5

kaira astor

I pull the brush through my tangled hair, the brown strands still damp from my shower. Three showers. Annoyance, anger, frustration and hatred have woven through my veins in a deadly combination that has left a twinge of bitterness on my tongue— revenge, disobedience.

I place the brush down on the sink, with more force than intended, and run my fingers through my waist-length hair, meeting my sharp blue eyes in the mirror. After he threw the door closed, I marched forward and tugged on the knob, but the wood didn’t give. He locked me inside. I contemplated escaping through my window, but knew the guards would see me in broad daylight and he would know.

I clench my jaw, twisting around and exit the bathroom and step into my room, sliding my fingers down the thick material of my black hoodie, the weight against my skin comforting. “Will have to do.” I murmur, my eyes wandering over my outfit. If it were any other night, I wouldn’t wear such casual attire. But, it’s just dinner with my parents.

I wrap my fingers around the knob and twist, it clicks, and I pull it open. My eyes narrow, he must’ve unlocked it while I was in the shower, otherwise I would’ve heard it. Sly fucker. Stepping out into the quiet hall, I push the door closed. Is he here? Creeping around in the shadows, waiting for the right time to pounce?

“Princess Kaira,” I spin around and draw back, staring up at a man. No, a warrior. Blonde tousled hair falls over his forehead, his features sharp, his built broad and masculine. He must be a few inches shorter than Zyran and that’s when I realize that I’ve seen him before. He was the man Zyran gave his daggers to before the fight. My heart ceases at the reminder. I stare up into his hazel eyes, almost as blank as Zyran’s.

“You’re one of the new guards?” I ask, my eyes wandering down to the leather he’s dressed in. Yep, definitely from Lendorr. His head falls into a nod. “Roman Maddox.” He introduces himself. Why is he here though? I would’ve thought that Zyran would be here, ready to observe and torture me with his piercing green eyes. I nearly shiver. “I’m here to escort you to the dining hall, Princess Kaira.” He further elaborates, having seen the confusion on my face. "Just Kaira." I blow out a small breath and turn, walking down the hall, then halt, spinning around.

“Did you unlock my door?” Asking feels ridiculous, and by Roman’s raised eyebrows, I realize that I must sound ridiculous. I shake my head, strands flowing. “Never mind.” I continue down the hall, balling my hands into fists. It’s Zyran’s first day here, and he’s already gotten under my skin.

The walk to the dining room is silent, and when we reach the entrance, I push my hands into my hoodie's pockets and step inside, my eyes immediately darting off to the side. As if I can feel him lurking there, in the shadows. There he stands. Broad, lethal, and utterly f*****g annoying. He lifts his eyes, meeting mine through dark strands. "Kaira, where have you been the entire day?" My father's question rings through the quiet room, apart from the drag of metal against a plate. I keep my eyes on Zyran, nothing in his expression changing, his eyes cold and merciless.

The shadows surround him, nearly swallowing him whole, his eyes as dark as the surrounding mist. A shiver of fear slithers over my body and I twist around. Pulling out the chair, I sink down, placing my wrists against the edge of the oak. "Oh, I was just being a good little princess, and stayed in my room," I lean back into the chair, my head falling back against the edge and slightly roll my head to the side, sending Zyran a glare.

He arches a dark brow, his jaw flexing twice, malice roaring in his eyes, so intense that my breath hitches in my throat. What the f**k? "Really?" Mother clears her throat, and I'm momentarily stunned by her voice. She rarely speaks, and when she does, I'm reminded why I prefer her to be quiet. Mother's voice sounds exactly like hers. "That's very unlike you, you're usually wreaking havoc around the castle." Lifting the fork, she pushes meat into her mouth.

I blink once, twice, thrice. My fingers tremble as they fall onto my left wrist, scaling over the scar. "Not today," I clear my throat, willing the anxiety to disperse with my thin exhales. "I was locked away in my room," I tug the cuff of my hoodie over my left hand, reaching for the wine glass as I shake my head. My mother's eyebrows pull together. "Reading a book." I quip, feeling Zyran's eyes track my every move, every rise and fall of my chest, every flutter of my f*****g eyelashes.

