Page 44

Chapter Forty-Three: Bahira

I shoot Jahlee a disbelieving look as we approach guarded double doors, their edges gilded in gold. “So Kane is Kai’s cousin by blood?”

Him being tapped as the next king makes more sense, and I’m embarrassed I didn’t put it together sooner. With Tua being Kai’s uncle, the line of succession would have had no choice but to continue with Kane before Kai was born. Though I still don’t understand what exactly happened in Kai’s early years, like why he didn’t grow up in the palace, I do find it curious that neither Tua nor Kai mentioned Kane’s relation to them.

Jahlee nods as she links arms with me, but the move feels less like a gesture between friends and more like she’s ensuring I don’t flee. The reason why is clear when the guards open the doors and we step into the dining space. Tua, Kai, and a handful of other shifters all sit at a long table, their attention snapping to us as we enter.

I clench my teeth together and ask with a whisper, “What the fuck is this?”

Though flame gems light the perimeter of the large dining room, pillar candles run in a line down the center of the table, casting the shifters’ faces in moving shadows.

“Bahira, Jahlee, what a surprise,” Tua says as he stands from his seat, one hand holding a glass chalice of what looks to be wine.

My gaze connects with Kai’s as Jahlee drags me towards the table, the look he gives me one that radiates his displeasure at our arrival. Jahlee pulls out the chair directly to Kai’s left from where he is seated at the head of the table, acting as if she is going to take it before she quickly darts to the one next to it. “Bahira, you can sit here,” she gestures to the seat that is now half pulled out.

Not willing to get sucked further into her antics, I take the chair to her left instead. On Kai’s right is Tua, along with every other guest at this dinner, leaving Jahlee and I alone on this side of the table. The split of seats feels significant, and I eye each person carefully before leaning back against my chair.

“Jahlee, I was not aware you would be joining us tonight, let alone with Bahira,” Kai states before taking a drink, his eyes half lit with a small golden ring around his irises.

“Oh, Brother. Surely, I told you? If it slipped my mind, many apologies. I just wanted the opportunity for us to spend more time with Bahira.”

I stiffen as Kai’s eyes flash towards me, his grip tightening on his cup. White plates filled with roasted chicken and vegetables are brought out and placed in front of us by the staff, as well as baskets of buttery rolls and more bottles of wine.

Tua’s jaw tenses before he takes his seat again, clearing his throat and gesturing with a hand to the people next to him. “Let me introduce Kai’s most trusted court. This is Sir Duarte and his wife, Lady Aisha. They are the Crown’s Master of Coin.”

My brow arches at that—a husband and wife in charge of where the Crown’s money goes is interesting. Lady Aisha wears a glittering dress that looks to be pure diamonds sewn onto nude fabric. The jewels wrap around her neck, only to cascade down over her body in a waterfall-like fashion. Her husband’s outfit is less reflective, but the satin sheen of his dark blue tunic indicates one of expensive quality. They both have the same golden-tan skin as Kai, but their hair is a rich black.

“Next to them is Sir Adrian, our Master of Sail. He’s in charge of all ships coming in and out of port as well as others that are currently stationary.”

I smirk, unable to help myself at the hidden meaning behind his words. Interesting that he should allude to the fact that they have warships to the one being at this table not of this kingdom. “You needn’t censor yourself on my behalf. I’m well aware of what types of ships dock in these waters,” I can’t help but reply.

Sir Adrian’s expression remains deadpan, his dark eyes cast in shadows from the candles. Even his midnight outfit plays into his gloomy disposition.

The corner of Tua’s mouth lifts marginally though his eyes hold mine in subtle warning. “Lady Miranda is our Master of Laws, ensuring all are followed as well as putting new ones into place as the need arises,” he continues.

She lifts her drink in greeting, the only one of the three positions introduced that offers a genuinely warm smile. Her deep purple dress is accented with silver chains that crisscross down her body tightly, highlighting every curve. Instead of the common dark brown or black hair I’ve seen here, hers is a lovely white. It cascades over one shoulder in a thickly woven plait.

