Blakeshire (Insight #9)(96)

We were escorted to the main palace with haste. The thundering footsteps had caused everyone we passed in the hallways to stop what they were doing and stare at me like I was an alien from another world. I hoped against all hope that one of them was from Chara, that someone would think to warn Drake or find help for Aden and me.

Britain and I were placed in a room just before two large, arched golden doors. Apparently, they thought it would be best to announce our arrival.

I glared at Britain when the reeking men were feet away from us. “I thought you were hired by Xavier?”

He glanced to his side at me with a stoic stare. “I told you he hired me to kill you. I didn’t. Now we’ll cross to the other side together. So be it.”

“You set this up.”

“Sure, I did,” he said as I could swear I felt trepidation cross his emotions.

Horns sounded, and the men blocking the door stepped in our room and grabbed our arms, forcefully pulling us forward.

There were guards in front of this golden archway, ones that didn’t reek of sulfur and had normal faces. One of them looked squarely at Xavier. “You must wait. No response has come.”

“Move, or my men will move you,” Xavier seethed.

The guards held their position.

Xavier carefully nodded his head forward, and when he did the doors opened with a bang. There was another set of doors behind them, and they slammed open as well.

Behind them, I saw a massive black desk with eccentric carvings shaping a royal throne of sorts. Leaning over it with his long, broad arms flexed was Drake. His head rose slowly, as did those dark eyes. He stood slowly as I felt a wave of rage slam into me.

Boldly, Xavier pushed past Drake’s guards as his guards pulled me and Britain along like we were nothing more than dogs on a chain.

“What is the meaning of this?!” the man next to Drake said. His voice belonged to Alamos, but the face was made of ink again.

“My men and I went to retrieve the accused for execution as you ordered,” Xavier said into the echo of the room, glancing to the other men that were with Drake. I didn’t know any of them. I did know that half of them were evil as hell. Strike that—Zander was here, mere feet from Drake.

“We found the prisoner and your courting princess locked in relations.”

“Did you now?” Drake breathed as his glare landed on me and slowly traveled down my body, taking in the bare skin, the ripped clothes.

“She has committed treason and will be executed,” Xavier stated in a matter-of-fact manner.

“Did I miss something here?” Drake asked as he crossed his arms. “This is my kingdom.”

“Your kingdom has laws,” Xavier said as he moved his stare to who was supposed to be Alamos.

“That, they do,” Alamos said with a heavy sigh.

“Laws that do not pertain to her. Her heritage states that,” Drake said as he threw a nasty glare at Alamos. That glare moved to me.

I should have a natural defense up, one that would block anyone from seeing into my mind or energy. But Drake had to see what I had been through. He had to know that the jealousy and rage he was feeling were uncalled for.

Xavier continued his argument. “Those laws are in place because the souls from that island are said to be immortal. If that is the case, then the execution will do nothing but put to rest the legitimacy of the arrival of Draven and his company.”

“Where is her brother?” Drake demanded.

“Clearly not here. This matter does not involve him.”

“How does it not?” Drake said with a smirk that clearly called Xavier an idiot.

“At dinner last night, he noticeably protested the affair between the pair of them. We each saw the glare he gave Britain,” Xavier shouted.

“I want to speak to him. Now,” Drake stated evenly.

“We have no time for this. Lock them in the dungeon, and we will deal with it when the chaos of today has ended,” the man playing at being Alamos stated.

“No. My king ordered an immediate execution of this man, and he ordered that I complete such an act with my own hands. The reasons given were found to be pure fact. The woman with him will be executed as well, based on the prior rule.”

“Do not split laws or twist my words,” Drake said all too calmly.

“What is the meaning of this?!” I heard my cousin bellow. Not Aden, but Draven.

I glanced over my shoulder to see him charging through the door, dressed as the royalty he had mocked before. My relief at his timely arrival was so strong that I couldn’t bring myself to see him and figure out how he even knew to be here. Draven was the last person that wore suits around, and when I had looked into his mind before it was clear to me that he hadn’t even been in this dimension.

“How convenient,” Xavier scoffed.

“Unbind her,” Draven said to the man holding me. When he refused, a glance from Draven flung the man back. Another approached, only to get the same punishment.

“Stop!” Drake bellowed. “Honor this king’s wishes.”

Xavier glared as he nodded to his men. My arms were cut free. Draven held my hand as if he thought I would vanish from his sight.

“What is the meaning of this?” Draven said again in a fierce tone, glaring at Drake.

“She was found in his quarters, dressed such as this,” Drake said as his eyes slowly moved down my body. It didn’t matter that he was furious and raging with jealousy. He still managed to bring fire to my soul. I held in a sigh as I felt it burn through every fiber of my being.