Chapter 33
CHAPTER THIRTY-THREE
By an absolute miracle, she took the correct path back to the Azure Chasm. She had ducked into a corner in the first bathing chamber to don her clean leathers. She even managed to work the clasps on her clothes without help.
The tables were still full of bodies and chatter. She eyed Manos talking to a group of beings with jagged fibrous wings. None of them wore anything above the waist. She supposed shirts would be difficult if their wings couldn’t simply disappear on command.
She scanned the grand room for another familiar face—still no sign of Callum.
The soldiers truly did look like they had been plucked from all over the realm. The color of their skin ranged from the milkiest white to the deepest carob and everything in between.
Some turned to glance at her, leaning into one another, whispering. It didn’t take long for them to look away. It appeared Theodon’s warning to Orm had already circulated.
She found an empty seat. Almost immediately, all the soldiers who occupied the seats next to her sidled away, some scooting far down the long benches, and others getting up all together, carrying their meals with them.
Excellent, more solitude. The roar of the room continued with boisterous discussions.
The wandering eyes cast behind her as Theodon Wrenn strolled into the turquoise cave. She couldn’t help staring along with the masses. He didn’t make eye contact with her.
If she had to train, to try and take back the full supply of her god-given power, she wanted anyone else to show her the way. One moment he showed her kind sentiment and understanding, the next he was dissecting her inner thoughts like a worm under a knife.
He was too distracting, too intimidating . . . too captivating.
She scrunched her eyes, willing that last thought away.
“Handsome, isn’t he?” a feline voice crooned from over her shoulder.
She whirled to find that slender white-haired female, the one from the night she ran.
Helaina turned back around, attempting to ignore her. She was met by the muscled redhead with the petulant demeanor taking a seat right across from her. The first feature Helaina noticed up close was the pointed ears. They were fae folk.
She wanted to leave, but they were the only ones daring to get near her.
“I suppose he is. It’s his character that’s repulsive. Since I’ve been here, I can’t tell if he wants to train me or kill me.”
The white-haired one’s laugh was dainty and delicate as she straddled the bench beside her. They both wore black iron breastplates with leathers underneath. “Oh, you sweet, ignorant thing. If he wanted you dead, you would be.”
Helaina swallowed hard at that. Everyone here was very accepting of their leader and his temper, as if it were some minor character flaw like chewing too loudly or snorting when you laughed.
“I’m Fiona. Everyone calls me Fee.” The white-haired one outstretched a delicate hand.
Helaina didn’t take it at first. This was the second time that a hand had been outstretched in her direction. Trust for anyone under these mountains didn’t exist. Then again, they had braved sitting with her, and no one else had.
Fee began to retreat, but Helaina grabbed her hand before she could get too far, and shook.
“Helaina.”
Theodon had mentioned no other being here came from a castle, but Fee looked the part. Regal, like how Helaina imagined fae lords and ladies might carry themselves, with hair that appeared to be made of glittering snow, and skin of frost.
“This is my mate, Breyer.” Fiona gestured to the well-built redhead. She was stunning, in a brutish sort of way, almost like the Troika. She looked deadly.
“Mate, as in lovers?” Helaina clarified.
“Yes, I’m afraid she’s stuck with me, but from the looks of this lot, she could have done so much worse.” Fee smirked. Breyer’s cold stare didn’t waver.
“We wanted to apologize for our first meeting. Our actions toward you were a tad immature, far from welcoming. Right?” Fee patted the table, signaling Breyer to admit the same.
The fiery fae looked straight through Helaina. “Right,” she repeated snidely.
She remembered Breyer’s bullying attitude from the first night. “Have I offended you somehow?” she asked curtly, not really caring what the answer would be.
“Don’t mind her,” Fee answered. “She’s been on high alert since you got here.
She doesn’t understand how you captured our captain’s attention so completely.
I don’t think he came up aboveground the entire time you were recovering.
He hasn’t involved himself with any other recruits like that, not since we’ve been here at least. Plus they used to have a thing. ”
Breyer’s eyes lit up. “Fee! Shut up.”
