LOGINAegis's POV The ride back to the palace was long enough for the Fire God's words to finish settling into all the places they needed to go.By the time the gates came into view, I had a whole plan. Find Damian. Sit down. Tell him I was sorry for turning a reasonable conversation into a courtroom drama. Maybe also mention the suppressants.And maybe I could tell him about the Hunter's den.Maybe.But not immediately. I had to take it one thing at a time.The nerves grated under my skin. My dragon had been restless since we crossed back into royal pack territory.What is it? I asked her.The chills that ran down my spine was all the answer I needed.Something was very wrong.By the time I reached the corridor outside Damian's office, my chest was tight and I didn't fully know why.Was I in some danger that I wasn't conscious of?I slowed down and looked around me quickly.Nothing.Just for jokes, I discreetly moved the poison coated knife hidden in my bracelet closer to my fingers.The
Aegis's POVMy dragon had been whining for six hours straight and I was this close to asking her to please, for the love of all things holy, stop.The festival was loud and bright and exactly the kind of thing I would have loved on any other day.There was fire everywhere, beautifully shaped into animals and symbols and figures that moved like they were alive. People danced in wide circles around the central flame. The music was deep and rhythmic and you felt it in your chest before you heard it with your ears.My birth mother's name was woven into banners in a language I was still learning. Her smiling face was painted on silk, hung at the entrance of the main square.I picked up a cup of something warm from a passing tray and held it with both hands. The heat helped slightly calm the storm inside me.My dragon shifted in a low, aching sound again.I looked up at the banner with my mother's face on it again. She had my eyes. Or I had hers — I still wasn't sure which direction inherit
Aegis's POV "I would like a minute with my mate now." He commanded. The council members shuffled out of the room with angry and unsure looks on their faces.None of them could be sure of what the king's decision would be.Damian placed his hand on the small of my back and quietly said something to the nearest guard. Whatever he said cleared the hallway in under a minute.He silently guided me out through a side door, humming under his breath.We didn't slow down until we reached a small sitting room off the east corridor.He closed the door behind us and finally turned to me."What's going on, Flower?"My hearbeat picked up again. Had she told him? Didn't i get a choice anymore?A bitter taste filled my suddenly dry mouth."Nothing." I managed to croak out."Aegis." He drawled."I'm fine." I answered again. The shaking of my hands grew worse."You've been doing that thing with your hand since the meeting started."I looked down. My thumbnail had left a small red mark on my palm. I c
Aegis's POV "Did you really think you'll get away with it?" She growled,a stark difference from the calm, gentle woman she was in front of her parents.My heart pounded in my chest. I subtly looked around, grateful that the maids had been sent away from this part of the palace. The queen didn't like an audience while she ate."I'm sorry...." I started. My throat closed around my words.A shiver ran through me at the cold look on her face.Her face turned an ugly shade of red as she screamed, "You killed my mate."My legs shook badly, knee knocking at each other as I quickly moved closer to her." Please lower your voice." I begged, desperately looking behind me.My chest caved in at the thought of him hearing. I couldn't lose him now."Why? Doesn't the kingdom deserve to know the monster you are." She spat, coldly.Her expression turned to stone." I'm not..." I sagged against the counter. Goddess please."And you have the guts to mate my own brother. Haven't you taken enough from me
Aegis's POV The sight in front of me was entirely too strange for the room I was in.The expensive looking ancient sword on the bed were stuck neatly into the wooden frame beside the handle, like someone had placed it there on purpose. A small bunch of freshly picked wildflowers was tied to it with a thin string.A small card rest beside it and on it were the words: I'm sorry for blindsiding you.I stared at it for a few seconds, then sighed.“Of course,” I muttered.I pulled the knife out carefully and untied the flowers. There was another small folded note tucked between the stems. I opened it.For earlier.I looked at the knife again, then at the flowers. They were all several sources of dangerous poisons and potions. A warm feeling spread across my chest at the thought of how much damage I could do with their juices.I giggled at the thought of how well he knew. This was the perfect gift.This flowers were not ones that were easily gotten. I chuckled as the irony that I dreamt of
Aegis's POV.I was there again.The hunters’ cell was cold and smelled like blood-damp stone. I remembered being thrown inside with my hands tied behind my back and my knees hitting the ground. It stung but I had stayed quiet because I knew better. Making noise in a place like this would never end well for me.I didn't notice the woman by my left at first.Then I heard the faint sound of chains moving and turned my head.She hung helplessly against the wall with her wrists bound above her head. Her body looked weaker with every shallow breath she managed to drag in. She held her head down so her blood matted hair covered most of her face.She stopped breathing for a bit and I thought she was dead. A groan to the right of me vibrated through the grounds and soon enough she was breathing again.I stared at her longer than I should have. Was she also from the pack the goddess sent me to? Why had I never heard anything about her? No,she couldn't be. If there was something the pack couldn't







