Chapter 10
Chapter
Ten
KADEN
Max’s scent reaches my nose before her body darkens the entrance, and I stand, already pulled to her like a gravitational force. Her steps echo my heartbeat, as if she is the organ free of my chest. It’s meant to torment me.
Is this how all claimed Dark Fae feel?
If so, it’s madness. Explains why my kind never subjugate themselves to this.
I haven’t seen her since I left her last night, returning to check if she had tried to flee. The scent of her tears hung in our room and it took everything in me not to crawl into bed beside her and soothe her grief.
The other half wanted to snap her neck.
My control is faulty at best around her. She breaks my defenses, refuses to wear my scent, insists on taunting me, fighting me. She doesn’t listen to me—if she did, she’d understand that everything I’m doing is for her.
I should mark her, remind her who owns her just to end this.
Regardless, I need to do something. This ache inside my chest whenever she isn’t near is agony.
She stops short, wide eyes looking to the pointed black chandelier alit with dozens of burning flames, to the torches on the wall.
I sent the messages last night to the servants to keep more light within the palace so my mate could see better.
With her poor balance, if I didn’t, she’d likely walk off a balcony and never see it coming.
Not like I care. This is merely for her protection. If she dies, I do.
I’m getting good at lying to myself.
My eyes scan her frame, soft curves under the red dress making my fangs elongate. The scar sits proudly along her neck, next to my mother’s necklace and a few of the dignitaries’ smile, impressed, as I knew they would.
The vicious scar should impress them. She’s impressive.
Infuriating, frustrating, but impressive.
Without thought, I pull out her chair, allowing her to sit before I do the same. Once seated, my hand falls to her thigh, an anchor to make sure she’s here. To calm the beast who rages inside my skull and the bond burning within my heart.
She’s not the only one who suffers from an unfinished claiming. I’m just better at hiding it.
But fiery Bel’s balls, she looks devastating beside me. Her beauty is exquisite but it’s her aura, her soul that calls to me. She’s a true queen, sitting straight, looking ahead to each male present, not swayed by their eyes.
“Sleep well?” I ask, voice low.
Those dark eyes glare at me. “Very. Especially as I had the bed to myself.”
I smile, even though her words irritate me like nails on glass. “I thought I’d find a pillow smothering me if I attempted to lay beside you.” Or, rather, me to her.
“You’d be right.” She scans me, trying to see issue with my appearance. Dressed only in a black tunic and leather pants, I’m more casual now than I was last night. “I assume you found a place to rest your head.”
Smirking, my fingers dig into her thigh, pulling her toward me. The subtle scent of her jealousy pulls at my black heart. “Not like knowing another might have shared my bed?”
“Thankful, actually,” she bites out. “Better them than me.”
I chuckle. She’s as territorial as I am. Her jealousy smells like a fresh bouquet of flowers in the height of summer. “We both know you would rather it be you under me,” I drawl.
I get an annoyed look in response. She’s in rare mood this morning, but it’s to be expected. In fact, I cherish it. If she’s fighting me, she’s not running off into danger.
Or running from me.
“I was wondering if we would meet the future queen,” Fenrir greets, drawing our attention his way. “I must say, I’m intrigued.”
“That’s a big word for you, Fenrir,” I taunt, flicking my fingers. “Be intrigued, from afar.” My hand doesn’t move off my mate, and I make sure Fenrir sees it.
Taking my other side, Fee sits gracefully, Reid darting in through the doors to capture the last chair beside Max. I planned it this way, a formed threat against everyone here. Together, we can protect Max from the dangers at this court.
The servants begin to serve the food, piling some on every plate. More nectar is served to the Woodland Fae and my siblings each have their cup filled with rare rudehare blood; a delicacy in our world. I opt to go without.
“Is it drugged?” Max asks suspiciously. Her eyes dart around us, the Fae focusing on their drink and food and not our private conversation.
Leaning close, I nuzzle her neck. She moves her head, allowing me access. I don’t think she knows she does it, her eyes trained on the food as if it will bite her. But it soothes the bond to see her so complacent.
“No. I don’t need to remind you that you may not have chains, but you are not free.” I press a soft kiss her to neck and she tenses. I’m not thrilled with that. “Be a good pet, and the food may remain that way. Misbehave, and everything will be doused in that binding agent again.”
She turns, frowning. Her anger licks against my skin like a physical flame and I grin, enjoying her ire.
Good. Now she feels what I do.
The pang in my heart at the look of betrayal tries to take me, but I refuse. This is protection for her. When I can, I’ll explain. But until then? I will not feel guilty for keeping her safe.
“Eat, kitten. Or I will hold you down and force it down your throat.” My finger brushes her neck. “Although, if anything is being forced down this beautiful throat, I’d rather it not be food but rather my—”
She shifts, heels stomping into my toe, cutting me off. Pulling away, I wince even as I grin. Indecision wars in her eyes—fight me, or play along—and I internally enjoy it. Her fight is her best quality; it rouses me, gives me something to focus on instead of the agony in my heart.
Sullenly, she sniffs the cool herbal tea, tipping the edge to her tongue. When she doesn’t detect the tang of the drug, her shoulders drop and she takes a fuller sip.
