Page 162 of The Fallen Fae King

He doesn’t have the strength to hold me back, no one does.

I stalk toward Aquila. “How dare you strike a royal member of my household? You’ll die for this.”

“I’m s-s-s-orry, Your M-m-majesty,” Aquila stammers, pressing himself against the wall like he wishes that he could disappear through it.

No such luck.

I see you, fucker.

I raise my blade.

“Wait, please don’t.” Ignatius’ teary plea finally bleeds through the pounding in my head.

To my surprise, both Lucius and Ignatius dive between the blade and Aquila.

“Why are you shielding him?” I growl.

“I’m shielding you,” Lucius replies. “Step back and take a breath. Then put the blade away.”

I stare at him in shock.

My hands shake.

I take a slow breath. Then with difficulty, I force my emotions behind a wall, brick by brick.

Feel nothing.

I shove Hadrian’s Dagger back into its sheath.

Calmer as I now feel, however, it wasn’t only Hadrian who wanted to execute Aquila. I did myself because he was abusing his partner, my cousin.

Yet burning Aquila to ash in front of Ignatius is the type of move that Lanlin would make, as much as Hadrian.

I’m not that type of King.

I refuse to allow myself to be.

I stare at the three men who are watching me intently; I hate the fear in their eyes.

Then my gaze drops to the way that Ignatius is clutching Aquila’s hand.

My expression sours.

“Aquila, kneel,” I order.

Aquila appears frozen with fear, but at a nudge on his shoulder from Ignatius, he kneels.

Lucius finally steps to the side.

Ignatius still doesn’t let go of his Omega’s hand. I have to admire the fucker’s devotion to his dragon rider, even if Aquila doesn’t deserve it.

I glare down at the shaking Omega, making sure that my dominant pheromones wash over him, quelling him further. “What made you think that you could treat the King’s cousin like that? Any Alpha? Your dragon?”

“I apologize, Your Majesty,” Aquila whispers.

“You said that already. It’s not an explanation.”

Aquila looks lost. “I d-didn’t…I was just so…frustrated…it’s how my f-family…”