AllFreeNovel
Share Us
“This tea isn’t hot enough. Heat it up,” she barked to the aide. The aide rushed back and tried to pick up Annalise’s saucer before being waved away. “What are you doing?
“My element is water,” the aide said softly.
“Fine, I’ll do it myself. The service here is already lacking.” Annalise sniffed, holding a hand over her cup. It steamed moments later. “I assumed you’d give us an aide who could handle our food.”
The aide scuttled away to get our tea.
“The aides here work really hard,” Arden said, a hard edge to her voice. “And the enforcers, too.”
Annalise finally looked at Arden, confusion written all over her face. Was she shocked that Arden had spoken, or surprised that Arden would say something like that? I expected Annalise to say something condescending back, but she sipped her tea and looked out the window instead, like Arden hadn’t said anything at all. Clarissa’s nose wrinkled, but she kept quiet as well.
I wasn’t sure which was worse—Clarissa saying something about Arden’s “low class” bloodline, or how Arden wasn’t a lady for speaking up, or the complete cold shoulder they gave her.
One more wrong move and I wouldn’t let Arden stop me from taking out my frustrations on them. My family members—who weren’t even related by blood—were miserable.
“So…” Dane leaned back in his seat, crossing one ankle over his knee. His socks were a florescent blue against the navy of his pants, which was apparently the style now. It looked ridiculous on him. “You’re sure you’re mate bonded with someone like her?”
He opened his mouth to say more, but I didn’t want to hear it. Who the fuck did he think he was? He didn’t come from a Royal bloodline. He was an aristocrat by birth, but he only had power because his bitch of mother had married my father after my mother left. The temperature in the room rose several degrees, and though I wasn’t near a mirror, I knew my irises had gone red.
“Arden is right here, so don’t fucking talk to her like she’s a potted plant,” I growled. I stood, towering over him. “And she’s my mate, so you’ll treat her with respect, or you can get the fuck out.”
“I didn’t say anything wrong,” Dane said, glaring back at me. He stood, too, the piece of shit. Was he asking for a fight? “It was a simple question.”
“You’re being awfully bold for someone I could destroy in seconds.” My demon form was fighting to come out already, my eyes feeling hot, like the irises had turned red. I would have let myself shift if Arden wasn’t here. I didn’t want her to get caught up in the fight. “But even though I could, I’d take my fucking time and make you feel everything.”
“Jagger,” Arden said, putting her hand on my arm. “He’s not worth it.”
I closed my eyes and took a deep breath to get a hold of myself. Arden felt the intensity of my rage. It was so overwhelming that the irritation and distress from her side were muted in comparison.
But I couldn’t let Dane get away with this. I lit his blazer on fire with the wave of a hand, the flames burning white hot. He couldn’t put it out with as much ease as I’d created it. He was way too weak for that.
By the time he put the flames out, his blazer was ash, and his shirt was filled with burn holes. The flames were so hot that they actually burned him, even despite his element. He winced as his skin healed.
“Let’s go,” I said, taking Arden’s hand and pulling her toward the door. “We don’t need this bullshit.”
“But you just got here!” Clarissa said. Wasn’t that just like her? She didn’t even worry about the fact that I had just burned her son. I was more powerful than her biological children, and therefore, she wanted to please me. Always the social climber…
“And I need a replacement for this blazer,” Dane added. “I just got it yesterday.”
“It needed to be burned,” Arden said over her shoulder as we walked out into the hall again.
The enforcers shut the door behind us, and the ones assigned to us followed.
“I’m glad you didn’t light him on fire completely,” Arden said, lacing her fingers in mine.
“I only didn’t because no one wants to see him naked, and the vain piece of shit will probably be angry about that ugly jacket for weeks.” I squeezed her hand again. “That was a lot worse than I thought it would be. I’m sorry, Little Flower.”
Arden just shrugged. She looked nonchalant, but the swirl of dark emotions from her side of the bond told me how she really felt.
Chapter44
Lex
Iwas grateful for the office in my quarters. I was able to stay out of the surge of guests coming in—particularly my family—and get things done. We’d instructed our aides to set up gathering points with drinks and snacks around the central palace and in the gardens outside of the guest quarters to keep people busy. It worked, but I didn’t want to risk running into someone irritating just to work in a slightly more spacious room.
Knowing my family, they were already there, mingling and making themselves known. They loved to feel important, even though I was the one doing most of the work.
I sighed, running my fingers through my hair. The clock caught my eye, and I groaned. I had to go greet everyone at some point, but not right now.
