Page 77 of Wings of Betrayal
Footsteps sound behind us, and I pull away from Kyle as his parents and several guards approach.
“We’ve received word that Amaros is waiting for Zarla at the border. We need to go.” Apollon gives me a grim look, and I can tell he doesn’t like this any more than we do.
We fly over the Kingdom toward the border and soon spot Amaros waiting with about ten guards. I swallow hard as we make our descent. Nerves wrack my body, swirling in my stomach like a flock of birds, and I pray to the gods that this is the right thing to do.
He won’t hurt you. You’ll be fine.
We land before them, and everyone appears on edge, tension thick in the air. Apollon and Zeta stare at Amaros, who glares right back.
“How does it feel having spent the past few thousand years hiding out in Silanthia?” Apollon asks.
Amaros smirks. “No, not hiding. Waiting.”
Kyle cups my face in his hands and presses a kiss to my lips, then rests his forehead against mine. “I will know if you’re not safe, and I will come for you,” he whispers.
“I know.” I squeeze my eyes shut, enjoying this last moment with him before I’m taken away.
Amaros clears his throat, and I glance over at him. His expression is hard to read, but I can definitely sense jealousy. His focus drops to Kyle’s hands, which are now on my lower back, then back up to meet my gaze.
“Zarla, we must leave. Now,” he states in a firm, authoritative tone.
Zeta and Apollon say their goodbyes to me, and Kyle reluctantly lets my hand go. I wander over to Amaros. He stares down at me, his disapproval something I wonder if I will pay for later. He shakes his head at me before releasing his wings.
Amaros takes off into the sky and his guards wait to escort me back. I gaze back at Kyle, his expression torn between wanting to stop me from leaving and knowing I have to go.
Gods above, this is hard. I take a deep breath then release my wings and follow Amaros, flanked by the group of guards, back to Silanthia.
The flight back takes much longer than I remember, but I’m thankful we don’t run into any lost ones. We land outside the castle, and Amaros dismisses the guards then roughly grabs my arm and leads me through the hallways and into my quarters.
He doesn’t speak a word to me until we’re inside and the door is closed. I anxiously await his scolding, but I’m pleasantly surprised when he hugs me instead.
“Thank the gods you’re okay.”
I freeze beneath his touch, then quickly hug him back. This is strange. Something doesn’t feel right. He should be yelling at me, telling me how reckless I am, and how I should never have left the Kingdom.
“I’m sorry about Harlum,” he whispers against my ear. “I know you’re innocent.”
He pulls back but stays close.
“Yes, I am.”
He strokes my cheek, and his touch is like ice, causing me to shiver. “We have rules that must be followed. Laws that must be adhered to. It’ll be okay. We will get to the bottom of it. But in the meantime, you are to remain within the Kingdom. Do I make myself clear?”
I knew this was coming, so it doesn’t surprise me one bit. I nod.
“Why did you flee?”
I’m not sure if he’s testing me or what, but I’ll play along. For now.
“Because I knew they would blame me for it, andIdidn’t do it,” I say, looking him in the eyes.
He stares right back, and despite the intensity of his gaze, I refuse to be the first to look away.Hedid this. I know it.
“Well, it didn’t look good. The Throne has questions, Zarla. I can’t hold them off for long.” He steps in closer, forcing me to back up until I feel the cool wall behind me. “Of course, now that Harlum is gone, we need a new ruler. I know The Throne are considering me.”
My mouth falls open, and I gasp. That’s absurd. They can’t do that.
“What did you expect?” He eyes me up and down. “They will not allow a murder suspect to rule over the Kingdom.”