Chapter 23
CHAPTER TWENTY-THREE
Consort House, Shadow Court
Aurelius
Burn down the Shadow Court…Take our mates back and ride on the wave of blood and flames to freedom…
My mouth twists at the incessant whisper of Hadrian’s struggle.
My fingers twitch over the dagger’s hilt.
This morning my eyes are heavy with exhaustion.
How could I sleep in my luxurious bed, while Freya and Daire were cast out of the palace and locked in the Consort’s House?
Unsheathe me. Use me. Kill…
Hurriedly, I clasp my hands behind my back to keep them safe from temptation.
The bright morning sun stings my eyes.
I march toward the rundown limestone Consort’s House, which stands behind the palace.
My eyes narrow, as I scan across the low, sagging roof. Weeds push up around the crumbling walls. No one has cared for this place in the years that it hasn’t been needed.
How much was this house cared for, even when consorts did live here?
I am used to the splendor of the palace. I know about my court’s politics. Lodging someone apart from the other nobles in a place like this would always have been a way to show them their place.
The fuckers who are trying to teach my nestmates that lesson will be taught it back by me.
“Why do Alphas have such long legs?” Lucius scurries to keep up with me. “Are you still growing?”
I snort. “Maybe you’re getting shorter.”
“War would like that. She could manhandle me more than she already does, and doing that is one of her favorite things, especially when I am in heat.”
“I know. The walls of tents are fucking thin on campaign.”
Lucius laughs. “Can I help it if we’re…?”
“Too loud?”
“In love.” Lucius’ cheekbones dust with pink. Then he glances at me slyly. “The other things that you asked me about…? They’ve been set in motion.”
I nod, curtly.
Lucius has been working on my scheme against Maximinus ever since I saved him and brought him to my court. Now, he has been helping me to ensure that the army, cadets, and guilds will remain on my side.
“Did you guard my Omega last night?” I ask.
Lucius’ eyes glitter. “Guarded? Gossiped with Freya, while she ate the treats that I’d brought her, more like. Then I played cards with Daire. Although, I’m suspecting that the fae is using real magic. That feathered fucker wins every hand.”
I puff up my chest. “He loses against me.”
Lucius looks at me from underneath his long lashes. “Are you sure that he doesn’t let you believe that?”
I’m beginning to wonder that too.
Daire only loses when he wants to, and to him, somehow every loss is a win.
I don’t reply, turning the corner of Consort House.
I spot Ignatius and Aquila, who are at their post in front of the oak front door. But right now, they aren’t guarding it.
I let out a growl of fury.
Aquila is pinning Ignatius to the limestone column beside the door.
The Omega’s eyes are ice-cold. He raises his hand to backhand his Alpha.
Ignatius’ gaze is lowered, and his shoulders are slumped. His scent is bitter with a bleak sadness. But he hasn’t even raised his own hands either to fight back or to protect himself.
Like this has happened before.
Suddenly, I am flooded with the memory of all the times that I have been struck by Maximinus.
Inside me, Hadrian roars.
My eyes swirl to molten gold.
Blinding rage overtakes me.
I launch myself at Aquila, whose face pales with terror.
I grab Aquila by the hair, hauling him away from my cousin. I throw him against the wall with a heavy thud that must have broken at least one of his ribs.
He doubles over with a grunt of pain.
I draw Hadrian’s Dagger.
Dully, I am aware that Lucius is calling my name and pulling on my cloak.
I ignore him.
He doesn’t have the strength to hold me back, no one does.
I stalk toward Aquila. “How dare you strike a royal member of my household? You’ll die for this.”
“I’m s-s-s-orry, Your M-m-majesty,” Aquila stammers, pressing himself against the wall like he wishes that he could disappear through it.
No such luck.
I see you, fucker.
I raise my blade.
“Wait, please don’t.” Ignatius’ teary plea finally bleeds through the pounding in my head.
To my surprise, both Lucius and Ignatius dive between the blade and Aquila.
“Why are you shielding him?” I growl.
“I’m shielding you,” Lucius replies. “Step back and take a breath. Then put the blade away.”
I stare at him in shock.
My hands shake.
I take a slow breath. Then with difficulty, I force my emotions behind a wall, brick by brick.
Feel nothing.
I shove Hadrian’s Dagger back into its sheath.
Calmer as I now feel, however, it wasn’t only Hadrian who wanted to execute Aquila. I did myself because he was abusing his partner, my cousin.
Yet burning Aquila to ash in front of Ignatius is the type of move that Lanlin would make, as much as Hadrian.
I’m not that type of King.
I refuse to allow myself to be.
I stare at the three men who are watching me intently; I hate the fear in their eyes.
