Page 47 of Hunger in His Blood (Brides of the Kylorr #3)

CHAPTER 47

ERINA

T he last time there’d been a dinner party at the keep of Vyaan, I’d had my heart broken.

But that wasn’t why I was standing out on the East Terrace balcony, overlooking the garden as the chill of the wintry moon winds cut through my dress. Braanelle was in close proximity, standing near the door, looking as anxious as I’d ever seen her.

“My Lady,” she kept saying, “it’s much too cold and?—”

“Just a moment longer,” I’d said, smiling.

I felt the chill in the air, yes, but there was a wildness to the night, one that I wanted to savor. The moon winds were strong, and I closed my eyes, nearly grinning at the way they tangled my hair up, like hundreds of fingers wrapping around the waves. One gust came so strongly that I gave a cry of delight, one that nearly made Braanelle run out to save me.

The winds came and went. I’d always loved the moon winds. They were exciting to me, the fierceness of nature always humbling. I’d often stand outside in them and let them guide me, swaying or dancing. I would just let myself fall into them, a release, a submission .

I hadn’t done it in quite a long time, but tonight felt like a perfect time to revisit my fond memories.

Though I would likely be a rumpled mess for dinner. I’d chosen a beautifully simple dress for the occasion, deep green in color that reminded me of the vase. The material was light as silk. Perfect for the warmth of a dinner party, especially when clothes had begun to feel more and more restrictive on me as the pregnancy progressed, but not so ideal for a winter night during a storm.

The lightness of the material made me feel exposed, vulnerable, naked. It wasn’t unwelcome. In a way, it made me feel like my younger self, who would stand outside in the rain just so she could describe it perfectly for her stories.

A voice came, my eyes shooting open.

“So you’re the female who has finally enthralled my brother.”

I knew exactly who the Kylorr male was. I eyed him, my heart suddenly picking up with nerves as he approached me along the terrace.

Thaine of House Kaalium was dressed perfectly, just as any member of the noble family would be. His burgundy-colored vest with gold catches led to finely supple leather pants. He was more leanly defined than Kaldur, though slightly taller, coming in at nearly two heads taller than me.

And like his brother, he was distractingly handsome, though his features were edged in careful observation rather than disarming charm. He had a broad face, with a sharp nose and dagger-like cheekbones that lent him an elegance very few Kylorr possessed. His eyes, a brilliant and luminous green, of which I’d never seen a likeness to before, were hard to look away from.

Tendrils of his black hair dipped into the line of his gaze from a blowing gust of wind, but he paid it no mind.

“You’re not at all what I imagined,” Thaine said, “though seeing you now makes perfect sense. ”

My smile was uncertain, but I held his eyes as the wind whipped at me. “Thaine.”

He gave me a slow grin, inclining his head. “Sister.”

The title startled me enough to make me gasp.

His eyes slid down to my rounding belly, his gaze flickering with an unreadable emotion. “And my niece, or so I’ve heard from my brother.”

I placed a hand there, unable to stop the smile from spreading. “I believe so, yes.”

“The first child of a new generation,” he commented. “None of my siblings would have believed it would be Kaldur. But I think I understand now.”

He was observing me in a way that made me feel like a painting on a wall. Was this how Kaldur felt whenever I studied him?

“I’ve come to escort you back,” he said. “Your mate has been searching for you. And as much as I would like to skip the entirety of the dinner, I’m afraid it’s about to start.”

That earned a laugh from me, his lips quirking in response as he held out his arm for me. I took it. I must’ve looked a mess from my time out on the balcony.

“I’ve never seen Kaldur like this before,” came Thaine’s sudden words. He stopped us halfway to the door, turning to face me, his eyes rapt on me. I felt their sudden intensity, making me swallow hard.

“Like what?” I asked softly.

“ Here, ” he said. When my brow furrowed, he explained, “Kaldur has always been ambitious. He’s always been determined. He bears the weight of responsibility perhaps more seriously than any of us. But because of it he can box himself in and his frustration explodes. All of that energy needs somewhere to go. He was wild when he was younger—he’d be the first to tell you that—always testing boundaries. ”

“Yes,” I said, uncertain, “I know.”

