Esme snickered, and scenes from A Knight’s Tale played inside my head. We exited the corridor, then took winding steps down to the main floor. Throughout the entire hallway, paintings depicting battles, or Scylla with a man, who I assumed was Tirsynth, in various poses. I didn’t get time to study any of the images before Eva whisked us into luscious gardens. Passing a large, exquisitely crafted statue of twin phoenixes in flight, which was surrounded by children. One of the tiny girls looked up, smiling as I met her stare. Returning her smile, I noted the mothers gathered behind her, who all watched me with curious gazes.
As Eva approached the wide, heavily guarded gates, they were flung open to allow us to enter a heavily populated area filled with vibrantly colored tents. Each one appeared to be selling goods or wares of varying items. Cool air drifted over my shoulders, then forced goosebumps over my flesh as the scent of savory meats, sweetened berries, and excitement drifted on the breeze as we moved through the multitude of tents. Eva stopped at a tent with a large table filled with brilliantly colored strips of fabric and plucked up a sheer, silver strip for me and then a crimson and onyx-colored one for Esme.
“The royal coffers will pay the coin,” she told the merchant. “Esme, silver represents the Royal House of Fafnir. Red and black indicate the House of Prometheus.”
“I’m a Prometheus?” she asked without accepting the slip of fabric.
“You are. You both are, but only one of you holds the bloodline of Scylla Prometheus.”
“So, if I’m a Prometheus, then who is my father?” Esme asked, her lips tugging at the corners when Eva eyed her guardedly. “He doesn’t want to meet me, does he?” The dejection in Esme’s tone forced tightness in my chest.
“Leopold Prometheus isn’t a nice person, Esmeralda. I wouldn’t take it personal. He’s not a loving father, either. It’s not like you’re missing out by his aloofness of his offspring. Leopold is Tirsynth’s brother, and also your father. Griffon sent Leopold into the mountains a few nights ago. Considering the number of women within the towns outlining the forest, I don’t expect him back for at least a few more days,” Eva explained, offering us both the thin, frizzy pieces of fabric. Leading us through the crowd, which turned to stare as we progressed through it.
“There are other townships inside this realm?”
“A couple, Aria. Though we do try to convince them to come here. Some prefer to live away from the din of the larger towns.”
“So, why isn’t my hair silver? Or my eyes blue?” Esme asked, her forehead creased with the emotion she felt at discovering her father didn’t care.
“Tirsynth’s descendants inherited black hair and violet eyes of Prometheus. You house the blood, obviously. Scylla had only two children with Tirsynth—Griffon and Hagen, who has threatened to challenge him if he vacates the throne for you, Aria. You’re to steer clear of Hagen and his sons. The same goes for Tirsynth’s bastard-born children Baldrick, Talon, and Castain. They’re minions of Hagen’s.”
“Okay,” I agreed as the sounds of blades crashing together reached my ears. It mixed with the shouts and cheers of men and women, as if they were watching a tournament. I caught glimpses of the onlookers between the gaps of the large tents we passed. Only after we had passed the last few, did my eyes widen and my lips part in surprise. “Holy shit.”
Hundreds of men and women battled with various weapons on the greenery. Dragons observed the field intently, watching the combatants. Phoenixes sat on high perches, their colorful wings stretching but as mute as the dragons standing beneath them. Eva ignored the cries of those waiting to be let in past the guards, preventing them from entering the stands. She moved us toward an actual dais placed at the front of the arena.
Noises from a horse forced my head to turn, studying the way Zyion tended to the large, intimidating stallion. He had his back to me as the mammoth beast pushed its snout against his shoulder, continuing to make the sound. Those marine-colored eyes narrowed, then scanned my face, then narrowed with a worrisome emotion. If I had to guess at the emotion, it would be enmity. My teeth worried my lip as that annoying thread tugged, forcing me to examine it closer.
“I see daddy dressed you up all pretty, princess.” Zyion’s voice was like whiskey as it flowed over me. “Do you normally allow the men in your life to dress you? Because, if so, I look forward to doing it soon.” It took me a moment to realize he was too far away for me to hear anything he said. Stopping in my tracks, I swung my stare toward where he’d been, but he was already gone.
What the hell? How the hell?
Chapter Fifteen
Aria
Zyion being able to communicate inside my head was unnerving. It left me fumbling for how he’d done it. It had also awakened Ember, who was even now trying to make me go back to the warrior so she could sniff him. The beat of my heart thundered violently against my ribcage as the din of noise elevated at our approach.
“Go back! I need to smeeeeell the creature!” Ember demanded.
Mentally shaking her, I refused. “It’s not happening. He was inside our head. Inside it, Ember!” My body stopped midstep, and I faltered as heat singed my ears. “Did you try to take control of me?” I asked inwardly.
“If you don’t go back this instant, I’ll strip off this torture device you allowed them to dress us in, and I’ll shake your tiny ass all over the field while you’re stuck inside my head!”
“You wouldn’t,” I hissed, which had Eva turning to eye me questioningly. “I swear to everything holy, Ember. If you so much as try to undress us on this field, I will sew my vagina shut! Completely shut. Do you hear me? No dick will ever be up inside this vagina if you do that to me.”
“Aria, I love you. You know that. I need to smell it. It smelled sooo good and tasty.” The sound she released from my lips was sultry and erotic. Eva came to a stop in front of me as Esme gave me serious side-eye, lowering it the moment I glanced at her. “Tell her we shan’t be speaking of this. Do it or I’ll lick her!”
Shaking my head, I flinched from the internal image Ember sent flashing through my head. “You know you’re acting like a two-year-old. Right? This isn’t how people ask for things.”
“Ask if I care, then tell her what I said! What is he?”
“My inner slut says we shan’t be talking about this.” Eva’s mouth opened, then closed as she slowly scratched her silver head. “I don’t know what he is. I don’t know what anyone is. Remember? In fact, I don’t even know what the hell I am. What I do know is that you’re being childish and we have a mate. He can smell however the hell he wishes to, but he must do it away from us.”
“Because you like his scent too! You like him. I know you. Remember?” Her taunt was childish as she berated, argued, and continued being a wanton hussy.
“Then you know Knox and Lennox wouldn’t be keen on us sniffing another male. Sniffing people is frowned upon. I can’t go around just sniffing—” My nose turned as Zyion passed by me, his lips curled into a wicked smirk.
“You stopped in the middle of the field and everyone is watching you argue with her,” Zyion’s honeyed voice stated, once again from inside my head. “Eyes forward, princess. Let her smell me so that you don’t cause a scene.”
“He smells yummy, Aria. That creature smells . . . masculine and powerful. I want to lick him and call him ours too,” Ember stated dreamily.