Chapter 24 #2
The Cyprian’s armour shimmered in the light, drawing every gaze. Alena bit her lip, keenly aware of how the revealing design left her cleavage and thighs bare, making her feel both powerful and vulnerable.
She lifted her chin and stepped forward, moving towards Kaixo with the wolves flanking her.
Ahead, Leukos leaned in to murmur something to Theo. Whatever he said made Theo turn to the gathered court on the grand staircase and raise his voice.
“The queen has found her soulmate!” he proclaimed. “All hail Queen Charis!”
Cheers erupted, the tide of attention shifting to the queen and the officer at her side, who bore a striking resemblance to Nik.
“The Sea God has spoken!” another voice rang out among the courtiers. All heads turned as a priest stepped forward, amber robes rippling in the breeze. He lifted his arms, the silver thread in his sleeves glinting in the sun. “Tiryns is blessed,” he declared reverently. “This union is divine!”
A renewed chorus of cheers followed, louder than before. Nobles rushed to offer congratulations, their excited chatter echoing across the courtyard.
In the midst of the commotion, Alena exhaled in relief. She caught Theo’s eye and gave him a grateful smile. He nodded back, the ghost of a grin playing on his lips.
But the ease blooming in her chest faltered.
A familiar presence brushed against her senses.
Leukos.
She didn’t need to look to know he was watching her; she felt the heat of his gaze on her skin.
When she finally turned, obsidian eyes met hers, tracking the lines of her armour with open intensity.
The air between them tightened, her pulse rising to meet it.
She swallowed, forcing herself to hold his gaze as the rest of the world blurred to silence around them.
“Alena, welcome back!” Nik’s warm greeting broke through. He stood beside Kaixo, his hands resting gently on the boy’s shoulders, smile bright.
She managed a faint, genuine smile in return.
Nik glanced towards the shattered gates, his expression shifting. “I’m glad to see you both safe,” he said. “But… where’s—”
“Kaixo needs food and rest,” she cut in too quickly. Nik frowned, but she ignored it, kneeling before Kaixo. “You can catch up with everyone later. Let’s find you a bed.”
Kaixo’s small hand curled around hers, his sun-kissed face shadowed by fear. From the corner of her eye, Alena caught Nik and Leukos exchanging a glance. Apollo padded closer, nudging Kaixo’s legs gently. “He’ll stay with you.”
“And so will I,” Phoebe added from behind, the horses following close. A guard moved to take the reins as she extended a hand to Kaixo. “But we should greet the queen first.”
Leukos took one look at the and his expression darkened. “You!”
Phoebe lifted her chin with a teasing smirk. “Fancy meeting you again, pretty boy.”
Alena glanced between them. “You two know each other?”
Leukos narrowed his eyes. “She’s the reason I ended up in the hands of slavers.”
Phoebe offered a sheepish smile, while Alena raised an eyebrow. “Interesting. You never mentioned that.”
Phoebe shrugged. “You never asked.”
Before Alena could press further, the queen approached.
The gathered nobles instinctively parted for her.
Dressed in white, gold, and amber, her ceremonial robes shimmered with regal splendour, echoing Leukos’ own attire.
The golden jewellery at her ears and throat caught the light.
Her thick, honey-brown hair was coiled into an elegant braid crowned with amber pins.
She was radiant, voluptuous, and breathtakingly feminine.
Alena felt painfully awkward beside the stunning woman, her skin prickling beneath the Cyprian’s revealing armour.
Phoebe bowed her head. “Your Majesty, congratulations on finding your soulmate. What fortunate timing as well,” she said, shooting Alena a pointed look. “Apologies for the gate. We tried to reason with the guards—”
The queen waved her off with a luminous smile, practically glowing as she clung to the Tirynthian officer’s arm.
“It’s no matter,” she said warmly. “In truth, without your interruption, the Sea God might never have declared us soulmates, and my unfortunate wedding to Leukos might have gone ahead.”
A collective sigh of relief rippled through the court.
The officer, eyes soft and unguarded, pulled the queen close and brushed a tender kiss across her hair—the look of a man who had waited a lifetime for this moment.
They were so wrapped up in one another, so grateful for the unexpected turn, that Alena almost looked away.