Helaina began rolling her ankle in circles and flexing her calf, attempting to reduce the ache in her leg. She couldn’t care less who Theodon had slept with or who he currently took to his bed. At least . . . she didn’t think she cared.
That couldn’t be jealousy circling in her gut. She pushed it down, deep down.
Fee’s talon-like nails connected with the wood of the table, making repetitive clicks.
“Oh, it was ages ago, can we not joke about it? It’s flattering, really, I don’t think he’s taken anyone else to bed since I’ve been here.
Besides, I don’t care who you experimented with when you saved the best for last.” She flashed a conceited smile while her eyelashes fluttered.
“I thank Adonna every day for the privilege.” Breyer narrowed her eyes, donning a sarcastic grin in agreement.
The two of them were such polar opposites, fire and ice.
Fee with her shimmering colorless hair absorbing the turquoise hue from above.
Breyer’s deep-maroon locks pulled back tight, showing off high cheekbones, a sculpted warrior’s body beneath her armor.
Helaina was almost jealous of the strength she exhibited.
“Does mates mean that you’re married?” Helaina asked, trying to understand the customs here. “Do demigods get married or have children?”
Fee’s grin faltered into a flat line. “What we have goes beyond marriage, much stronger than any ring or ceremony. Up here, marriage is a bit pointless, it’s not what we’re made for, and there are most certainly no children in these mountains.
The gods take away our fertility when we plunge that dagger through our hearts.
We forfeit the ability to bear offspring.
” She let that wry grin reform on her face as she examined Helaina.
“But believe me, many continue to try.” She winked.
Helaina’s eyes shifted uncomfortably at the implication.
“So”—Fee leaned in—“where are you from?” She tilted her head like a curious bird.
“Keles.” Helaina saw no point in offering lies.
They gave each other a side glance, like some sort of dots were connecting.
“What did you say your family name was?” Breyer casually pulled an apple from her satchel and began rolling it under her fingertips.
“I didn’t give it.” Helaina was suspicious, but what could she do? It wouldn’t be long until word spread of who she was and why she was brought here. “Ironblood.” She kept her eyes fixed on her leg, continuing her small exercises, keeping the blood flowing and muscles tensing as she sat.
The mates shared another knowing look. They knew her family, that much was obvious.
“How old are you?” Fee arched a white brow.
Helaina tried counting the days since she had left Oakmire. Her birthday had undoubtedly passed. “Twenty-three,” she finally responded.
The scent of food in the air made her stomach rumble.
Their fae hearing must have heard. The apple slowly rolled across the table, from Breyer directly into Helaina’s palm.
She didn’t pick it up at first, just held the cold fruit, pursing her lips.
She arched her brow in the redhead’s direction, then finally succumbed.
She brought the apple to her mouth and bit down, damn near salivating over the sweetness.
Breyer looked her up and down, elbows resting on the table in front of her. “You look . . . better. Still a bit scrawny, but . . . better.”
“I think many of us appear scrawny to you.” Helaina expected another quick insult to come her way in response, but Breyer’s eyes had already traveled to the hand Helaina had used to take the offered fruit. Her sparkling eyes went dark.
“What is that . . . on your wrist?”
Helaina looked down at the string of blue. “Tempest tears from Vrasta,” she said, instinctively repeating the lie she had been told when she received them.
But they were fae, of course they would recognize jewels from their homeland.
Breyer leaned in for a closer look. Fee tried scooting in to do the same.
Helaina pulled her arm under the table, but it was too late.
“Those are not from Vrasta. Their mines haven’t extracted tempest tears in nearly a century.”
Damn.
“That bracelet is from Azaros.” Breyer’s cocky tone grew angry. “Did you steal them?”
Helaina’s own anger flared. “No, it wasn’t stolen. It was a gift from my brother.”
Too many secrets. Helaina was letting go of too many secrets. She had to hold on to something.
Fee gave Breyer a look that said drop it.
The fiery one refused. “Then your brother is a thief and a liar.”
Helaina snapped, lunging across the table so fast she didn’t have time to even understand her own reaction. She snatched behind Breyer’s head and yanked that long ponytail until her face slammed to the side. Helaina’s palm forced her down, pressing a pointed cheek to the wooden table.