This isn’t a favor for her. The drug I used, only a small dose is needed to bind her powers.
But because she must fight me on everything, I had to lace all her food—and water—with the drug in order to make sure it got into her system.
We’re just lucky we had the recipe in an old book given to me by Aoife.
She has enough now that she can go a few days without it. Long enough to gain her trust, or at least put her at ease. Maybe get more weight on her body. She’s too thin after weeks refusing to eat.
She shifts, grabbing a fork to eat the fruit when I see a flash of a dagger at her hip.
My sister’s dagger. A matching pair, I gave them to Fee before our journey to Griffin’s castle.
Leaning back, my shoulder bumps into her, but Fee doesn’t look away from her plate. “You gave her a dagger?”
“Yes.” She’s not the least bit affronted, pale lips biting into a piece of something green.
“Do you want to see my mate kill me?” Our eyes clash and she smirks.
Smirks. Gods above, the women in my life are going to kill me.
“The most she’ll do is a little cut.” She blinks slowly. “Besides, you told her what would happen if she tried to kill you. I wouldn’t have given it to her if she didn’t know the consequences. Can’t have her killing you both before the end of the week.”
“Fee,” I murmur, eyes darting to the crowd. Fenrir watches Max, which my beast immediately hates and I grip the chair to keep from leaping over the table and slicing his neck. “Giving someone who hates me a weapon isn’t in my best interests.”
“And without that weapon, my sister-in-law is powerless.” Hard eyes narrow at me. She might understand why I keep Max powerless, but she doesn’t like it. Not that I blame her. “I will not have her walking these halls, unable to defend herself, should something happen.”
I growl at the insinuation I cannot protect her. “I won’t let anything happen to her, Fee.”
“You made me the same promise,” she snaps, fangs growing with her agitation. “Promises can be broken. A dagger cannot.”
Fierce guilt gnaws in my gut as she returns to her food and I have to actively control my shadows.
Fee is right, of course, as she usually is.
I made her the same promise years ago when I left home and wasn’t able to protect her from Zelos.
Giving Max something to defend herself is better than nothing, even if I plan on never leaving her side.
There are too many chances, too many risks.
“You’re right,” I whisper so only she hears, words barely passing my lips, “I want you to start training her.”
“Not you?” She sips from her cup, lips darkening. My beast growls in my head, hungry for blood but I lock it away. One thing at a time.
“She doesn’t listen to me, Fee. You? You’ve fought and survived the hardest trials here. You know what to watch out for, what to be wary of. I need you to teach her how to survive. On the off chance I cannot protect her, I need to make sure she lives.”
Because if not, I won’t survive. Not just physically, but if something were to happen to Max, my heart would be obliterated, and everything that I am would crumple without her.
Nodding slowly, Fee chews on her cheek. “Fine. I’ll bring Reid into it too.”
“Uncle will help.”
Curious, she tilts her head, sizing me up before looking to Max. She eats, thankfully, filling her stomach and something lightens from my shoulders.
But she doesn’t say anything, conversation forgotten as Fenrir stands, lifting his chalice to the sky.
All the foreign Fae stop to look at him, and my fist curls against my thigh, fighting the urge to rip his throat out for the audacity to claim the spotlight. In my palace.
“Esteemed Fae, wise and young, I am honored to be among you as we welcome a new era for Fae in Neevea.” Turning to me, his smile edges into something challenging.
My beast stretches, wanting to meet his declaration with fangs and claws.
“Heir Kaden, we are your guests and we are honored to be here to witness this change. Thank you for this incredible gift. We cannot wait to see what you and the King have planned that will elevate all Fae.”
It’s a veiled question. They’re desperate for the information my father isn’t providing.
I could ignore him but that would show me as ineffective. I can’t show weakness in this court and I still have to appear to be my father’s favorite weapon so as to avoid suspicion. Everything is a delicate balance and I walk a tight line.
Standing, I hold Max’s hand, showing our union to the crowd. She frowns.
“We’ve found a weapon that would unite the world, Fenrir. A powerful tool in which will allow us to break Neevea to our whims. To what we need. We shall control the continent with this weapon. And no one can control it, except for my father.”
I glance down to my mate, seeing her wide blue eyes panicked. She’s afraid of being found out, even now, in front of these males. She’s afraid of being given to Zelos. Of being used.
I can’t tell her I would soon rather cut off my own arm and my father’s tongue before handing her over to him. Before allowing him to even breathe the same air as her. But there are too many spies and I need my actions to speak for me.
First, a distraction. Something to take the focus off of Zelos’ large claims.
Winking, I inhale that fear and her rage like it’s a perfume of our love. Because rightly, it is. And what I’m going to do next, will only stoke those flames higher.
“Before that? A wedding.” Reid chokes on his wine, and Fee drops her fork in a harsh clatter, but I only see Max.
Those blue eyes darken to black pits, fear warping into blinding fury and it warms my desolate heart. Give me her fury, her rage, her jealousy. It’s better than nothing.
“By the end of the summit, my mate and I shall be married. Then you will all see true power.”