Cast Aside Without a Mate

Chapter 7: Breakfast Ceremony

Chapter 7: Dante's POV

As I sat across from my brother, I noticed he seemed shaken about something, like he had seen a ghost. "Are you okay, Des?" I asked out of concern, as I have never seen my brother shaken up like he is currently. Did he get anxious all of a sudden? Desmond looked up at me, and his face went from terrified to relieved to something like contemplation. I wondered if he was experiencing energy fluctuations; since we are at the dining table, we should start absorbing energy for the rest of the day till the night ceremony. When I looked at Desmond again, he gave me a "Don't worry" gesture. *Ding* *Ding* *Ding* I nodded, and as we rose from our seats with our right fists over our hearts, we began absorbing rapid energy.

Closing our eyes, we face the throne on the castle's north side, recite our birthright, and pray to Sanctuary for our desires. "I, Dante Trinity Deathridge, claim my birthright as a son of Clarity and Thanos. Today I claim my right as their son and future king of the Menyaka!" Desmond joined in from the other side of the table across from me and recited, " I, Desmond Elliot Deathridge, claim my birthright as the son of Clarity and Thanos. Today I claim my right as their son and future king of the Menyaka by my brother's side!" Desmond shouted his words passionately as we opened our eyes and turned to face one another. Face to face at the table once more, Desmond reached over and began to cut the palms of my hands, which flowed into the goblet between us. I quickly took the dagger from him and gestured to his palms with quick movements. Both of our palms were pouring our blood into the goblet.

We intertwined our hands together and pressed firmly to fill the goblet up and then recited together, "Today is a beautiful day! May the light forever be in our favor, may the gods bless me!" as we finished our repeated lines, a maid stepped up a bit hesitantly but cautiously as she brought us towels to clean our healing skins. Of course, Des and I could heal relatively quickly, and since today we would be absorbing a steady stream of energy so I could pass off being healed as it is my birthday ceremony, so the gods must be in my favor this time. Energy streamed into my body, and my senses heightened before we were prepared. My brother and I took shaking steps away and sighed when the intense surge of energy stopped upon creating distance between each other. We gave each other a questioning look before Desmond walked towards the Sermon at a table in front of our parents' thrones. He handed them two rings and walked back a few feet from where I stood. The sermon stood, and they began reciting the royal birthright out loud to everyone in the dining hall.

As I expected, someone was already on their way over to try to approach my brother. I would keep everyone from getting in the way of our plans for today. I smiled innocently at the approaching visitor. "Hello, Annabell; what brings you here before we even begin the ceremonial right of passage at dinner tonight?" I giggled to myself " Don't tell me you are worried we will find our mates tonight, and it won't be you as our queen?" I scolded and began to pick up my locket and Ville of red substance. I popped the cork off the Ville and opened the locket nonchalantly. I would need to begin my part of the ritual while reading rights. At least I had everything I needed to perform each ritual throughout the day, and then my brother's mind would be at ease about losing me. "It will never happen." I thought to myself, and nauseating gravel-like laughter echoed quietly in my mind. A shiver ran down my spine. I know exactly who the gravel voice is; we usually do not talk.

Annabell is starstruck when she hears his Angelic gravel voice stealing her breath away. It was a shame in Annabell's mind that Dante was nothing but a human-born alpha, which meant he was practically the same as a mortal in the kingdom. "Hmph! Not even your brother wants to look at you!" Annabell growled and then shamelessly turned to Desmond and continued sauntering to my brother. At least she left me alone. Now I can work on my spell while everyone is distracted. I could see how Des looked at Annabell lustfully, but I knew she had disgusted him with the way she said he did not want to look at me. Desmond only flirts with her so he can use her money to buy petty gifts for me as revenge for Annabell's hateful attitude toward me. Only my brother knows what I am like and what I can conquer, but I have to remember the plan. I sigh and look at the digital watch on my wrist. It's the latest technology, and I engineered it to work 20 times better than its original format. I have been good at technology since I went to college and have been human since I graduated from Menyaka College. I have fond memories I made with the many types of creatures I met, and I lied to my parents, saying that we had a lot of school projects that required us to travel. It was the best time of my life away from the kingdom.

I closed my eyes and thought of everything I was thankful for. My brother knew all of my darkest secrets. My parents for loving me for who I am and not what I possess. My grandparents because, even though they dislike me now, I know they love me. It breaks their hearts that I am weaker than Desmond. Since I was young, I have often been sick after our birthday. I never told anyone about the things I could see and the deals I made with entities they probably did not even know existed. My Menyaka refused to talk to me when he first came to me. He would lie there and watch me make my choices. It was not til last year that he began to interfere with my choices and try to ruin my plans. I still remember when he said he would protect and care for me no matter what. As I began to think of all those who loved me, I felt an exhilarating wave of energy wash over me. It happened so quickly that I gasped quietly enough only to draw my brother's attention.