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He’s inside there somewhere and I plan on finding him.
7
Elodie
Well this dinner is going to be a shit show.
I’ve only just arrived, Rune beside me, and everyone I don’t care to be around is here. Kol and his prick soldiers are all seated along the center of the table that can easily seat over fifty people. Willow stands by the doors on guard duty and gives me a tight smile as I pass by. I return it but I keep my wits about me. I can’t trust anyone in this fucking room and it’s suffocating.
Why is aprisonerexpected to attend this stupid thing? Violet is an enigma.
The room is enormous, with gorgeous arched windows along both sides of the table. The walls are made of grayish-tan stones and the lighting is warm. The night sky twinkles with the stars painting the universe above. At least the view is decent.
I’m uncomfortable as I try to stretch the chic white dress down past the cup of my butt. Did Arulius pick this out or Violet? I can feel the stares of every creature here and my cheeks couldn’t be redder if someone slapped me. This dress is beautiful but entirely too revealing. My breasts feel like they're going to jump ship and my ass is too big for this style of dress.
Gods.
Rune’s wearing his usual charcoal gray sweater and black pants. I haven’t uncovered why he gets away with dressing so casually compared to everyone else yet, but I’m determined to find out. The Dreadius walks over to a chair by Kol and I’m left standing awkwardly alone at the end of the long table as the seats quickly fill up.
“Over here, love.” I flinch at Arulius’s voice and find him sitting next to the head of the table. Violet’s chair is empty for now, but the throne awaits her nonetheless.
I steady myself and sip in a tight breath before walking over to him. The golden Eostrix stands and pulls out my seat with a gentle smile playing at my heart. I try my best not to meet his amethyst eyes. Those are my real undoing.
My eyes skirt across the table. It’s filled with crystal cups and plates gorged with meats, potatoes, and sides of every bready goodness. I’m drawn in by a familiar red and catch Rune’s heavy gaze. He’s across the table from me and down a few seats, but we might as well be sitting across from one another.
He’s always watching me.
A strange throb pulses through me. One that I haven’t felt in a long time. I’m not sure I even know what to call it anymore, but it feels like… a calling maybe? I felt this with Kastian too when I first saw him. I try to push away the sensation because Ican’thave any feelings for anyone here no matter how tempting it may be,especiallyRune.
I break our connection and sit in the chair as Arulius pushes me up to the table.
I take a breath.Clear your mind, Elodie. Stay focused.
Arulius grasps at my wrist and I flinch under the sting. I whirl to look at him, surprised at his aggression. He’s been nothing but kind and understanding this entire time no matter what I did to him, so why’s he so pissed at me now?
“What wasthat,love?”
I furrow my brows, my blood thickening. “What waswhat?”
His purple eyes narrow at me. “Love, I’m a patient god but I’mnotsharing. What was that you just sent across the bond? Because I know it wasn’t for me.” His words drip with venom and I’m holding my breath unconsciously.
Gooseflesh crawls up the back of my neck and I shake my head. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”
His mouth remains pressed flat and he turns to look across the table, surely finding Rune and his crimson stare just as I do.Fuck. Why can’t he stop watching me for two godsdamn seconds?
Arulius lets out a low growl and his grip tightens on my wrist. Pain surges through my forearm and I bite my lip to hold back the cry that wells in my throat.
“Stop,” I hiss at him, trying to avoid any unwanted attention from the other guests, but a few of them look at us anyway.
When he turns to look back at me, I see possessiveness in his glare, mixed with jealousy. An ugly beast curls inside him and it has finally come out to play.
“Why is he looking at you like that, love? You. Are.Mine.If he so much as touches you I’ll fucking kill him.” I can feel the blood drain from my face. I’ve never seen Arulius so angry. Ever. “Do you understand me? I’ll fucking kill him.”
I nod, shaking uncontrollably beneath his bruising hand.
He notices the trembling and quickly releases me. I grasp my wrist and hold it carefully against my chest, peeking down at it and finding it blackened and purple already.
Gods. I know I’ve given him worse bruises but it hurts that he’d do it to me… especially in front of all these people.
