Chapter 13 Kailia #2
He still sat casually, finger still steepled along his temple, but his other hand was raised, closed in a fist. His features were sharp and dark, and she could swear his silver eyes were glowing faintly as he stared at the Lord.
Was…he doing something to the Lord? His dark magic was nowhere to be seen, so that didn’t seem likely.
Unsure if she should be doing anything and not wanting to appear as if she weren’t aware of…
whatever this was, she kept her features expressionless as she slid her stare around the table.
The others seated around her were tense, some with eyes wide while others had their heads bowed in submission.
Then she found the males standing along the wall.
The Commander looked upset, and he was entirely focused on Cethin, but Razik was staring directly at her.
He looked bored, though, with his arms crossed and shoulder leaning casually against the wall.
When her gaze locked with his, his brow arched, and she had no idea what he wanted or what that meant.
The seconds that passed felt like minutes with the tension that filled the air, and she truly didn’t know if she should do anything or say something. Gods, this was never going to work. Why, in all the realms, had she thought this was a wise idea?
It wasn’t until she saw Cethin’s arm move in her periphery that Lord Harlin slumped in his chair, chest heaving as he dragged in breath after breath.
“Should anyone ever speak so disrespectfully of the future queen again, they shall taste death. Is that clear?” Cethin asked, the words so calm they were eerie, danger dripping from each syllable.
Surely that hadn’t all been because of her? That was absurd. They’d only known each other for a handful of days. He was using her to placate these very people. Why would he hurt them because of her? That didn’t seem like something that would be helpful in this situation.
“I think your point has been made,” the Commander said dryly.
“One would assume,” Cethin all but growled, “but I’m beginning to question the intelligence of the people at this table for thinking they can be so cavalier about my future wife in my presence. Anything to say to that, Lord Harlin?”
By the gods, the male could still scarcely breathe, but he lifted his head, eyes watering and full of pain as he met the king’s gaze. “My…apologies, your…Majesty,” he choked out.
“It is not I who is owed the apology,” Cethin snarled.
And then the lord’s gaze shifted to her, and again, she didn’t know what she was supposed to do or say when the lord spoke to her, each word fractured and full of the agony he was clearly still experiencing. “Apologies…your…Highness.”
She was frozen, the words ‘your Highness’ rolling around in her head. It wasn’t until the icy darkness of Cethin’s magic brushed along her arm a moment before his fingers followed the same path that she glanced at him.
“Is his apology sufficient, Kailia?”
She was nearly startled at the change in his tone. There was a softness there, and she really needed to get herself together. His looks and tone and touches were far more convincing than her just…sitting here.
But not knowing what to do yet again, she nodded once more. His head tilted slightly, the barest of creases appearing at his brow as if confused. Was that not what she should have done?
A throat cleared down the table, and without looking away from her, Cethin said sharply, “What?”
“Are we allowed to ask where her Highness hails from?” a male asked.
“If done so respectfully, then yes,” he answered simply, sitting back in his chair once more, his fingers slipping from her arm. He nodded at her encouragingly.
“I’m…” She cleared her throat, sitting up taller. “I’m from Shadowfen,” she replied, the words a little stronger.
“Shadowfen?” the male repeated.
“You know of it, do you not, Lord Tovan?” Cethin said. “The hunting and fishing town near Harrows Bay.”
“Of course,” Lord Tovan replied. “I am simply surprised.”
“You grew up in Shadowfen?” Lady Mariel repeated, the curiosity evident in her tone.
Why would Cethin tell her to say that town if it was going to invite surprise and questions?
“What of the sea serpents?” Lord Tovan pushed.
What of the…
Cethin scoffed under his breath. “The sea serpents slumber, Lord Tovan.”
“What of your family, my dear?” the lady cut in. “What is your bloodline? You are clearly not Fae but an Ash Rider. More than many of us had hoped for. That is from your father’s line, I presume?”
This was…a lot of questions being hurled at her.
“I think that’s enough for now,” Cethin cut in, and relief coursed through her.
She didn’t know her lineage. How in the realms was she supposed to share it with strangers?
“And the union? When will that take place?” Lady Mariel pushed.
The king’s smile was thin and words pointed as he replied, “After the Beltane Hunt. Is that sufficient, Lady Mariel?”
The lady quickly lowered her eyes to the table. “Of course, your Majesty. You cannot fault us for our excitement.”
Cethin hummed. “If there is nothing else today—”
“There is,” the Commander interrupted.
