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Nodding, I stifled a yawn. “It sounds insane, right?”
Sitting up, she looked me straight in the eyes and gradually slid her attention to the door before sliding it back to me. “What the hell is up with the grumpy asshole?”
“I don’t know. He doesn’t like me, I guess,” I said with the same thought churning in my head. “I met him in the garden after I’d met with Scylla. He stopped me from wandering into Aden and his friends, who were discussing me as if I was a piece of meat.”
“That dead-hellhound-bastard!” She flicked her hair before turning and loosening an ear-piercing scream. Esme leaped from the sofa and barreled into me, forcing me to fall backward against the couch. “What the fuck is that?”
The door to the chamber burst open, and Zyion entered it with a sword drawn. My eyes met his as his dark eyebrows lifted and he passed the mess of limbs we’d become. He didn’t stop until he reached the balcony doors, then closed them. Next, he checked behind each of the closed doors as I watched from beneath Esme. Had he been sitting outside our door or something? He sure as shit hadn’t returned to his own room. Not with how promptly he’d responded to her scream.
“Get off me, Esme. We’re saved,” I mumbled irritably.
“What happened?” Zyion demanded. His turbulent gaze searched my face while Esme gradually released me and pointed at Fennix and Fennia, who were now seated on the sofa where she’d been sitting.
“She isn’t animal friendly,” I explained.
“Those are not animals! Those are the shit my mother threatened me with, making me behave,” she hissed, as if it would actually keep them from hearing.
“They’re cute,” I argued in their defense. Zyion continued to regard me as if I’d gone insane. “What? Scylla said they chose me. That they were mine now.” Zyion’s lips parted as he glanced at the critters. “She said they’d show up when they wanted, and leave the same way.”
“And what did Scylla say about you, Aria?” he asked. His tone held an intangible quality, and when I didn’t react, his eyes narrowed.
“That I should be careful who I trust with my secrets.” Tapping my forehead, I smirked at him before rising from the settee. “Oh, wait. That was you. Shouldn’tyoube sleeping instead of eavesdropping on us defenseless girls? Or is that what gets you off, Zyion?” I asked in a soft, seductive voice. “Don’t lie to me because I’ll know if you do. Is that even your name, Vicious?”
Zyion stepped closer to me, which prompted Esme to rise behind me. His eyes didn’t leave my face as I lifted my hand, running a finger over the curve of his jawline.
“My name is Zyion Vicious, Crowned Prince of the Vanir, Head of the Queen’s Guard. It isn’t Zyion of the Blah-blah-blah, Aria, Princess to the Kingdom of Fire. You may address me as whatever the fuck you want, ocean eyes, so long as it isn’t ‘Blah-blah-blah’. Understand?”
“Not quite. Is it two ‘blahs’ or three?”
Zyion rattled quietly, and the sound had Ember stretching from within me even as Esme slammed against the floor. I rattled back, but instead of him reacting as Aden or Griffon had, Zyion’s eyes began glowing sea-green with gold scattered within them. My eyes also glowed similarly when I was turned on, or pissed off. I swallowed past the unease, and his brows shot up as the color drained from my face. ‘Abort’ was all that screamed through my head.
“Bloody fucking hell,” he growled as turned and stalked from the room, slamming the doors with a jarringthud.
“What the fuck just happened?” Esme demanded from her position on the floor.
“I don’t know,” I admitted and then jumped as she screamed again. This time, Fennia and Fennix were rubbing against her. “They’re harmless.”
“You don’t know that! My mother said if you feed them after dark, they turn into monsters!”
“Someone’s mother watchedGremlins,” I mused. “Let’s get some rest. I’ll take the critters with me so you don’t have to worry.”
“With them in here?” she demanded, with horror dripping from each word.
“Of course, with them inside. Where else would they sleep?” Her eyes widened at my words, forcing me to fight the smile itching to tug the corners of it up. When she didn’t respond, solely staring at the critters, I spoke softly, for her ears alone. “You remember when we first met?” At her sharp nod of confirmation, I continued. “I need to do that again. If what I think is about to unfold, then I need to see Knox. There’s something not right, but I can’t put my finger on it, Esme.”
“I felt it too,” she agreed as she sidled closer to the wall, peering at the sleeping creatures. “It’s malevolent of nature. I didn’t feel it from Griffon, but the moment the men entered the hall? I felt it crawling over my flesh. As if something was learning me intimately.”
My eyes widened at her words. “I meant with the world, but you need to elaborate on that, Esmeralda.” As I watched, she once again began chewing on her thumbnail. “You’re not the least bit tired?” I asked, which caused her to release the hold her teeth held on her thumbnail. “Spill it, now.”
She whispered so softly that I had to strain to hear the words. “I don’t know what the hell it was. Your uncles, brothers, and Aden’s men flooded the hall. Griffon sought to steer the conversation away from you, but this man kept asking things. Things he didn’t need to know. When Griffon refused to entertain his direction of conversation, I felt needles poking into my head. As if he was stealing the answers from my mind. If I hadn’t been so fucking exhausted, I would’ve known what was happening. Instead, it took me entirely too long to force him out of my mind. But I’m not even positive it was him who did it, Aria. I lost half the night from whatever he did to my mind.”
“Fucking brilliant,” I muttered.
“I’m sorry.”
“I’m not upset with you. It wasn’t like you willingly allowed whoever it was into your mind. As I said before, we stay together. If we have to leave this place quickly, it will be much easier to succeed without having to track each other down. If you feel it again, tell me and I’ll counter it, Esme. No one fucks with us while we’re here. No one. Not even the grumpy bastard who is listening outside the door. Do you hear me? I wouldn’t suggest you fuck around. I’d hate to show you what it feels like to find out how much of a petty bitch I can be,” I called, but wasn’t certain what I expected in reply. I grinned fiercely at her bewildered look, tightening her features.
“Is it me? Did I do drugs while you were gone? Because I’m pretty sure you came back a lot weirder than when you left here. Dead grandma, strange pets, random grumpy asshole . . . what’s next?”
