Shedraped herself overAbraxas’ shoulder.Icouldn’t avert my eyes as he ran his hand around her exposed waist, his fingers moving slowly as he leaned into her hair and whispered something in her ear that had her giggling and blushing.Didhe have no shame?ButasIwatched his fingers dip under the edges of the woman’s skirts,Ifelt heat rising in my cheeks and was very aware of howHadeonwas not touching me.
Abraxaslocked eyes with me beforeIcouldlook away, and he gave me a very knowing smirk that only made me blush harder.Heturned his attention back toHadeonand the other courtiers.
“Youknow,KingAbraxas…”CommanderDagiusinterjected. “…some would say that you used unnecessary force inOeth.”
“Somewould not know what sort of sacrifices are needed to maintain peace.”Abraxasdidn’t even look at the man as he spoke; instead he pressed his face into the crook of his courtier’s neck, his lips dancing over her skin as she emitted a soft moan.
Dagiusturned bright red. “Isuppose it’s my own fault for expecting honorable behavior from a man who committed patricide.”
Ithappened faster thanIcould see.Therewas a flash, andDagius’ face went slack.Redbubbled up over his throat as his head slid off his shoulders.Hiswife screamed, and she was covered in a fountain of blood.Abraxascalmly re-sheathed his sword and turned away as if the conversation bored him, dragging the courtier with as she turned deathly pale.Hereleased her and grabbedHadeonto lead him away.Istumbled after them, my legs barely connected to my mind. “GoldenKingdomparties have always been such a bore.”Thisman was a monster.
Heslung his arm aroundHadeon’sshoulder and pulled him in close.Muchtoo close.Hadeon’seyes twinkled, and a horrible realization struck me.Hewas looking atAbraxasin a way he had once only reserved for me.
Abraxasleaned close toHadeon’sear, and in a voice so deep and softIbarely heard it, he whispered, “Ifyou’d lend me a few of your staff to assist,Icould show you a real party.”
PresentDay
Isat across fromAbraxasin whatIassumed was his study.Hesat leaning back in his chair, his legs crossed as he toyed with a quill between his fingers.Helooked every bit theDragonKingIhad known for centuries.Wasthis the manToriloved so dearly?Itseemed impossible.Iclenched my fingers on the edge of the chair beneath me.
“Itoccurs to me that in the five hundred years we have known each other,Pallas, we haven’t had much of a chance to talk.”
“Therenever was anything for us to talk about,Abraxas.”
Isaw him mull over my use of his name in his mind, but he continued, ignoring it. “Well,Iwould say that situation has changed, hasn’t it?”
Ididn’t answer.Hislips curled up into that dark smile that made me wonder ifIwould have my head at the end of this conversation.
“Iheard about your little stunt with theGoldenArmy,” he continued, his tone dripping with disdain. “Butlet's not pretend it was out of the goodness of your heart.Weboth know better than that.”
“Donot presume to know me.Youknow absolutely nothing about me.”Ifelt the chair under my hands crack as my nails dug into the wood.
Hissmirk only grew. “Whatgame are you playing,Pallas?”
“I’mnot playing any games,Abraxas.”
“Donot pretend to be the simpering courtier with me.Othersmay see you as nothing more than a beautifulface, butIsee you.Everything'sa game to you, isn't it?You'vealways had a knack for finding the winning move.”
“Whatthe hell are you talking about?”
“Fivehundred yearsI’veseen you sit by the side of the most powerful man inAdimos.Fivehundred years you have clung to him.Andthen the moment the world shifts,Ifind you here, now somehow heavily embedded in my court.Doyou not find that interesting?”
Myheart raced, andIfelt my breath coming in increasingly shallow breaths.Me, cling toHadeon?Itwas both entirely false and painfully true.Hadeonhad claimed me, butIhad never tried to let go.Notuntil now.
Abraxasstood, andIfelt the room grow darker.Hedidn’t shift forms, but he still seemed to take up more space, and all the air was sucked from the room.Icouldn’t breathe.
“So, tell me, why have you come here?”
Icould barely get the words out, butImanaged. “Myreasons are my own, none of your business.”Thecreature deep in my gut hissed.
“Oh, but that’s where you’re wrong; it very much is my business.Especiallywhere my mate and her brother are concerned.Especiallywhen you are the daughter ofRunyaMorvavare, who created the enchantment that holds my father’s heart.”
Hewalked slowly across the room, his hand rested on the back of my chair, pushing it back.
“I’mnot afraid of you.”Itcame out as a squeak, a pathetic attempt at boldness.Weak.You’vealways been so weak for these men.Standup!ButIcouldn’t.Icouldn’t move.Iwas always frozen.
Hissmirk was an arrogant one. “Oh, then maybe you are a fool.Wouldyou like me to remind you whoIam?”
Myheart was beatingso fastIthought it might give out.Icould feel sweat cling to my neck as green flames danced around him.
