Chapter Six #2
In the center of the room, there’s a long table, around which about thirty guests are seated.
The pale wood table never ceases to amaze me.
There’s no tree around Nevoba to have created it.
I try and fail to imagine how large and grand it must have been, alive and full with leaves or fruit.
Currently, the table overflows with dragon glass vases brimming with white and orange-gold flowers, gauzy citrine runners and bowls of fruit, while goblets of water and wine catch the light.
At the head of the table sits the Sar Dyēus.
There’s quite a bit of space separating him from the rest of the hoard, but seated on his left is Selnor, and on his right, Thrace, with two empty seats next to him meant for myself and Alixor.
The rest of the seats are filled with the remaining elites and their carremai, or a guest of choice.
I’ve heard banquets like these for the lower ranking dragons and collectors are more casual, and located on whatever island they call home.
Being a carremai of an elite though, these banquets are more of a formal production, and the only kind I’ve ever witnessed.
Our presence is announced and all except the Sar Dyēus rise at our entrance.
Praise is given to our coupling, and prayers are spoken to Erovosvis to honor our mating and bless my womb, to Eretex to protect our future brood, to Eriratem so that they are well in nature and in their creation.
I let the words float past my ears as Alixor and I stand there.
I keep my chin high, my eyes on the circular opening to the sky above the Sar Dyēus’s head.
Once the prayers have been read, we are lead to our seats and stringed instruments begin to softly play.
I cast my gaze back towards the entrance, and see women tucked against the only solid wall in the room, playing the soothing tunes.
Alixor reaches to pull out my seat for me, but Thrace is swifter, standing to offer me the seat beside him.
Clearly he wants me there for a reason, and I have no reason to object.
Alixor’s smile is tight as he moves to push me in, then takes the seat beside me.
The elites to his right immediately engage him in conversation.
I do my best to avoid looking in the Sar Dyēus’s direction.
I can feel Thrace’s eyes on me, like he wants to say something.
Touching the tines of my fork with the tip of my finger, I push hard, feeling the bite of pressure against my skin.
“Kalixta and the girl are well, in case you care.”
His shoulders relax a fraction, betraying the tension they held. “It’s good to hear that.”
I wait for him to say more, because it looks like he wants to, but out of the corner of my eye I see the Sar Dyēus’s attention is on us. On me.
My heart skitters like a rock across the ground, but dwelling on him and his presence takes away from this opportunity to speak with Thrace while Alixor is occupied.
Before I can even begin, Thrace leans in and whispers into my ear so quietly that there’s no way the shifters around us hear a thing, since I’m hardly able to make him out. “I am glad she’s healing, but if I know Kalixta, she’s not well. How is she really?”
Does he know her? Maybe he does understand my sister better than I do—he’s spent more time with her than I have these many years.
I release the fork, running my thumb over the indentations in my finger as our first course is presented.
A thin broth, light in flavor, with tiny droplets of spiced oil glistening on top.
“She’s wondering why you haven’t sent word.
” If I wasn’t watching him, I’d miss his expression, as if I punched him in the gut rather than spoke the truth.
“I’ve tried, but I’m being kept on a tight leash.”
My gaze flits over to the Sar Dyēus. He’s no longer looking at us, but I keep my voice low. “What have you done?”
Thrace huffs out a laugh. “A great many things. Some that I hope are never discovered, not the least of which being actually falling in love with your sister.”
My breath halts. Liar. Dragons don’t love. Not really. They wouldn’t steal our children, then abandon us, leaving us heartbroken if that were true. I scan the room, quick and thorough, but no one pays us any mind. “I don’t know why you feel the need to pander to my emotions.”
“I don’t know why you feel the need to dismiss mine.”
I stare at him, open mouthed. “If you had any emotions beyond your instincts, I would.”
Thrace sighs. “Your sister said you’d be difficult.”
I rear back at the offense. “What are you talking about?”
“Kalixta knew if she tried to tell you we’re in love, you’d think it was one-sided. I told her I would persuade you that wasn’t the case. Still, she had her reservations, and now I see why.”
I don’t believe him and I don’t know why it matters. “So why bother telling me at all?”
“We think it’s important that you know. I think it’s important that you know.”
“But why?” I urge.
“Because she’s going to live here, Kaisa. With me. With our children.”
My hand goes to my stomach, my heart plummeting there from my chest. The stringed instruments increase in tempo. “She’s…what?”
“I’m sorry to tell you this now,” he says, face earnest. “I wasn’t sure when we’d have another opportunity to speak.”
“Why wouldn’t she just tell me herself?”
“She didn’t think you would believe her. That it would actually happen.”
I can’t argue with him there, as much as I’d like to. My heart is pounding so hard that I can feel it in my ears. Was this why Kalixta wanted me to run away? Because she was never going to be there for me in the first place? “When is she coming?”
“I’m hoping to retrieve her soon. Things here are…tense.”
I scan the room again, but I don’t notice anything out of the ordinary. Same banquet. Same elites and their quiet, obedient carremai at their side.
“Kaisa,” Alixor says with a chuckle, interrupting my thoughts. “Why do you look as if you’re out on a hunt?”
I bite my tongue and try to control my breathing. “It’s nothing, I only—” I stop short when I hear Selnor scoff.
My body’s coiled too tightly and I can’t stop myself from lashing out. “My sincere apologies, Lord Selnor, but is there something wrong with me performing my duty for our people?”
“Your duty,” Selnor sneers, “is to provide offspring to our kingdom. That’s what the carremai are for, and it’s a disgrace that you’ve continued to hunt.”
“I’m good at it,” I snap, thrumming with the need to exert my full bite. Alixor opens his mouth as if he’s about to interject, but his father is quicker.
