“You nearly killed your niece today,” Auric returned. “Care to explain?”
I swallowed. This was not how I expected to meet my uncle for the first time.
“Hmm” was all he said before gesturing behind him for someone else to enter.
“Go,” a deep voice demanded.
My heart stopped as Novak entered the cell, his icy gaze sweeping over me before landing on Auric.
“What the fuck is he doing here?” Auric demanded, taking the question right from my mind and adding his angry twist to the inquiry.
“We’ll get to that,” Sayir murmured smoothly, glancing over Novak to the guard in the doorway. He gave the man a nod, and the door sealed the four of us inside, causing my pulse to skip several beats.
The sensation crawling over my skin worsened as Sayir met and held my gaze.
Even though he dressed like a royal, donning a tailored black suit with pearlescent cuff links, it didn’t do anything to dampen the feeling that a hardened predator stood before me. He studied me like a snake, the perception amplified when his tongue flicked out, tasting the air, ready to strike.
I froze, unable to properly breathe.
Auric didn’t seem to notice, but Novak did, his nostrils flaring as he ran his eyes over me again. I wasn’t any less pacified by his presence, his lethal edge a cloak of darkness that seemed to settle naturally around his shoulders. He might have helped me in the field, but that didn’t mean he intended to be kind to me.
No, I suspected his actions were self-serving. Just like every other Noir in this prison.
“I’m losing my patience,” Auric said through clenched teeth. “Explain. Now.”
My uncle finally broke his gaze from mine, shifting his attention to the Nora Warrior, who seemed to take up half of the available space with his impressive wings.
Yeah, Auric was pissed.
I should have been angry as well, but I couldn’t sense anything beyond the cold spike of adrenaline shooting down my spine. This closed-off cell with male aggression vibrating all around me wasn’t helping my nerves, not after what I’d just been through.
“A mistake,” Sayir said, his tone dripping with charm as he gave Auric a sideways grin. “I assure you, it won’t happen again.”
“A mistake,” Auric repeated, his wings flaring even wider, filling my nose with his evergreen scent. I inhaled deeply, trying to allow the familiarity to soothe me. Except it was tinged with leather.
Novak.
My gaze flew back to his, only his attention had shifted to the Reformer, his expression giving nothing away. Sayir’s expression remained muted as well, his dark eyes calculating and intelligent.
Auric rushed the Reformer, making me squeak as I tried to jump out of the way. Novak caught my hip, pulling me to his side, as Auric slammed his fist against the wall inches from Sayir’s head.
“An oversight,” the Reformer stated, his tone and expression as unruffled as his feathers. He clearly didn’t fear Auric, and given that the guards didn’t burst inside, neither did they.
A chill swept through me at the realization that no one here perceived Auric as a threat.
That meant they wouldn’t respect his superiority. Sayir not bowing to him, I could understand. He was my father’s brother, marking him as a royal. But Auric wasn’t a pawn. He managed the Royal Guard, granting him a superior title to all the Nora Guards in this prison, as well as many Nora in general.
Novak’s thumb circled my hip, reminding me of his presence. He hadn’t stopped touching me, something I’d failed to notice because he felt…right.
Which had me taking a careful step away from him as Auric growled at the Reformer. “Anoversight?” he repeated through his teeth. “Shenearly died.”
I frowned. I hadn’tnearly died. I’d… Well, okay, there’d been a few close calls. But I hadn’t even bled.
“Yes,” Sayir replied coolly. “She was supposed to be in her cell.”
Auric growled. “Are you saying this is my fault? I can’t just keep the princess locked away forever. Solitary is not part of her reformation.” He finally released Sayir, taking a step back. “Whatisthe plan for her reformation? Besides being burned alive or sliced into a thousand pieces, I mean. Did you have anything better in mind?”
My frown deepened. While I wanted to know the plan as well, I was more concerned with the fact that several Noir had lost their lives outside. I opened my mouth to speak, but Sayir smoothed a hand down his tie and said, “Of course I have a plan.”
