaking to some pompous asshole wearing a white dress shirt with an actual ruffle down the front like a pirate.
Marion glanced away from him for just a moment, then froze as she caught sight of me and Skye.
“Here she comes,” Skye said with a grin.
“Yep,” I said, popping the P. Marion politely ended her conversation before making her way over to us. I looked for Rafe for exactly two seconds before he stepped out of a shadow near the wall.
Marion came to a stop at the sight of the Prince, then curtsied along with several other women who noticed him. Rafe cringed as Marion rose back up to offer him a polite smile.
“Marion, what a delight.” Rafe said, his tone a little flat.
“My Prince,” she said, then flicked her eyes to Skye. “It’s good to see you. I see you’ve brought your enigma of a Key.”
Rafe went very still. So still, it wasn’t natural. He could’ve been confused with a statue. He’d probably even stopped breathing.
“What an interesting choice in words,” Skye commented with a furrowed brow.
“Indeed,” Rafe murmured. “What do you want from me, Marion?”
That was also an interesting choice in words, but Marion only offered another polite smile. “I just wanted to come say hello. I spoke to an old friend that I believe you met with recently. A certain Sensor in the islands?”
Rafe tilted his head to the side, narrowing his eyes slightly. “True,” he said slowly. “And what did you discuss with this old friend?”
Marion shrugged. “Lots of things. We’re both quite old, you know.”
“Yes, I don’t imagine you still discuss the weather,” Rafe said, sounding a bit bored. Whatever had caused his alarm a moment ago seemed to have passed.
Skye and I looked back and forth between them as if we were watching a tennis match.
“Oh, we do. We also discuss books. Are you one for literature?” She looked between the three of us. I shrugged while Skye nodded. Rafe only blinked. “Well,” she went on, “One of my personal favorites is The Tragedy of Renard. I’ve just read it again, recently.”
Skye hummed thoughtfully. “I haven’t read that since highschool.”
Marion hummed back. “Highschool was quite a bit longer ago for me than for you, I’m sure.”
Skye offered her a tight smile, and I didn’t need to be connected with her to feel her apprehension. I could only wonder if highschool even existed when Marion was a teenager.
Skye and Rafe were on edge even as they appeared unaffected. Marion’s words were cryptic, but I had no idea why or how. She left after a few more mindless pleasantries, and Rafe’s grin dropped the moment she’d gone.
“I need to find Wyatt,” he said quickly, his dark eyes darting around the room a bit frantically.
“Sure, maybe he’ll want to read that boring-ass book.” Skye said dryly.
I snorted. “I’ve never even heard of that book.”
“You definitely have,” Skye said. “It’s required reading in highschool.”
“Baby,” I said with a grin. “Do I look like I ever did a required reading?”
Skye snorted, then giggled when I rubbed my nose against hers.
The book was a code, Rafe said into our minds suddenly. I almost jumped. It’s a story about a man who was wrongfully imprisoned for his entire life, only to be struck by lightning when he was freed.
And it’s boring as all hell, Skye replied. One thousand pages of wallowing.
Shafer’s dungeon comment. Now Marion recommends this book while discussing Shafer? We need to get into those dungeons.
Oh, Skye’s eyes widened before she dropped her gaze.
Oh was right. Rafe was a lot smarter than we gave him credit for.
My mind is everywhere except here, Skye started to explain, and Rafe cut her off.
He spun around, grabbed her by the hips and pulled her against his body before kissing her way too deeply for public decency.
Even I fiddled with my collar as several men and women looked on.
Some appeared horrified, while others almost seemed jealous.
Why does it matter that Renard was struck by lightning? I asked when Rafe finally let Skye up for air.
“Don’t you want to dance, darling?” Rafe asked as we began to move through the crowd.
Skye only hummed.
It doesn’t, Rafe replied to me, seeming a bit distracted as he answered my earlier question.
It’s just meant to be ironic, Skye said with a shrug. Depending on who your teacher is, they’ll try to tell you it was the hand of God striking him down or some shit because no one is truly innocent. It’s all open to interpretation.
Except Aiden has a new affinity that’s eerily similar, Rafe said. Skye, darling, the time has come for you to perform a distraction.
Skye grinned slowly. Well, this will be easy since you’ve given us a head start.
I was jumpy without Rafe or Wyatt around.
It was silly, I knew that. Skye was right here, and she was the most powerful person in the room. I had no reason to be afraid while with her, and I wasn’t exactly, but…
I blew out a breath. Skye had moved us to the center of the room where the light caught on the humongous diamonds Rafe had her wearing. I knew the Crown Jewels were worth a lot, but I’d never actually seen one diamond this large, let alone three.
How is this going to cause a distraction? I asked.
Just wait, Aiden. Rafe is gone and we’re alone. The vultures will circle any minute now, especially after that kiss.
I was still jumpy.
Every person that strayed too close was met with a savage glare. Skye eventually sighed, then pulled me to the dance floor. We swayed back and forth together, and I was pretty sure she forced my heart to slow.
I didn’t even care. I needed all the help I could get.
After several songs, we made our way back to the party, and it was then that the nightmare started.
“Hello there,” my mother’s voice purred, but I could hear the deception. My mother was the queen of speaking with honey dripping from her teeth.
Skye didn’t immediately turn to greet her, but when she did, she looked around for a moment.
“Oh, you’re speaking to me?”
I froze.
So did my mother.
So did everyone else in the room.
“Yes, dear child, I’m speaking to you.” Lucille smiled sharply. My neck grew hot. She called Skye a child? “You’re a guest of the Prince?”
“His Royal Highness, yes.” Skye said, her eyes taking in Lucille’s form with a clear look of dismissal.
“I am a guest of his father, Alexander.” Lucille said, still speaking even as Skye seemingly ignored her. “He’s such a good man, you know.”
Skye hummed, but kept her gaze wandering the room.
People were starting to gather. They couldn’t believe Lucille Brandt was being insulted this way. I couldn’t believe Lucille Brandt was being insulted this way. Skye was a natural. I didn’t sense any impending doom from her, not like what was stirring in my stomach.
“Have you met him?” Lucille asked.
“Hmm?” Skye hummed then turned back and whispered loudly to me, “She’s still here?”
“Yes, baby. She’s still here.” I chuckled.
Lucille still didn’t look at me. She cleared her throat. “Have you met Alexander?”