Gods save me…
“I’m sorry about that,” Tristan began. He scratched his head, clearly embarrassed, but I couldn’t really see his face. My eyes were locked in on the now shirtless man standing in front of me. His chest was covered in the same dark marks that I had seen before, and… and I was staring.
Morrigan, stop it,I scolded myself as a familiar heat blossomed in my chest. I hadn’t realized that he was still talking until I looked back up at his lips, which were actively moving. “What did you say?” I interrupted him.
The moment a smirk stretched along his lips, my cheeks flushed, and I pressed my lips together tightly.
“Nothing,” he lied. “Why don’t we pick this up tomorrow. Clean up, rest, and I canproperlyintroduce you all at dinner tonight. Alright?”
I nodded my head in agreement and turned away as quickly as I could, picking up my pace as I walked back to the stairs leading inside. From behind, I heard the remnants of a thought fading into the distance.
… doesn’t even know how perfect she is…
My blush deepened.
I sat at the table, staring down at my food as the room filled with more noise than usual.
Between Mara yelling at Malakai, Malakai refusing to take any breaths between his words, and Azrael’s laughter, it was… a lot. However, it was also the most I had heard Tristan speak before. His face lit up when talking to Malakai, indicating a rather close relationship between the pair.
Tristan and I didn’t talk a lot. It wasn’t that I didn’twantto get to know him, it was just that… I didn’t knowhow. How do you go from hearing someone in your mind for the past ten or more years to seeing them in person? It still felt like a dream to me, and nowhefelt like a stranger to me.
“Little wolf!” Malakai yelled out, the nickname catching my attention and drawing my eyes to him. From his pocket, he pulled out a tiny dagger, half the size of the ones sheathed along the leather strap crossing over his chest. “I made this for you.”
I gasped loudly as he tossed it into the air, throwing the blade in Azrael’s direction. I all but leapt over the table, slamming it down onto the black wood, and my heart thumped rapidly. My surprise quickly morphed into anger, which directed itself straight toward the manic, white-haired beast sitting nearby.
“What iswrongwith you?!” I seethed, dragging the knife toward me and sitting back down. “He is a child! You can’t throw a knife at him and expect him to just catch it!”
Malakai didn’t seem fazed by my irritation. Instead, he shook his head and smiled before pullinganotherdagger out, the same size as the last one. “Don’t worry, bud. I made more.”
This time, he threw it quicker than I could stop him, and my heart stopped beating just before Azrael’s hand reached up, catching it on its hilt. He looked at me with pride in his eyes, but an apologetic smile on his lips. “I’ve been practicing. Mr. Malakai spends time with me while you are in the garden with Mr. Tristan.”
I shook my head, attempting to shove down my annoyance, and scowled at Malakai. “He’s barely eight years old.”
But Malakai matched my gaze, refusing to back down or even bothering to lower his smile.
“I-If I may,” my mother cut in, slicing the tension between us with her soft voice. “He’s been very careful with him, and Azrael is extremely talented. It… might be good for the boy to learn how to defend himself for when you decide to?—”
Tristan cleared his throat, and my mother sat back in her seat. “I should have told you. I’m sorry. If you’d like, we can have Malakai train him outside nearby. That way, you can keep an eye on him.”
As I looked at Azrael’s pleading eyes, I realized that this battle was one I wouldn’t win. Perhaps they were right. Azrael of all people would need to be able to defend himself, and I still didn’t fully understand his power. Could he use it against multiple people at once? Did it take a toll on him?
“Where have you guys even been?” I asked the table.
If Malakai had been training Azrael, then that meant they were around here somewhere. But it had been roughly two weeks now, and I hadn’t even seen a sign of anyone else residing in the castle.
“Tristan thought you might want some time to adjust,” Mara spoke up, still not meeting my eyes. “So, while you were resting, Malakai and I went to stay somewhere else for a little while.”
How bigisthis world?I thought to myself. I had only seen two small parts of it, but… was it as large as mine? Did even more monsters lurk in other places?
“So,princess,” Malakai said. “I must admit, I am a little offended. You watched me turn from a beast to a naked man in mere seconds, and yet you haven’t asked me what I am.”
His lips pushed out in a mocking pout that made me want to roll my eyes. Aside from the fact that he was obviously insane, he kind of reminded me of Dez in a way.
“I get the sense you’re about to tell me now,” I countered, my eyes still straying to the girl sitting next to him.
Tristan chuckled, and with that, Malakai stood, pushing out his chair. “Allow me to formally introduce myself, Your Grace.” He dipped into what was clearly a mocking bow. “My name is Malakai. Like you and your lords, I do not have a family name. I am a lycan, or as your gods like to call us, ahound.”
The last word left his lips in obvious distaste, but his expression shifted so quickly that I almost missed it.