But she couldn’t suppress the pang of envy that tightened her chest—two souls bound by something sacred and unbreakable.
The priest stepped forward. “Your Majesty,” he cautioned, “perhaps it is unwise to invite them to stay, given the Sea God’s anger. It could bring misfortune upon us.”
Phoebe slapped his shoulder with a grin, earning shocked gasps from the nobles. “That’s quite all right. The Grey-Eyed Maiden sent the Omega herself.”
The priest’s eyes widened. “Truly?”
Phoebe’s smile sharpened, her patience thinning. “How else do you think we crossed the barrier?”
The queen’s face brightened. “Despoina, show them to the guest rooms and bring food.”
Phoebe took Kaixo’s hand. He looked up at Alena, his attempt at a brave face touching yet fragile. She gave him a reassuring nod as he left with the and Apollo.
The white wolf and the small grey one pressed close, nudging her legs—they’d caught Katell’s scent inside the palace.
A sharp pang of anger twisted in Alena’s chest. Katell was here.
“Omega, I am General Danaos,” the officer announced, his voice shifting abruptly from warmth to cold authority. Every word was edged with command, cutting through the fragile calm. “If you have come for your sister, I regret to inform you that she is our prisoner.”
Alena frowned. If he thought to stop her from seeing Katell, he was mistaken. “Where is she?”
From the side, Leukos shook his head. “Alena, you won’t change her mind—”
“I’m not here for that,” she cut in, sharp before he could say more. Her focus snapped back to the general. “Unless you want my wolves tearing through your palace, you’ll tell me where my sister is.”
The shift was instant. The atmosphere, once light with celebration, soured. Around her, conversation faltered. Guests tensed. Even the queen, radiant and serene a moment ago, now looked wary—her gaze flicking to the wolves flanking Alena like living threats.
Danaos didn’t answer. His lips pressed into a thin, disapproving line, the look of a man unaccustomed to being challenged.
Then Leukos spoke. “She’s being held on the east side of the palace. Locked in a room.”
Danaos shot him a sharp look, full of silent reprimand, but Leukos ignored it.
Alena exhaled through her nose, pulse still high. She gave Leukos the smallest grateful nod, then strode up the palace steps.
A wave of unease rippled through the onlookers. Nobles scattered from her path, their silks and sandals whispering against the stone. The wolves bounded ahead, noses low, tracking Katell’s fading scent.
“Stop right there, Omega,” General Danaos barked. “You have no right to interfere. The prisoner’s fate will be decided by the queen—not you.”
Alena didn’t break stride. Her patience was fraying. Through her bond, she sent the wolves ahead, directing them towards the eastern wing. “Decide all you want,” she called over her shoulder. “You won’t stop me from seeing her.”
“My guards will.”
That stopped her cold.
At the top of the steps, she turned to face him. Silence fell over the courtyard. The wedding guests froze, the air heavy with held breath. All eyes locked on her.
Her heart raced, but she didn’t let it show. Her gaze swept the courtyard below and found the palace guards still huddled beneath the wooden staircase, weapons abandoned.
“You mean the ones still cowering in fear?” she shot back, her voice edged with challenge.
Pelagios and Nik snorted, while Leukos struggled to suppress a grin.
General Danaos flushed crimson, humiliation flashing across his face as he followed her gaze. “Soldiers!” he roared, storming down the steps. “On your feet!”
Alena barely spared him a glance. “Thought so,” she muttered, stepping inside the palace.
The entrance hall loomed ahead, its sandstone pillars etched with faded carvings of gods and mythical creatures—winged horses, sirens, centaurs. The floor was laid with broad stone tiles worn smooth by centuries of passing feet. Her steps rang sharply, the sound swallowed by the hall’s vastness.
Behind her, rushed footsteps caught up.
“Alena, wait!” Leukos called.
She kept walking. “Don’t try to stop me, Leukos.”
“I won’t,” he said quickly, closing the distance. “We’re coming with you.”
She glanced over her shoulder, finding both him and Nik now flanking her. “Fine,” she muttered. “Just don’t get in my way.”
Leukos hesitated, then asked, “Why? What are you planning to do?”
Her jaw clenched as she looked straight ahead. “Find out the truth.”