Breyer was stunned for only a heartbeat. Then in one fluid motion, she pulled a dagger from its sheath. Without even looking, she brought the tip of the blade straight to the princess’s neck, leaving only a breath of room between the steel and her skin.
Helaina’s grip tightened. She was sick of looking weak. If Breyer wanted to get out of her hold, she was going to have to stab her, or lose a whole lot of hair.
Both their bodies stretched across the table, their heavy breaths audible.
Helaina pulled the silk strands tighter in her balled fist.
Breyer sucked in air between her teeth.
“You will not speak of my brother again.” Helaina didn’t even recognize her own voice. She felt possessed. She could feel eyes on her, but all she saw was a fog of red.
Fee shuffled to Helaina’s backside, like she might attack.
“Stay out of it, Fee,” Breyer warned.
Her mate backed away, returning to her seat, her regal expression predatory.
“Family’s a touchy subject, I see.” Breyer’s eyes danced to the side to peer up at Helaina. “Let me guess, he beat you? Or maybe you’re one of those highborn families that get really close?” She licked her lips. “Did he find love elsewhere and break your little heart? Is that it?”
Helaina jerked Breyer’s head up by that maroon hair just to slam that infuriating face down again.
The movement forced the tip of Breyer’s blade to reopen the side of her scarred neck with a small puncture.
She didn’t even feel the sting. The only thing she felt was satisfaction when Breyer let out a painful grunt.
“You’ll regret that.” Breyer chuckled. Then her muscles tensed. The blade at Helaina’s throat trembled, as if the fae were struggling against an invisible force.
“Bry?” Fee questioned.
“Something’s wrong,” her mate declared between clenched teeth. “I can’t shift.”
Helaina didn’t understand.
“Fuck!” Breyer bucked.
Helaina refused to relinquish her hold.
“What are you going to do? You have no weapon. I can make you choke on your own blood right now if I want to.” Breyer was trying to reason with her, but Helaina didn’t care.
“Then do it,” she seethed, eyes still fogged with rage. “Do it now or I will.” She pulled Manos’s dagger from her side.
A lupine smile stretched across Breyer’s face as her eyes darted behind Helaina.
“Prove it.”
Helaina risked a glance over her shoulder.
Manos and Theodon stood right behind her. Theodon glared downward, his thin black cuirass stretched tight over his muscular physique as he flexed his boulderish arms across his chest.
“Both of you, back up. Now.”
Helaina realized the whole cavern had fallen silent, every single soldier watching their squabble.
What is wrong with me?
Against her greater instincts, she released her iron grip, taking a few red strands between her fingers.
Breyer dropped her weapon and sat back, fae eyes screaming a promise of violence as she stared at the princess.
Helaina glared right back.
“Captain.” Fee gave a nod of respect and stood.
Breyer dipped her chin, refusing any eye contact, busying herself with smoothing her hair and checking her braids.
Although she seemed vicious, seeing her former lover did not produce the response Helaina had anticipated.
There was a glint of terror there, maybe even regret.
What had he done to her?
“You.” Theodon pointed at Helaina.
Her pounding heart settled as the rage dissipated.
Theodon’s jaw tensed below that grainy stubble, his dark features glowering at her. “I told you to keep your hands off my soldiers.”
She squeezed her hands into fists. “I didn’t hurt her.”
“We have no room for petty disputes down here. If you have something to settle, you do it aboveground.” His eyes panned between his two fae soldiers. “I understand having to explain this to a new recruit—but to you two?” His condescending glare locked onto them. “I expect it won’t happen again.”
Breyer kept her eyes down. “No, Captain. It won’t.”
“Good.” He bent down, bracing his hands around Helaina’s arms. His sudden closeness caused a shiver between her shoulder blades. Her posture straightened at the sensation. He leaned in, letting the warmth of his words coast past her ear. “Get up.”
“No.”
She felt his throat vibrate with irritation. “You started this. You’ll finish it. One-on-one in the arena. Now get up.”