AllFreeNovel
Share Us
10
CHLOE
Having heard the shattering of glass, D’Artaron barges inside, pushing the three of us away from the door. Guilty without even being charged, the three of us line up like good soldiers. Teal eyes narrowed, he assesses us and finally settles his piercing gaze on me.
“Princess,” he says, “what have you done now?”
I gulp. “Nothing, sir.”
“Amartis, Pavonos, a word?” He walks out, knowing they’ll follow.
The males close the door behind them, and I curse, then get to searching for a broom. He hasn’t seen the shattered green-and-purple glass littering the floor at the right of the door, but he will. The empty space where the shadow portal should stand, a dead giveaway something happened.
Ooo, I sure hope the Summer king’s shadow portal isn’t demolished. Maybe it’s tucked away somewhere in the corner, and it’ll pop right back out as soon as I leave, because if not, the king might actually kill me himself.
I’ve already breached his court’s security, and if the king thinks I’m now trying to destroy his modes of transport from the inside, it will not help my life.
At all.
As I’m running around the circular space seeking anything to sweep up the glass mess with, I’m also understanding why the commander placed me on an isolated island inside a tower that holds magic within its iron walls. Granted, the iron protections aren’t doing much to contain my magic, but I certainly hope they start draining it soon, and preferably before the king visits or, more importantly, before I visit him at his glorious Golden Palace.
The way D’Artaron sees it, I’m a safety risk.
I probably shouldn’t have come here and put him in a position where he has to protect me because of his friendship with my brother.
I open the door to tell him I will remain secluded for as long as it takes and that I mean no harm, but I find Amartis and Pavonos alone outside.
“Don’t worry.” Amartis pats my head. “We didn’t tell him about the shadow portal.”
“Which is good, because I intend to tell him. I won’t hide anything from him.”
Pavonos shakes his head and closes the door. “Keep your secrets, Chloe.”
“Do you think I can’t trust him?” I ask.
“He will honor his duty to the Summer king,” Amartis says. “You can trust that.”
“D’Artaron has the means to help me.”
“And he will,” Pavonos says.
“Help me with my magic, I mean. I’m having a hard time containing it lately.”
“You don’t say.” Amartis starts climbing the steps. “You ate the king’s shadows. I can’t fucking believe it.” At the top of the stairs, he turns and says, “I’d cut off my left ball sac and feed it to pigs just to see the look on the king’s face when he hears about it.”
“Which he won’t.” Pavonos offers me his elbow so I can lean into him while climbing the steps.
I tuck my hand under his elbow and firmly grab his muscle. Fine biceps, indeed. I squeeze, and Pavonos flexes and winks at me.
At the top of the stairs, Amartis shakes his head. “Don’t let me catch you winking at her again. I will gouge your fucking eye out.”
I chuckle.
“Don’t listen to him, Princess,” Pavonos says. “He’s jealous that you like me more.”
“She likes neither of us,” Amartis says, “for she is a married female. A royal, married female, for that matter.”
D’Artaron hasn’t told them anything yet. I wonder why. Is there a protocol for delivering news of a dead royal? Maybe he has one or must follow one, but I don’t, and I need them to know. Perhaps they’ll tell my brother, and he will leave the farm for me. “I’m not a princess anymore.”