Then my gaze drops to the way that Ignatius is clutching Aquila’s hand.
My expression sours.
“Aquila, kneel,” I order.
Aquila appears frozen with fear, but at a nudge on his shoulder from Ignatius, he kneels.
Lucius finally steps to the side.
Ignatius still doesn’t let go of his Omega’s hand. I have to admire the fucker’s devotion to his dragon rider, even if Aquila doesn’t deserve it.
I glare down at the shaking Omega, making sure that my dominant pheromones wash over him, quelling him further. “What made you think that you could treat the King’s cousin like that? Any Alpha? Your dragon?”
“I apologize, Your Majesty,” Aquila whispers.
“You said that already. It’s not an explanation.”
Aquila looks lost. “I d-didn’t…I was just so…frustrated…it’s how my f-family…”
“Your father, right?” I arch my brow. “You have a chance to start something new. Different. But let me be clear. I don’t think that you are good enough for my cousin.
” Aquila’s eyes widen in affronted shock.
I dismissively turn away from him to his Alpha.
“Do you still want this disgrace of an Omega?”
Ignatius tightens his hold on Aquila’s hand. “He’s my dragon rider. I’ll only get one of those in my life. I can’t lose that bond.”
“Possibly, but Lucius knows more about these things than anyone. Splitting up a dragon and their rider is unprecedented. But this is my army. I am not clinging to the old ways. If there has been a mistake, and you’re not well matched, then he’ll find a way to find you both new partners.”
“No.” Aquila stands, throwing his arms around Ignatius’ neck.
He rubs his nose desperately against the Alpha’s scent gland.
Ignatius looks bewildered by the sudden affection, as well as Aquila’s tears that are wetting his skin.
“Please, don’t part us. He’s my Alpha. My dragon.
I was wrong. I understand. Just punish me. ”
Ignatius wraps his arms around Aquila, patting him awkwardly on the back in comfort. “I swear, I will do better in my relationship. We will talk. Let me handle my Omega, Relius.”
I watch them both for a moment longer.
Something else is going on between them that I don’t understand.
Yet my mind is too tired to work it out.
I exchange a glance with Lucius, who shrugs.
“I am giving you both this one chance,” I reply. “Lucius, stay here and talk with them. You know my expectations.”
Lucius nods.
Lucius’ official role within the court is to help Omegas who are parted by war or death from their Alphas. I hope that he can help Ignatius and Aquila’s relationship or find a way through it if they need to separate.
“Thank you,” Ignatius says, softly.
He shouldn’t thank me. I intend to have Wraith secretly investigate his beloved Omega, along with his father, Cato. If there is anything irregular that I can pin on either of them, then I will be executing them.
I don’t believe that someone like Aquila would be acting like this without a reason.
I have been raised in this court. If you can see ripples on the surface, then you must look for what is causing them, if you don’t wish to be dragged under.
I push past Ignatius to open the door into Consort House.
My frown fades at the domestic scene inside.
My nestmates are sprawled in front of the hearth on a pile of my golden blankets, which they have worked into a nest. Five is curled up next to them, purring.
The fire crackles and pops. Smoke scents the air.
Freya looks gorgeous in ivory consort clothes, although I hate to see both of them forced to wear them. Daire is sitting behind her, brushing her long, fiery hair casually like this is their routine.
He is singing some ancient fae song, and each note falls like snowflakes, haunting enough to make me shiver.
It hits me in the gut.
I could have this.
They are mine.
Suddenly, what I have in my pocket feels even heavier.
But why do I feel like an intruder, when this is my fucking kingdom?
I glower, stomping into the room to make my point. They must have heard me enter.
Freya turns her head, although Daire doesn’t stop singing.
“You’re here!” Freya leaps out of the nest and throws herself into my arms.
Five wakes up, eying me. She stands and stretches, before leaping onto the table. She settles down to sleep again.
I drag Freya even closer, as she nuzzles and licks at my neck.
I take deep breaths of her scent, as she does the same of mine.
Daire finally finishes his song like he has all the time in the world. He drops the oak hairbrush to the side, lying back in the blankets.
He watches Freya and me with half-hooded eyes.
“Go on, tell us the news.” Excitedly, Freya grabs me by the hand and drags me to the nest by the fireplace. “Lucius would make a better spy than me. He’s impossible to interrogate. We couldn’t get anything out of him.”
I settle next to Freya, who squirms happily between Daire and me.
I smirk at Daire. “So, that’s why you were playing Lucius at cards. He told me that you won, but it looks like you didn’t.”
“That pretty idiot looks soft,” Daire replies, “but he’s tougher than War.”
“I could have told you that.” I glance around the faded room. “You’ve made this place feel like…”