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“It’s amazing,” I admitted before wincing as a familiar voice called out from above. I spun around, peering up three tiers as Esme and Eva waved from above. “You brought Esme here?”
“You wouldn’t have remained here without her. There’s a lot we need to discuss, Aria. It will not be a quick conversation.” Zyion’s eyes held mine before lifting to where Esme was shouting down from above. “It is best that you follow me. You need warmth, and your gown is beyond repair.”
Zyion walked through a hallway, which threaded throughout the cavern. Thousands of tiny, glowing lights filled the walls, as if they’d captured millions of lightning bugs, then released them. Once we’d passed the long, winding corridor of small, hand-carved doors, the cave opened into a vast oasis. The same tiny flickering bugs were within the large, intricate structure. An entire city had been built into the earth, which stole my breath. The damp, earthy scent drifted around us, soothingly. The air was chilled, but then we were inside an underground cavern.
Zyion didn’t stop long enough for me to appreciate the view, forcing me to run to keep up with his longer-legged strides. We moved over a rock formation, which they’d utilized as a bridge, allowing a glimpse over the edge, which had a fast-moving river running through the lowest level of the cavern. Around the edge of the same level as the underground river, a pathway with strips of drapery covered what I assumed were doorways. Following directly behind Zyion, while still inspecting the wondrous city built into the vast cavern, I didn’t notice him stopping before me. I plowed into his chest, then jerked back as his hands shot out, steadying me.
“I wouldn’t get too close to the edge. I’d hate to drag your corpse from the river below. The cavern won’t disappear before I’ve provided you with warmth and something suitable to wear. There will be plenty of time to both explore and appease your curiosity after we’ve spoken,” he chided, before pulling back a crimson tapestry with images of dragons and phoenixes in flight, sewn into the fabric in silver thread. “Ladies first,” he purred as I ducked beneath his arm, entering into the room.
The chamber we entered was obscured by darkness. The dim light from the lanterns outside offered just enough to discern the layout of the chamber. I remained in place as Zyion released his hold on the curtain, closing the room off from the outside. I swallowed down the uneasiness that being alone with him created in my abdomen. Zyion didn’t seem to hold the same worry, entering behind me and promptly vanishing into a doorway, or what I assumed was one, only to vanish.
I didn’t move, uncertain if he’d expected me to follow behind him. The fact that Acheron had insisted I’d find out about what Zyion had done created uncertainty within me. I had my suspicions about what had occurred, but I needed answers. Answers that only he could give me.
“Are you nervous about being alone with me, princess?” he questioned from behind me, which almost had me jumping out of my own skin. He’d managed to catch me off-guard, which wasn’t something people normally did. Knox was the only one who managed to sneak up on me.
“Actually, yes. I don’t know you well enough to be alone with you, Zyion. Plus, I don’t like whatever is connecting us. It’s bothersome.” I hadn’t meant to admit it to him, but he unnerved me.
“And you think I’m enjoying being tethered to you?” In his voice, I heard pain and anger, which caused the skin on my forehead to crease. “I don’t know if you’re ready for the answer. Neither of us were asked if we wanted to be connected to one another. If Scylla had asked me? I’d have declined being connected to anyone ever again, but that wasn’t the case. You’ll soon be the Queen of the Kingdom of Fire. That means I will be your protector and champion. It’s not a job I’ll take lightly, either.” He turned me toward him, which I allowed.
It felt like he was peering into the depths of my soul as he held my gaze. Silently, I studied the turquoise irises within his eyes, noting the flecks of gold that shimmered within the tranquil color.
“Why should I trust you?” I asked with hesitancy warring through my emotions. “You failed my grandmother.” I noted the way his eyes closed before opening, flaying me open with the pain I witnessed in them.
As I waited for his reply, his emotions closed down and the thread pulling us closer felt frayed. Almost as if he was trying to rip free of the link.
“You shouldn’t trust me, Aria. In fact, you shouldn’t trust anyone until they’ve proven their intent toward you. I didn’t fail my queen, either. If you’ll let me, I’ll explain why you feel the thread tethering you to me.”
His words caused a flurry of butterflies to whisper through my belly. Though not like Knox created, it was a more worrisome flutter. Was Zyion pleasing to the eye? Definitely. Was he Knox? No, which meant I needed to sever the thread binding us together.
“Why should I trust you if what Basilius said earlier is true?” I asked, needing to know why he’d murdered her and then allowed the others to think he’d betrayed her.
“Are you asking me if I killed my queen? The answer isn’t pretty, princess. I killed my queen.”
The long pause between his words sent my heart thundering powerfully in my ears as it thumped against my chest. His tone was the only thing holding me in place. There was pain in how he’d admitted what he’d done.
“Tell me why you killed my grandmother,” I commanded. Anger clashed with fear, causing an odd combination of emotions to churn through my stomach.
“If you give me a chance, Aria, I’ll tell you everything.” Nodding for him to continue, he snorted before moving to a wooden table.
On it, there was some sort of wooden holder, which had been whittled into the shape of a phoenix in flight. Zyion placed a tea kettle on the smooth, wooden base. In the small cupboard beneath it, he pulled out a basket of herbs, then a small, rounded piece of glass.
“I am not a savior. Hell, I’m not even a good person, but I’ve never pretended to be one, either. You are good. I can sense the goodness that clings to your soul. You’re not a murderous bitch who kills without warranting death. You came here without the intent of taking your birthright.”
“How do you know that?” I countered, watching him as he added herbs into the small strainer, which he then put into the other rounded glass item he’d brought out.
His head lifted as a small smile played on his lips. “Because, unlike others, I can feel the intentions of others. You’re easy enough to read without me needing to use any abilities, though. Esmeralda is the same as you are. Neither of you came here with ill intent, but it doesn’t alter the others, who don’t wish to see a stranger placed upon our throne.” Zyion waved his fingers beneath the strange kettle. My forehead creased as the water began boiling in the glass of the upper chamber. “Scylla changed your mind, didn’t she?”
“In a way, yes.” Pausing, I considered how much I should disclose of what I’d discovered on my own.
“You can trust me, Aria. I am honor-bound to protect you with my life, as you witnessed in yourself earlier. Scylla chose me to be your protector. It wasn’t a choice I willingly agreed to, which is why she forced it upon me.”
“Ouch,” I whispered as the tether within me tightened. His head dropped forward, as if he was deciding how to word something. “I don’t have time for vacillation, Zyion. There’s a war unfolding outside of this realm. The people need me, so if you have something to say, say it now.”
“I didn’t think you’d ever actually be real. I was the commander of Scylla’s armies, her personal guard. I am damn good at fighting, strategic in battles, but I am not a good person.”
“Good at killing dragons as well?” I carefully studied the smirk spreading over his lips.
“Absolutely,” he rasped, which caused me to pause, considering him carefully. “I take it you mentioned me to your lover?”