Tua continues down the line, naming the rest of the shifters with influential roles to the Crown while Kai remains stiff in his seat.

“Bahira, are you enjoying the capital? Tua tells us that you’ve come from Honna to work on a special research project for His Majesty. It must be quite a change to go from a mud village like that to the beauty of Molsi,” Lady Aisha asks, dripping with as much disdain as there are jewels that decorate her dress.

Jahlee bristles next to me, the hand she rests on the table curling inward. The knowledge that she is not technically royal and did not grow up in the palace makes me wonder if perhaps Jahlee is from that village, if Kai is. I expect a quip or sharp remark in response, but Jahlee only shifts uncomfortably in her chair.

“The capital is lovely,” I say, adopting my most practiced royal voice, “but so is the entire island. I have not been in one place that didn’t absolutely take my breath away.”

Lady Aisha guffaws, stabbing a piece of chicken with her fork. “If you say so.”

The rest of the meal is just as tense and awkward, a vocal few asking questions that are thinly veiled insults to those that do not reside in the capital. Politics back home aren’t quite this hostile, at least from the bits I have witnessed. Yes, there are moments when the council members argue and even raise their voices, but my father has always stayed firm in the belief that having an echo chamber full of yes-men is beneficial to no one. Observing the way the members of Kai’s court all sit together on Tua’s side, I wonder if the chamber is full of blind agreement not for their king but the advisor that sits to his right instead.

“Jahlee, it has been ages since I’ve seen you at one of these fine dinners. One might think you do not support your brother,” Sir Duarte says, the cruel shape of his lips matched by his wife’s.

Jahlee shrugs, but the movement is half-hearted. “I have been busy.”

He laughs boisterously at that, the sound making me wince.

“Enough,” Kai booms, his voice shaking the glassware on the table.

Sir Duarte tempers his impish chuckle, but his eyes still gleam with malicious intent. Everyone’s attention draws to him when he muses, “It isn’t like you go out for a nighttime stroll in your animal form.”

Jahlee takes a sharp inhale, her knuckles turning white from how tightly she grips her fork.

“Get. Out. ” Kai’s words are spoken with deadly precision, but no one attempts to leave. “All of you!” His hand slams down on the table, knocking everyone from their shock.

Maybe shock isn’t the right word. Looking at most of them, only Lady Miranda seems mortified by what just happened. The rest poorly attempt to fight off steely smiles. I go to push my chair back, but Jahlee stops me with a hand on my wrist. One by one, the court of the king stands, most eyeing Jahlee and Kai as they leave with looks of unfiltered aversion. Quiet trickles into the room as the door closes behind the last nobleman, leaving Tua, Kai, Jahlee, and I to sort through the tension still lingering.

“That perhaps wasn’t the best response, Your Majesty,” Tua states.

“I don’t care.” Kai’s gaze is unforgiving as he looks to Tua.

“And therein lies the problem. You should care.” Tua rises with a sigh, his eyes landing on me as he offers a strained smile, and then he looks to Jahlee, who makes his lips flatten back out.

When the heavy wood and gold doors close again, Jahlee jerks in her seat to turn towards Kai. “They were baiting you, and you fell so easily to what they wanted!”

Gods, this is the most awkward dinner I’ve ever been a part of.

“You aren’t even supposed to be here, Jahlee,” he snarls in her direction. “I told you that you needed to stay away.”

“I wanted to support you! So that you wouldn’t have to go through these dinners alone, you jackass! You think I don’t know what they say around you, Kai? How they try to make you feel like you’re beneath them? How Tua lets them? I came because I love you!” Her voice cracks as she drops her hold on me and stands, pointing a finger in his direction. “You are allowed to push everyone else away but not me! ” She turns and stomps out of the room, leaving me in perhaps an even more cumbersome position than before.