Page 18 of Chosen By the Fae King
My mouth opened and I promptly shut it. I'd be doing myself no favors confronting the king in front of his constituents—or at all.
“Speak freely, little hellion. Your king insists.”
My brow furrowed. Was he trying to trick me into getting myself into trouble?
“I prefer honesty over posturing,” he shrugged. “Pretend I'm a soldier or a guard and not a king. Like you did yesterday, when you didn't seem to have any problem with your tongue.”
My skin flushed at his double meaning. I looked down, concentrating on the scuffed toes of my boots, so out of place under the lacey fringe of my sky-blue dress.
“If it helps, they can't hear us. They don't even know I'm in the room.”
I glanced around. No one was paying any attention to Nox. I called Sofiya's name and nothing happened. She was less than four feet away.
Nox gave me an I-told-you-so look.
Anger flickered in my chest. He'd treated me like a toy to be played with then threw me out. Now he was watching two females argue over him and enjoying it. It was repulsive.
“Is that all you see us as? Pawns in some twisted game?” I challenged.
“Isn't that what this is?” he countered, his lips curling into a wicked grin.
Our eyes locked, and for a moment, the rest of the room faded away. A shiver ran down my spine.
No, I snapped at myself, turning back to the brewing conflict between Dori and Mirrelle. “We can't let this escalate.”
“Stay out of it, Aeryn,” Nox warned, his voice low and dangerous. “You have enough to worry about without involving yourself in their petty squabbles.”
“Petty? This could end in bloodshed!”
“Then let it,” he replied icily, leaning closer to me. “It's not your concern.”
“Everything that happens in this room concerns me,” I retorted, my resolve hardening. “I don't have any magic with which I can protect myself or anyone else, but I can't sit here while they tear each other apart, risking more than twenty-something lives.”
“Have it your way, little hellion,” Nox sighed. “But don't say I didn't warn you.”
As if on cue, the tension between Dori and Mirrelle snapped. The water fae lunged, vicious snarls tore through the air. My pulse raced as I watched them fight, fists and magic flying in a deadly dance.
I knew I had to find a way to stop them before someone got hurt, even if it meant standing against Nox and the others.
Nox disappeared into the shadows and his magical shield dropped.
“Stop!” I yelled, stepping forward as Sofiya made a grab at me. But my voice was lost in the chaos. My heart sank as the fight spiraled out of control.
I grabbed a vase from the closest table, emptied the flowers, and charged at the duo, dousing them in water. Neither reacted, too intent on harming one another.
I threw the vase at their feet. It shattered, glass crunching under the soles of their expensive shoes. I yelled again, trying to break through to them before something terrible happened.
The door flew open and slammed into the wall. Lorne stormed inside, followed closely by Liam and a line of other guards. Their faces were thunderous, their eyes assessing the bedlam unfolding before them.
Furniture was overturned, contestants scattered. Some were enjoying the spectacle, others on high alert, dodging strikes and orbs of magic thrown about.
I had another vase held above my head about to break it on Dori's head to knock her out since she seemed to be the one most determined to take a life.
“Enough!” Lorne roared, his voice emulating a clap of thunder.
I dropped the vase. Luckily it landed with a dull thud on one of the sofa cushions.
The fight between Dori and Mirrelle seemed to slow, but not stop completely. I saw Sofiya flatten against the wall as they circled closer to where she was standing.