Page 7 of Clash of Kingdoms
He grinned and took another drink.
Harlow scratched Fang’s head, and he immediately closed his eyes in pleasure.
Yaaassssssss.
Ivory regained control of the conversation. “A lot has happened since your last visit to our lands. My brother-in-law traveled to the east to discover everything he could about our enemy, against my husband’s orders, and now my husband has gone to rescue him from his captivity.” She spoke with a strong voice despite the terror in our hearts. “He should return soon—and hopefully with the knowledge we need to destroy these fiends.”
“So at this moment in time, you know nothing new about them?” Kingsnake asked.
I shook my head. “We’re preparing HeartHolme for the assault. All the Kingdoms are traveling here for the battle. It’s the only place that can contain all of humankind. We may not be able to match their strength, but perhaps our numbers will greatly exceed theirs.”
“Yes,” Kingsnake said, staring at me. “Hopefully…”
We sat in silence for a few minutes. Ivory continued to stare at my kin, and Harlow continued to give Fang a rubdown, not the least bit afraid of his size and strength. She treated him like a puppy dog.
Ivory cleared her throat. “My servants will prepare your accommodations in the castle. If there’s anything you need, let them know.” She rose from her seat. “Once my husband returns, we’ll have another discussion.”
We all stood when she stood, giving her the respect that others gave to us in our lands.
She nodded before she walked away.
Harlow remained, hypnotized by the beauty of Fang’s scales. “You’re cute.”
I know.
When Harlow felt the intensity rise, she knew she didn’t belong in this conversation. She patted him on the head before she rose from her chair. “It’s nice to see you again. Goodnight.” She left the room and stepped into the hallway.
My back was to her so I couldn’t watch her go, but I wanted to crane my neck to see her walk away. My attention returned to my brothers across from me.
“Now that they’re gone…” Cobra grabbed the bottle and refilled his glass until it nearly spilled over the top. He did the same for Kingsnake, filling it like it was water after a trek across a desert. “So when did you become such a little bitch?” He drank from his glass as he stared me down. “You said you wanted to protect your woman, but from what I can see, you’re the queen’s guard.”
I would have denied that statement before, but that’s exactly what Harlow was…my woman. “When her father left, he asked me to protect his family like they’re my own.”
“But they aren’t your own,” Cobra said. “We are. And we sailed across the world for you.”
“I didn’t ask you to do that?—”
“When it comes to family, you never have to ask.” He slammed his drink down. “Aurelias, what the fuck?”
I turned to Kingsnake. “Let’s ignore the child.”
“Actually…” Kingsnake pulled his drink toward him. “I’m with our brother on this one. You’re making an immense sacrifice for these people. I don’t even recognize you with the way you’re behaving. You said you wanted to protect your woman, but you’ve become one of them.”
“I will never be one of them.” Even though Harlow had asked me to.
“If you want to protect the girl, just bring her back with you,” Kingsnake suggested. “Live in Crescent Falls with her?—”
“She would never abandon her family.”
“Well, if you want her to survive, that might be your only option,” Kingsnake said. “Because these humans are far too weak to face these demons.”
I stared at my glass for a moment, the past flashing across my eyes. The way Harlow’s mother stood her ground against those monsters. The way I could feel Huntley’s love for his family every time we were in the same room together. The way his own son risked his life for his people rather than hiding behind the castle doors. “They’re stronger than you realize.”
Kingsnake continued to stare at me, his head cocked slightly. His ruthless stare continued, and the anger and resentment slowly faded into something else. “You love her.”
My eyes went back to my glass.
The others stared at me too, waiting for me to vehemently deny it.