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Men breaking into my house. Shooting at me. Ajax stopping time and slitting their throats before…
God, had he teleported me here?
Shivers of doubt chilled my blood. I’d been on the fence with the reality of Ajax’s existence since I met his perfect, stubborn, funny, caring, sexy ass…but this? How could I possibly deny this?
Breathe. Just breathe.
I chanted the mantra to myself as we walked deeper into the estate, the panic nipping at my heels and threatening to suck me under.
Grand chandeliers hung from the high ceilings, the golden lights twinkling off of teardrop crystals hanging from each candelabra. Vibrant, colorful tapestries hung along the stone walls, some purely artistic while others depicted what looked like historical events. My eyes could hardly settle on one thing as we wound through the halls, Ajax on a mission to get us to the king mentioned before.
And therewerepeople…several people we passed along the way. Some seemed to be servers while others looked like they lived here too, most giving us wide-eyed stares as Ajax led me along.
“You’ve got to be kidding me,” a masculine voice sounded inside a grand study as Ajax led us inside.
“I’m afraid not, your highness,” another male said.
Your highness?
A man stood behind a beautiful desk, floor-to-ceiling shelves of books lining the walls behind him. He had black hair and searing blue eyes which were narrowed at the smaller man standing on the other side of the desk.
“Cassandra’s panther is becoming an issue with our volunteer feeders,” the smaller man explained as Ajax nodded toward the man behind the desk, leading me to a set of chairs on the far left of the room.
I sank into one when he nudged me that direction, eyes wide and mind spinning. Nothing made sense and yet, that terror I felt when those men attacked my house had subsided, giving way to a spiraling sort of sensation I could barely keep at bay.
The man behind the desk let out a heavy sigh. “I’ll speak with Cassandra regarding her pet. Is there anything else?”
I furrowed my brow, wondering how the two wordspantherandpetcould ever go together.
“Yes,” the smaller man said. “Earl Browning is displeased about his chambers.”
“What’s wrong with them?”
“He says they’re the smallest in the estate and since he gave up his personal home to civilians, he feels he should be better compensated.”
The man behind the desk shook his head. “Explain to the earl that we are at capacity after the attacks and there are no other accommodations. He’s free to find new lodging outside estate grounds.”
The smaller man bowed, then turned on his heels and hurried from the room.
The man behind the desk turned to look at Ajax then me and back to Ajax again.
“Panther problems, nobility problems, and now you’re bringing home humans?” He waved an arm toward me, and I tried not to cower under the attention. There was something about this man—he wasn’t built like Ajax but he was tall and radiated a power that had warning bells flaring in my head.
“I know, my king,” Ajax said, and my eyebrows shot up my forehead. “There were special circumstances, I assure you.”
“I’m sure there were,” the man said, looking me over before returning his attention to Ajax. He rounded his desk, coming to stand before him. “Are you all right?” he asked, as if he could sense Ajax’s lingering tension over the attack.
“I’m fine. But we need to talk.” Ajax glanced over his shoulder at me.
Alek stared at Ajax for a long moment, looking as if the two were having a silent conversation…
The Sons targeted her, Alek. There were six of them. Why would they go after her?
Ajax’s voice fluttered through my mind, startling me so much I shifted in my chair.
Alek tracked the move, then narrowed that gaze on me.
Something pressed against my mind, a sort of pressure that felt cool and crisp—
