Unbound

Semantics

Analise’s eyes danced frantically – King to fingers, King to fingers –before she darted away. Crimson sparks sizzled around her hand as she ran, like oil in a pan. She bundled the hand to her chest.

What the hell am I thinking? I can’t outrun him.

Her thoughts swirled. A sphere of black raced alongside her, and cut across her path. She skidded to a halt, heels lashing against the palace flooring.

She placed her hands before her, wading away the presence before her.

“I know, I shouldn’t have run. That was stupid, but I refuse to apologize for the slap. Your words weren’t fit for a lady.”

The King emerged from a smokey, black shadow. His eyes matched the night around him, but a predator’s incisors winked out when he grinned.

“As you shouldn’t,” he agreed. “Vampires are governed by lust, impulse. We care little for the decorum the world above swears by. You’ll grow used to it – in time.”

He zoomed before her and grabbed her sparking hand. The bottomless pits of his eyes feasted on hers, and he leaned forward. His tone was brash when he spoke, muted, like a hunter’s bullet before whizzing into a deer: “Hitting me once was permissible. You’re new, overwhelmed, struggling with your new role. But the next time you dare raise your hand to a king, the consequences will be severe, understand?”

Her magicked hand trembled.

Cassian cooed at her, and closed his eyes. When reopened, they were that charming, glittering gold. He swathed her hand in his, used his long fingers to survey the bouncing sparks.

A whirl of lilac sounded to her right. The same man with dark hair and pruple eyes emerged, brows taut over his eyes. He surveyed her hand with a smug smile.

“I thought I sensed magic. Awakening didn’t take long,” he mused. His eyes flickered to hers. “Remind me never to ruffle your feathers, princess.”

“I fear we’ve barely begun, Luc,” Cassian said. “I’ll call Lady Armanda to begin training immediately. For now, I want her kept close to me.”

“Chamber sharing already?” Lucian clicked his tongue. “At least ask her to dinner first.”

Analise whipped a glare in Cassian’s direction. “Tell me he’s joking.”

He replied to his brother, nonplussed: “We can’t chance magical casualty. Alert her chambermaid.”

Lucian nodded, then added: “Our brothers are still due for council tomorrow. Should we amend that?”

“No, there are matters to be discussed. Any word from our envoy in Alasia?”

Lucian closed his eyes, c****d his head to the side. A brief hum like hummingbird wings fumbled through the air. It ceased when he reopened his eyes.

“Yes. I’ll schedule our audience.”

Cassian bit out a series of words in a foreign tongue. Lucian smirked, then bowed before disappearing into a swirl of violet. An echo of “your majesty” was left in his wake.

At his dismissal, Cassian bit out other words in the dark. A series of guards detached themselves from the walls to surround them. Analise raised her eyebrows to them.

Cassian turned her and grinned, eyes glistening with a haughty gold.

“Now you must be famished. Shall we?”