"That's very good then. You need to be more disciplined, Kaira," Father's rough voice snaps me out of my annoyance, brimming with authority. "You are my heir. You are going to be Alpha," He repeats the same mantra he has ever since I was old enough to walk. He pushes his plate away from him and clasps his hands together. "That is why I think it's a brilliant idea that Sergeant Ryder will be your trainer now," His eyes flint toward Zyran and my stomach dips. "You'll be sure to teach her some discipline?"

My eyes flash to Zyran's, only widening when mischief flows in the depths of his green eyes, so stark that a boulder forms in my throat. Something about his eyes then, causes my hands to clench and my chest to rise and fall with shallow breathes. Why is he looking at me like that? "It would be my pleasure." The way the words roll off his tongue feels too sinister, too dark. I narrow my eyes into slits, my fingers digging into the wood.

It's fine, Darian received my message.

---

A shaky breath escapes my throat as I pull the hood of my hoodie over my head, pulling the warm material over my hands. Is what I'm doing reckless and immature? Yes. Will Zyran find out and follow through with his threat? Probably. Do I care? No. I pull open the window and breathe in the fresh air, my eyes fluttering as the wind smooths over my skin. I heave my leg over the windowsill and push through, the soles of my shoes slightly skittering over the roof and I dig my heels into the solid surface.

Throwing my arms out of balance, I slightly crouch down and slowly make my way to the edge. Darian must already be waiting for me by the trees, and my heart skitters in my chest, adrenaline fueling my movements as I halt by the ledge. I squat down and sit completely, my fingers digging into the ledge. I release a slow breath and let go. I fall for one, two seconds and swallow a lung full of air when strong, warm arms wrap around me, catching me before my feet can meet the ground. The side of my body is pressed against a solid chest.

My eyes widen as I blink up, my gaze trailing over the fallen angel inked on the side of his neck. Oh no. My heart halts in my chest. "I was really hoping you would listen, Princess." His deep voice rumbles through his chest, vibrating against me and I tense, his fingers digging into the fold of my knees and the side of my arm as he holds me. Tight, firm. His fingers digging into my skin. I lift my eyes to his face, his green hues boring through mine with so much darkness my lips part. Terror strikes through me and I squirm. "Let me go!" I hiss, thrashing in his arms as panic leaps over every muscle in my body.

"So you can go find lover boy?" His voice is calm despite my efforts to pry myself out of his arms. His grip is steady and tight, digging into my arms and knees, and I'm sure it'll leave bruises. "I'm sorry to inform you that he's no longer in the garden." There's an edge to his voice that gives me pause, pulling my eyes up to look at him and when I do, shivers wrack through my body. There's a type of malice in his eyes that I have never seen before, the emotion nearly swallowing the green in his eyes. "What did you do?" I whisper, my fingers tightening around the fistful of material in my fist. His shirt.

I open my hand and push at his chest, but Zyran only rolls his eyes and swings my body around, heaving me over his broad shoulder with little effort. "What the f**k?" I groan as his shoulder digs into my stomach and heat rushes up my thigh when his hand splays over my skin there, right under my ass. Heat rushes up to my cheeks as tingles flow over my skin. What f*****g guard is this inappropriate? I place my hands against his back, between his shoulders and press down, throwing all my weight forward.

Zyran's hand slips from my thigh as my body leaps forward, a scream lodged in my throat as I tumble onto the ground. My chest is heaving, my hands and knees throbbing, my cheeks flaming crimson and my body tingling. I push up onto my knees and stand, my knees buckling as the muscles strain. I lift my head and push strands of hair out of my face, blinking up. A yelp rips from my throat when Zyran forces me backward, his fingers wrapping around my throat, and slams me against the wall.

My head hits the stone with force, tears welling up in my eyes as I gasp out in pain. "Are you f*****g done?" Zyran growls down at me, his face lowering until his eyes are level with mine. My head throbs, his silver ring biting into my skin, and my hand darts up, wrapping around his wrist. I feel his steady heart beat underneath my fingers. "Because, I'm done playing around, princess." The rage seeps from his pores, nearly suffocating me more than his hand around my neck. The fear rattles through my body, my limbs trembling as I stare up at him through my lashes, knowing full well that he can end my life, and it sure looks like he wants to.

His thick, black lashes narrow as his eyes fall to my cheek, where a stray tear rolls. "You're scared." It's not a question. "That's good." A cruel smirk tugs at his lips as he leans in closer, his breath falling over my lips, his eyes burning through mine. "You should be."