“Let’s hope you’re good for more than that and that your mouth serves you better in the bedroom than it does here.”
I burn with the need to leap from my chair, sprint across the table, and tear his head from his neck. My anger is becoming unbridled. It’s so close and visceral I don’t know if I can hold it inside any longer—I don’t know how I’m going to get through the rest of—
“Leave.” The command is low and dangerous, but resounds through the room. Conversation halts and the string instruments fall silent. For a moment, I’m not sure to whom the Sar Dyēus spoke, but Selnor slowly turns his ire from me, to the dragon king.
“Zhoric,” Selnor hisses, using the king’s true name, a warning in his tone. Alixor presses a hand on my thigh, staying me. I didn’t even realize I’d started to rise, and lower back down into my seat.
“Do not make me repeat myself,” the Sar Dyēus says, his focus solely on his meal.
Selnor’s face twists into a silent snarl, but after a moment he rises from the table and leaves the room. Silence permeates, cloying and uncomfortable. The Sar Dyēus offers no further words or explanation. As soon as he moves to pick up his glass, the musicians resume their playing.
After another two courses of food are served, a male attendant comes to the Sar Dyēus’s side and whispers something into his ear. His eyes rise from his meal to scan the sky outside. When the messenger backs away, the Sar Dyēus rises, and we all stop what we’re doing and rise with him.
“A matter needs my attention. The banquet is over.”
“Your Highness, you’ve yet to give your blessing,” Alixor says. Traditionally, the Sar Dyēus closes these ceremonies and sends the couple to their mating room, but that doesn’t appear to be happening.
“We will attempt this again tomorrow.”
“If you could only—” Alixor tries.
The Sar Dyēus doesn’t offer him another glance and raises his hand. “Tomorrow.”
“This is absurd,” Alixor says through his teeth. As the Sar Dyēus leaves, the guests return to their seats, their eyes straying to us as they occupy their mouths with the rest of their meals and soft murmurs.
I cast a glance back to Thrace, but he’s gone, already following the Sar Dyēus out the door. Alixor moves to follow them when another elite reaches out a hand to stop him. “Alixor, I wouldn’t.”
Alixor snarls in his face. “I wouldn’t attempt to stop me. First he dismisses my father and now he insults me by not giving his blessing at my own banquet? I won’t stand for it.”
My blood rushes, adrenaline spiking hard in my chest. This is not the calm and poised Alixor I’m accustomed to.
This is a child, crying at what he cannot have.
While a child may hang upon its mother’s legs in hopes of getting what they want, I can’t understand why Alixor believes he can do so with the Sar Dyēus.
“Alixor, maybe we shouldn’t,” I hedge softly.
“No,” he snaps. “This is an offense that will not stand. I’m done waiting. I will have you tonight.” Snatching me by the arm, he leads us out of the banquet hall to the main corridor we came through, before leading us towards the west wing.
I can either placate him, doing my best to calm him, or let this scene play out.
If he confronts the Sar Dyēus, perhaps the king will exert his power and punish Alixor.
I can’t know what that would look like, but if there’s a chance he’d revoke Alixor’s privilege of producing offspring, it might free me of this, so I keep my mouth closed.
We don’t get far when Alixor stops at the end of a short hall where we see the Sar Dyēus, Thrace, and another man standing with them. My skin prickles and I grip my skirt in my fist.
I recognize that frame. His wavy, chest-length hair.
I know that golden gaze as it looks down the hall at me, and that sharp, crooked grin rising the beauty mark at the top of his cheek by his left eye.
That face has seared itself into my memory since the moment I saw it days ago with Ninon.
The rogue that does not behave the way a rogue should.
My fists are clenched so hard my palms sting with the sharp bite of my nails.
“Who is that?” I ask, the question passing my lips before I have a chance to stop it.
Thrace stiffens as he notices us, but the Sar Dyēus doesn’t even look our way. His intensity is directed at the mysterious stranger.
Alixor curses, but it seems even the presence of this stranger won’t deter him.
He releases me and marches towards the three men.
He doesn’t make it far. The Sar Dyēus’s hand shoots out, and without even touching him, Alixor stops in his tracks, his body rendered immobile.
I see strain and tension in the tendons of Alixor’s hand as he fights against whatever magic the Sar Dyēus has put upon him.
The Sar Dyēus doesn’t looked away from the stranger, but the force of his power keeps Alixor pinned in place. “Leave, Alixor. Before you make me do something you will regret.”
The stranger angles his head, his crooked grin unchanging as he slides his hand into the pocket of his pants. “I wonder, do you have that kind of power?”
My brows furrow. The Sar Dyēus has depthless power granted to him by the gods themselves. So why did this rogue question it? And why was the Sar Dyēus meeting with a rogue at all?
Alixor spits a strangled warning from between his teeth. “You do not want to do this to me.”
That seems to get the Sar Dyēus’s attention and he slowly turns his head to look at Alixor. He inhales. Slowly. Deeply.
My heart aches with how fiercely it pounds, my soul begging him to release me, to tell Alixor that he cannot have me.
The Sar Dyēus doesn’t look my way, almost pointedly ignoring my presence. “Take my blessing and leave.” The words are strained, as if he doesn’t truly wish to say them. He holds Alixor in his thrall for another moment before releasing him.
Alixor opens and closes his hands and straightens his jacket before turning on his heel. It wasn’t a public blessing, nor was it in the proper phrasing, but Alixor accepts it all the same. “Come, Kaisa. It looks as if I’ll bed you tonight after all.”
I close my eyes and allow the sudden hollowness in my chest consume me wholly, and then open them again. The Sar Dyēus, Thrace, and the stranger are all looking at me, and I can’t help but wonder if they care at all what happens to a woman like me.