Chapter 51 #2
“Oh yes, I’ve met Alex many times. He’s the one who invited me here.” Skye said. “You do know he’s Link to the Crown Princess?”
Lucille must not have had botox in a while, because her eyebrows rose in surprise. “I…of course I know that. What is that supposed to mean?”
“Just a question,” Skye said with a giggle. “Don’t go assuming things.”
A couple people gasped in the crowd, and I stifled my own. Skye was playing with fire. A burst of adrenaline coursed through me as I realized just how untouchable I was beside her. I could say anything I wanted to my mother.
I couldn’t think of anything, though. My mouth was dry, my knees buckling slightly, only held firm by Skye’s affinity. I was still terrified of my mother, and I didn’t think anything would change that.
Lucille tried to smile politely. “Of course not,” she said. “I couldn’t help but notice your jewels.”
Skye batted her eyelashes while Lucille grinned.
“They’re just gorgeous,” she went on, her grin sharpening. “I wonder why the Prince chose to adorn you with sapphires, though. Surely the Crown has enough diamonds to spare.”
“These are diamonds,” Skye said, mirroring Lucille’s grin.
Lucille’s expression dropped, and she moved closer as if she were going to take a closer look.
Skye opened her mouth to say something, but then a deep, gravelly voice spoke from behind us.
“That’s close enough, Mrs. Brandt.”
Lucille froze in place, her eyes darting behind us before her lips twisted into a sour expression.
I turned, raising my eyebrows when I saw the guy behind us.
He was tall, his skin a dark olive tone, and his hair was…
pretty. Meticulously styled curls that would give Zephyr a run for his money brushed along his shoulders.
He wore a deep green guard uniform…and hadn’t the guard been in black before?
“Mm. Raaz. I was wondering what that smell was.” Lucille said, his expression turning thunderous in a way that had me wanting to run for my life. Skye’s hand closed over mine.
“Fresh pine and cinnamon, if the cologne bottle is to be believed.” Raaz replied without missing a beat. “Ms. Aria, if you’ll come with me. His Royal Highness, the Prince Rafael has asked me to escort you.”
Skye’s eyebrows were nearly to her hairline before they slammed down in a stern expression. Her silver eyes darted over the man quickly, then she leveled him with a look as if she’d found him lacking. “And who are you?”
He was the informant Rafe told us about, but I didn’t bother sharing that. Skye was handling this whole thing really well on her own.
“I am Raaz, personal guard to Her Grace, the Crown Princess. I’d thought His Royal Highness, the Prince Rafael may have mentioned me to you.”
“He most certainly did not,” Skye said, sounding more regal than anyone else in this stupid party.
Lucille laughed and I gritted my teeth. She still hadn’t looked at me once, and I could tell Skye’s patience was wearing thin.
“Trouble in paradise?”
Skye turned slowly, tilting her head to the side in that way that freaked me the fuck out.
“Raaz, who is this woman who keeps speaking to me?” Skye said.
Lucille’s jaw dropped. Someone oohed in the crowd.
“Lucille Brandt, Key to the Brandt Chain.” Raaz answered smoothly.
“How interesting. Aiden, do you know her?” Skye asked, turning to me. “Your name is Brandt, isn’t it?”
“No relation,” I ground out, speaking without thinking it through. “My mother’s dead. Or is it dead to me?”
My mother finally looked at me. Her cheeks were bright red, visible even through her makeup and her bright pink lips were twisted into an ugly snarl.
“Aiden,” she hissed.
“Well, if that’s all,” Skye drawled as if Lucille hadn’t spoken.
A searing pain cut into my arm, then, and just as I winced, it stopped. Skye glared at Lucille, and I didn’t think I’d ever been more in love with her than I was in that moment.
She’d cut off Lucille’s affinity.
Lucille realized something had happened when I didn’t writhe on the ground in pain. Her eyes flashed and then she lunged and grabbed my arm, her grip so tight it sent a wave of terror down my spine.
But nothing happened.
Her hand seemed to be frozen on me, and then her eyes darted around frantically.
I watched the horror fill her as she realized she couldn’t move. Skye was holding her still, and as the realization set in, Lucille’s lip began to tremble.
Not a second later, a loud metallic clang cut through the room, turning heads and drawing every set of eyes.
Raaz was holding a fucking sword pointed right at Lucille’s neck.
“Unhand him,” he said, his tone hard.
My brain was so messed up. My first instinct was to snort, because…’unhand him’? Seriously?
Skye pursed her lips beside me, and as I did a double take, I realized she also wanted to laugh.
Lucille’s hand let go of me a moment later, and she stumbled back, away from the sword and especially away from Skye. She looked completely bewildered in a way I’d never seen, her raccoon eyes wide and wild.
Skye stepped forward, looking down her nose at Lucille somehow even though she was shorter than her. Lucille staggered back, but Skye only advanced on her further. When Skye spoke, her voice was so low, even I had trouble hearing her.
“You touch him again, and you’ll die, and there’s not a soul on this planet who will be able to prove it was me.”
Tears actually welled in Lucille’s eyes, and holy fuck I hope Rafe had a room around here we could hide in after this because I needed to worship my Key immediately.
“Beautiful jewels, by the way, Lulu. I’m not a fan of the lab-created look myself, but it suits you.” Skye said, her voice loud enough to be heard this time.
Lucille sniffed as whispers and snickers started up from the crowd, and Skye’s gown swished as she turned to stride away. I followed behind like a dutiful guard dog, glancing back to see Raaz putting away his sword before speaking.
“We have a dungeon, Lucille. Perhaps you’d like to take a visit to see what horrors the Royals keep hidden.”