Chapter 50
"That's peculiar," Lord Zehev murmured.
"What is?" Aneera said, following his gaze and envy wound its way around her heart at Lord Rhyel's arms wrapped around Sana in a tender embrace as he escorted her out to the moonlit terrace.
Aneera tut her lips in disgust. "How rude of them to leave."
And why would Lord Rhyel touch her so...so lovingly like that? And why did she wish she was the one being swept away in the arms of a beastly man like him?
"Aneera, my darling," Zehev said as he guided her toward her siblings speaking with a few guests gathered at the edge of the dance floor. "I'm sorry we won't get to enjoy a dance, but there's something I need to take care of."
"Oh." She frowned, looking up at him with her heart sinking. "Is everything alright?"
"Yes, nothing for you to worry about," he said, patting her side. "I'll visit you later."
"Of course," she said, bowing her head as she fought the cringe threatening to sour her face. She didn't like his nightly visits to feed on her blood. No one told her that highborn Issians sustain their gifts and abilities by drinking the blood of their husbands and wives.
Watching Zehev weave his way through the great hall, Aneera sighed with a heavy heart. Although she didn't like to be fed on, she desperately wanted to be the one whose blood he desired the most, like Kieka. Zehev treated her like she was his everything. He'd never leave her side like this.
Fire burned in her gut as she looked toward the terrace. Sana didn't deserve someone to treat her like that, either.
"Aneera, is everything alright with Lord Zehev?" Lyra said, touching her arm. "Are you okay?"
"I'm fine." A smile tugged at her lips as she nodded. "Zevi said he had something to take care of," she said, fanning herself. "But I think I could use some air. Will you come with me?"
"Of course. Come on, you do look a bit flushed," Lyra said as they weaved through the guests mingling around the dance floor to the open doors of the terrace. "Are you sure you're feeling alright?"
Aneera ignored her as she scanned the terrace for Sana and Lord Rhyel.
A snarl curled over her lips when she found them standing at the far end of the terrace in an intimate embrace.
She grit her teeth at the kiss Lord Rhyel pressed against Sana's cheek before they walked away and disappeared around the corner.
"Where are they going?" she seethed.
"Who?"
"Sana and Lord Rhyel," she said, tugging on Lyra's arm. "Come on."
Aneera dragged Lyra behind her as she quickened her pace along the promenade to follow the sneaking couple.
"Aneera, stop," Lyra said, halting her steps as she pulled Aneera against the banister where Sana and Lord Rhyel were standing. "What's going on with you? I know you're not happy that Sana's here, but you're acting strange."
Aneera craned her neck over the banister, trying to get a glimpse of where Sana and Lord Rhyel ran off too, but it was too dark.
All she could see was an empty stone path and the waves crashing against the empty shore.
She heaved a frustrated sigh and glared at Lyra.
"You don't get it," she said, crossing her arms over her chest as she leaned against the railing. "You were too young to remember."
"Remember what?"
Aneera dug her nails into her skin as a memory rose to the surface of her mind. The screaming, the fire, and Sana being the cause of it all. "You don't remember how our mother died."
"What?" Lyra raised an eyebrow. "What does that have to do with Sana and Lord Rhyel?"
Aneera grit her teeth as fire bubbled through her veins. "Sana is a monster that doesn't deserve the attention or the kindness of Lord Rhyel. She should've died on that road like father planned."
Loic stood in the shadows, gripping his glass in shock as he listened to Aneera describe what happened the night Sana's mother died.
"That can't be right," Lyra said, shaking her head. "Sana doesn't have any gifts. How could the fire come from her?"
"I don't know, but I know what I saw that night," Aneera said. "Sana made the fire come alive and it burned our mother alive." She wiped a tear from her cheek. "I still remember the sound of her screams."
"Goodness, Aneera." Lyra gasped, sliding a hand over her mouth. "You...you never told me any of this."
"I didn't want you to know," she said, squeezing her hands together. "I didn't think it would matter since father punished her every day of her disgusting life, but I didn't think Sana would ever rise above her station and be one of us."
Lyra placed a hand against Aneera's shoulder. "Does Kai know anything about this or how you feel?"
Aneera shook her head. "Only father knows," she said, clenching her fists.
"And he should've killed her when he had the chance.
" She glanced over the railing to the sea.
"Lord Rhyel is a fool to believe she's an innocent victim.
His House deserves a true Lady to shower with grace and respect, not some monstrous peasant pretending to be one. "
"I think you should tell Kai what you saw," Lyra said, sliding her hand over Aneera's clenched fists. "But I'm not sure why you care about Lord Rhyel or his House? If Sana is like what you said, then Darcanos is the best place for her. They're good at killing abominations like her."
"Mm, maybe you're right," Aneera murmured. "But if I could get Sana to show her true colors, then everyone would see her for what she is and Lord Rhyel would be forced to kill her."
"Aneera, let's just speak to Kai."
"No." She shook her head. "He won't want to do anything to ruin the alliance with Darcanos. He's too occupied by his plan to build his Lightbourne empire like father never could." She scoffed. "We need to keep this between us."
"I don't know." Lyra looked around nervously as Loic turned further into the darkened corner he was hiding in. "I don't want to do anything that might hinder my wedding."
"It won't be anything like that, I promise," Aneera said, sliding her hands to her sister's cheeks. "I would never do anything to stop you from marrying Troya. I know you've been waiting a long time for this, but can you please do this for me?"
Lyra sighed, nodding. "Okay. I'll help you."
Aneera wrapped her arms around Lyra, hugging her tight. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Lyra said, hugging her back. "Now let's go back inside. I'm a little cold and I'm sure your wife-kin will be looking for you."
Loic held his breath as they passed him with linked arms giggling about Aneera's wife-kin reminding them of the friends they used to socialize with in Luath.
Bringing his glass to his lips with a shaking hand, Loic finished the honeyed mead in his cup.
It had been centuries since he'd heard mention of someone wielding the fire Aneera spoke of.
It couldn't be possible.
And if it was, it meant Sana was a phoenix. No. She was an Erius.
Loic staggered back against the wall with his heart pounding.
He needed to find Zena.
Pushing against the wall, he dragged a hand over his hair and settled his composure before striding into the great hall to get some answers.
Zena and Rhyel had to be aware of this fact about Sana, and if they weren't, there was something far more sinister at play than their concerns about Lord Zehev's attempt at breaching the wall.