Chapter 18
CHAPTER EIGHTEEN
Aurelius’ Study, Shadow Court
Aurelius
I ignore the clawing hunger in my stomach, along with my wooziness.
Also, the sharp, stabbing migraine, which is starting behind my eyes.
Dehydration, I think dully.
I’ve experienced it enough on my campaigns.
I should take breaks to drink at least. I missed breakfast again.
I can’t stop work, however, because these papers need to be checked and signed by lunch.
War will likely burst into my study, threaten to shove her sword up my backside so far that I taste the steel if I starve myself again, then drag me to the kitchens to eat.
She’s done it before.
I already spent yesterday and this morning with War and Lucius inspecting the troops and barracks.
I wanted to assess the equipment and make sure that the army’s needs were being properly met. I was always on top of that when we were on campaigns. Now that we’re back in Bael, I won’t allow those who bled alongside me to be mistreated.
Plus, the soldiers’ loyalty will be key to my plans.
“Sign here.” Ignatius shifts closer to me on the bench that he has pulled next to me behind the oak desk. “And here.”
Making my cousin my secretary is one of the best decisions I have ever made. Although I do regret that now he has dual roles as both my personal secretary and instructor at the academy, the shadows under his eyes are even deeper than mine are.
Ignatius pushes the parchment on top of the others in front of me. I scan down the official paper before signing.
The scratch of the quill is loud in the quiet of the study.
I miss my Spark.
I understand why she hasn’t invited me into her nest, however, because keeping our distance right now is sensible.
It still hurts.
The golden threads are fraying.
My lips pinch.
I can’t think about that now. I need to concentrate on my work.
Maximinus is just waiting for me to reveal a crack in my armor, which proves that I am not as fit a ruler as my brother was.
Tarquin, the perfect, good Emperor.
The brother who I admired and respected.
The ruler whose shadow everyone has beaten into me I will never be able to step out of…
And the murderer who planned to have me killed.
My entire life has been a lie.
Am I nothing but the bringer of death? A destroyer of kingdoms? A body for Hadrian to possess?
My uncle, brother, and parents wanted me dead. Should they have killed me as a child?
Why am I still alive now?
My grip tightens around my quill. It snaps with a crack.
I hurl the broken quill down with a spray of ink, ruining the parchment. “Damn.”
Ignatius glances nervously at me, rubbing at his arms. “Your Majesty?”
“Call me Relius; I told you.”
Ignatius gives a small smile, hurrying to pass me a new quill. “Thank you. I’ll rewrite that last one.”
He drags the wrecked paper away from me, neatly folding it.
Guilt gnaws at me.
Ignatius already has enough work to do; all my Golden Family do.
Ignatius has found his place within my inner court. It’s why he has one of my dragon brooches pinned on his restrictively laced leather Shadow Military Academy uniform, which shows that he belongs to my personal staff.
“When will you do that?” I rub my hand over my face. “Unless you can write in your sleep. I wouldn’t put it past you to have that skill. You are an exceptional secretary.”
Ignatius glows.
He may be an Alpha, but he enjoys praise as much as any Omega.
From one Alpha who received no praise when he was younger to another, I understand.
“My family trained me to work hard.” Ignatius shuffles through the papers.
“I was…” He hesitates, ducking his head in embarrassment.
“They were proud of their link to you, even though I’m only a distant cousin.
But we had barely anything but our good name.
I knew since I was young that my family’s fortunes would rely on me.
They drilled me on court etiquette and behavior.
I was expected to come top in anything I did so that I would excel at the academy and catch your eye. If I didn’t…”
My expression becomes grim. “You’re sending your pay back to your family, aren’t you?”
Ignatius drops the papers. “I’m their son. They raised me to do my duty. I owe them—”
“You don’t owe them a fucking thing.” I slam my hand down on the desk.
I’m breathing hard. Ignatius flinches. “They treated you like a pawn and not a son. Instead of working hard for themselves and allowing their child to choose his own life, they forced you into my court. They relied on me recognizing you as family. They must have known how dangerous the academy was. Family should want the best for you but sometimes…they only care about themselves.”
I’m no longer talking about his family but my own.
Ignatius raises his gaze to meet mine.
“I have younger sisters,” he says, quietly, “and a brother. I may not have been able to choose my career, but if I can provide them a better life, then they will be able to have that freedom.”
“Do you like being my secretary?”
Ignatius brightens. “I love it.”
“Then I am doubling your salary. Send half back home to your family, and you better fucking keep the other half for yourself and start thinking of how you want to lead your own life. Do you understand, Iggy?”
