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CHAPTER 9
Does she?
The words rang in my mind.
Ask him myself? I scoffed at the idea.
But I also felt shaken. Would Draven really consider marrying his sister-in-law? Now? Could a Siabra emperor have a consort and a paramour?
More importantly, why the hell did I care?
Perhaps Draven was already planning to marry. After all, why bother to inform me? What was between us was merely a sham, wasn’t it?
But Lyrastra claimed she wanted to kill me. Wouldn’t that mean anything to him? He swore he wanted to protect me.
Not if he already cared for her, a small voice in my head said. He had already saved Lyrastra’s life by killing his own brother. Even though doing so meant his loss of his direct place in line to the Umbral throne and his banishment, albeit temporary.
What sort of a man would do all of that for a woman hedidn’tlove? Perhaps that was the better question.
But then he had extended his own banishment. Stayed away from the Court of Umbral Flames for twenty years.
Why would he do that if he could have returned and claimed Lyrastra’s hand much sooner?
I ground my teeth as I walked down the hall, Crescent not far behind.
Who knew how Draven’s mind worked? Did I really want to know?
“We’re passing the menagerie, if you’d like a peek,” Crescent observed from behind me.
He had been unusually quiet since he’d met me outside of Steelhaven. I’d assumed he’d picked up on my mood and was trying to give me space, which I appreciated.
“Oh?” I glanced to the right where the corridor had opened up onto an octagonal courtyard. At the far side were large brass gates leading into another area where the sounds of animals could be heard.
I shrugged. “I suppose I’ll have a quick glance. If you don’t think anyone will mind.”
Crescent smiled. “You’re the Prince’s Paramour,” he reminded me. “You don’t need anyone’s permission to explore the palace.”
That wasn’t exactly true. Or at least, it hadn’t been until today. But I decided not to remind him of my previous confinement.
Walking up to the gates, I gave them a push and one slowly squealed open.
I stepped inside with Crescent close behind, and looked around me curiously. The Royal Menagerie was part hothouse, part zoo. The air was warm and humid, with large plants and vines covering the walls and leading up to another glass dome like the one that covered Steelhaven. A ring of cages stretched before me.
I walked slowly over to the first one and heard a gentle chiming. Peering through the bars, I let out a gasp of delight. A graceful bird with dazzling wings fluttered on a branch. As the creature met my eyes, it lifted its wings, revealing feathers as kaleidoscopic and colorful as stained glass. As the bird flapped its wings they emitted a tinkling sound, sweet and airy like a chorus of bells.
“An ambrilith,” Crescent said. “They’re native to Myntra.”
“Beautiful,” I murmured. I nodded my head at the ambrilith, in an instinctive gesture, and to my surprise the bird lowered its own head in response.