Something in Cethin shifted as his attention turned to him, and Kailia didn’t understand it. He wasn’t quite as…dominant as he said, “Yes, Tybalt?”
“You have a betrothed,” the male continued. “The future queen needs a personal guard, just as you have.”
“We can discuss that at a later time,” Cethin answered.
“No need,” Tybalt replied. “Razik has already been appointed.”
Cethin went rigid, darkness drifting from beneath his palms that he tried to hide. “Razik has a duty to the Cadre.”
“His duty to the crown supersedes those responsibilities.”
“He is one of the best warriors we have,” Lord Tovan agreed. “Frankly, I’m surprised he’s not your personal guard, your Majesty.”
“Is there anything else that must be handled today?” Cethin gritted out, and Kailia could swear his eyes were glowing once more, but this time with something dark.
“There is the matter of the vacant advisory seat,” Lord Harlin said tentatively. But when Cethin dragged his stare to him, he added, “But that can be discussed tomorrow.”
It took mere minutes for everyone to clear out of the room.
Everyone but Razik and Tybalt.
As soon as the heavy wooden doors thudded shut, Cethin was on his feet. With his hands braced on the table, he leaned towards the males. It was no longer a little darkness at his fingers, but thick, inky darkness rolling along the floor.
“No,” Cethin said, the word a guttural syllable.
At least it wasn’t a word he reserved just for her.
“It’s already done,” Tybalt said.
“Then fucking undo it,” Cethin retorted.
“Lord Tovan spoke truth. He’s one of our best. You can’t deny that, Cethin.”
Kailia’s brows arched. He was familial enough to call the king by his name?
“Jarek is just as qualified. Or better yet, Fallon or Ariadne,” Cethin argued.
“I’m not assigning someone else,” Tybalt said. “You trust me to know who’s best for positions. Let me do my job.”
“Not him,” Cethin ground out.
“Why don’t we let Kailia have a say?” Razik cut in, the words a lazy drawl. “Or is your plan to not let her have any opinions and thoughts of her own?”
Fury darkened Cethin’s features even more. “Of course not.”
“Then…” Razik turned to face her fully, sapphire eyes boring into her own. “Are you comfortable with me as your personal guard, Lia?”
“That’s not my name, and I don’t need a personal guard,” she replied simply.
The scraping of chair legs on stone sounded as Razik pulled a chair out and unceremoniously dropped into it. “That is evident from the stabbing, so I guess it’s to make sure you don’t do any more of that.”
“Wouldn’t that make you his personal guard then?” she asked, her head tilting.
Cethin and Razik both went still.
“No,” Razik finally said, the word clipped. “I will be your personal guard only. The king has his own entourage that consistently fails at their jobs.”
“They do not—” Cethin stopped, inhaling deeply. “My personal guard is not the topic here.”
“It is fine with me,” Kailia cut in. “I maintain I do not need a guard, but if it is expected, I do not wish to cause unnecessary issues during my first days at your side.”
“This is not an unnecessary issue,” Cethin retorted.
“Seems like it is if I’m in agreement and Razik is willing,” she countered.
Cethin turned to her, once again studying her too closely, and she held his stare.
This actually worked in her favor, but it was something Cethin was clearly vehemently against. If she seemed too eager, he’d become suspicious, so she’d stay the small female trying not to make waves on her first day as the future queen.
“Fine,” Cethin finally acquiesced. “But only when I am not around.”
“The stabbing occurs when you two are alone together,” Razik said, sitting far too casually in his seat for someone who had just argued with the king.
“I’ll leave the three of you to work out the details,” Tybalt said. Then he added, “I assume such things will be handled like the centuries-old males you are and not like younglings who haven’t gotten their way.”
Kailia held in a huff of amusement at the comment. She was pretty sure she liked the male, even if the sentiment didn’t appear to be mutual.
Cethin lowered back into his chair as Tybalt left, and as soon as he was gone, he turned to Razik with a sneer on his lips. “What are you playing at, Greybane?”
Unfazed, Razik propped an ankle on his knee as he said, “You flatter yourself thinking everything is about you. Tybalt heard this was coming and wanted to get things in order. He asked me, and I said yes.”
“You willingly agreed to be in my presence,” Cethin deadpanned.
“No. I willingly agreed to be in her presence.”
“Why?”
“Are you sure the two of you have never been lovers?” Kailia cut in, trying to understand the animosity between the two.
“Yes,” Cethin gritted out.
“Did one of you take the other’s lover?”
“No.”
“Anything to do with lovers?”