I enjoy Ignatius’ stunned look.
“You’re serious.”
“I can be sometimes,” I reply, dryly.
He shocks us both by laughing, before he covers his mouth with his hand.
It’s surprisingly satisfying to see the sparkle in his icy blue eyes. It reminds me how flat they appear most of the time, especially when he is around that haughty bastard, his Omega dragon rider.
I wipe my hands together. “I imagine you will need it. That new Omega of yours appears to be the type to have expensive tastes for things like courting gifts and nests.”
A high maintenance Omega, I mean.
Instantly, the light in Ignatius’ eyes dims.
His shoulders stiffen with tension. “Aquila’s father, Cato, is an elite silver dragon on the Council. I can’t blame Aquila for being unhappy that my dragon bonded with him. After all, my family are just nobodies from the borderlands.”
Nobodies from the borderlands. The snobbish brat said that to my cousin…?
I stand, leaning over the desk. “How dare he say that to you? You’re the King’s cousin.”
Ignatius appears startled. “We’re newly bonded. I’m sorry, Your Majesty. Aquila meant no offense. Punish me in his place for insulting your royal line.”
I wave my hand. “Don’t be stupid.”
“We’ll work things out. My Omega is an exceptional cadet and rider. His record is—”
“I don’t give two figs about his military record. If he disrespects you again, then he can answer to me.”
Ignatius’ cheeks flush. “Aquila is not so bad. Sometimes, he can be sweet, especially when he forgets himself and just allows himself to nuzzle and purr like he needs. He’s uptight like he’s frightened I’m going to punish him all the time.
So, he hits out instead. Surely, it’s hard between all bondeds to begin with? ”
“You could say that.” I hold out my hand. “Wraith’s daily report.”
Ignatius scrambles to pass me a parchment from underneath a pile on the desk.
I scan it hungrily.
Every day, I insist that the Guild sends me a detailed report on their games with Lanlin. If they need to keep a record of their methods, then they know that I am watching.
They won’t go too far.
I hope.
…forced silence…Truth or Hunger…VICIOUS dripped onto his back in wax…
I grimace but force myself to read to the end.
If Lanlin must suffer this month, then it is my duty to act as the witness to it.
My breathing picks up.
Once, I would have delighted in every detail of my revenge on the vampire king who killed my heroic brother. Now, I know that my brother was never the hero — the vampire was who saved my life.
Everything has been turned on its head.
Lost in the report, as my mind is somewhere deep in the dungeons with Lanlin, it takes a moment for me to hear the gentle laughter and voices, then the sound of a door opening.
I realize that Ignatius has been pulling at my tunic to gain my attention. “Are they allowed into your bedroom?”
“Who?” I bark.
No one is allowed into a dragon’s territory.
I hurl the report onto the desk.
If someone has invaded my dragon’s nest, then I shall burn them alive.
I march around the desk but then I take a deep breath.
The scent of roses wound around an oak.
My steely expression gentles.
“Stay here,” I call over my shoulder at Ignatius. “Keep working. It appears that my mates are paying me a visit.”
“Of course, Relius.”
I march to my bedroom, swinging the door wide. When I step inside, I slam the door shut behind me with a bang.
Daire glances up at me like I’m bursting into his bedroom to interrupt his personal time with our Omega.
He is sprawled shamelessly in the middle of my luxurious bed like it’s his own with his wings wrapped around Freya.
They’re both naked.
Why did I expect anything different?
One of the rules that I have found myself following without truly understanding it until this moment is that an unbonded dragon nests for the Omega’s sake, not for themselves.
Pink creeps up my neck.
What are my mates reading about me through my bed that they are lying comfortably in?
The bed is raised on a platform. It has an intricate bronze frame like curling wings and a mattress of feathers. It is covered with velvet bedding and golden cushions stitched with dragons.
Once, I imagined that an elite silver dragon would sleep here with me. Someone like Liviana.
Yet now, I can’t imagine anyone else fitting into this nest apart from a roguish fae and a wild wolf.
All that is missing is a killer vampire.
I sigh.
Did my golden nest call together such a…unique pack...to it? Or does a pack like that simply fit into my nest?
Daire’s dark gaze scrutinizes me at the same time as Five’s glowing one. The cat is snuggled just as happily together with him as our Omega, while they purr.
My lips tug downward.
Five opens one lazy eye and then closes it.
I cross my arms, leaning against the wall. “Traitor.”
“The cat or the omega?” Daire smirks.
“Both. You look comfortable.”