“But he only ever got more restless as the years went by. To outsiders looking in, he was everything that everyone expected him to be. But to us, we could see what the pressure did to him. To live up to expectations that he put on himself. He could go mad with it. And so he never seemed still . Present. His anger could drive him, just as easily as his need for diplomacy. He was swinging between extremes, back and forth like a pendulum. And he couldn’t stop himself. The last time I saw him, I believed he was at his lowest.”

It twisted my heart, the Kaldur he was describing. But I could imagine him so easily because I recognized that part of Kaldur myself.

“When was that?”

“When you were in Laras and he’d barely left his keep for weeks,” Thaine replied.

My heart stuttered, a breath hitching in shock. We’d never talked about what he’d done when I’d been gone. He’d only mentioned that he hadn’t been well. I had seen that clearly for myself when I’d returned.

But…he’d shut himself away?

“But now?” Thaine breathed, shaking his head. “This is the best version of my brother. One I’ve seen only in glimpses. He feels present . Here. It’s like you’ve rooted him into the earth. And I, for one, am thankful for it.”

Emotion welled in me. Shock at the sweet words made tears prick my eyes, and the last thing I wanted to do was cry in front of Thaine during our first meeting.

“I wanted to tell you that, in case I didn’t get the opportunity tonight,” he finished, inclining his head. “I only came to meet you, but I must return to Salaire tonight.”

A violent gust of wind blew over us, and Thaine moved to shield me from the worst of it, flaring his wings wide .

I was still speechless from his words, but I wanted to be honest with Kaldur’s brother, whom I knew he was closest to.

“I love your brother,” I said softly. Words that I wanted to tell Kaldur myself tonight. “I’ve loved him for a very long time. I know we don’t know each other very well. But I want you to know…I’ll be by his side, no matter what.”

Thaine studied me, his gaze flicking back and forth between my eyes. He seemed content with whatever he found. “They’re waiting for you,” he finally said, guiding me from the terrace and into the keep.

When we reached the candlelit dining hall, we found everyone already seated and dozens and dozens of different pairs of eyes turned to regard us. They swung from Kaldur, who was at the head of the table, an empty chair directly next to him. Mine?

My mate was standing, looking as though we’d interrupted a speech. I realized I’d lost track of time out on the terrace, just as I’d often done in the starlight hallway, daydreaming away.

But instead of looking irritated by it, Kaldur only gave me a grin that made my heartbeat triple in speed. I thought that, perhaps, it was so loud even Thaine could hear it next to me.

I was a mess. My windswept hair and flushed cheeks. The green dress was snagged around my ankles, twisting oddly around my unmistakable bump that caused more than a few whispers to reverberate through the dinner.

But the way Kaldur was looking at me? It made me feel like the most beautiful female in the universe.

I saw Syndras smiling at me from near my empty chair. Maudoric was in attendance as well, not as a keeper but as a guest, dressed in a pretty silver frock. I recognized a few of the nobles—old friends of House Kaalium, I knew. One House I did not see, however, was House Azola. Lydrasa hadn’t been invited.

It was an intimate dinner compared to the last one that had graced House Kaalium .

And compared to those in attendance, I looked perfectly out of place, and yet I only beamed at Kaldur, who made me feel like I finally belonged.

His voice raised again. “I was just thanking our guests for joining us for the moon winds,” he informed me, a little twinkle in his gaze, though it was curious when it traced to Thaine at my side. “You’re just in time.”

Even across the room, I felt pulled by his gaze.

It flicked briefly to his guests before it returned to me. “Tonight is a special night, not only because of the moon winds. At this table are some of our closest friends, friends of my family and of House Kaalium for generations. And tonight I wanted to introduce to you all my kyrana , Erina Denoren.”

Surprise whistled through me as more whispers erupted through the room. There were dozens of guests in attendance. Kaldur knew exactly what he was doing. By morning, all of Vyaan would know my name. They would know Kaldur had claimed a female of his own, they would know of our child.

I was glad that Thaine was holding my arm because my knees might’ve trembled under the weight of the stares. But I only kept Kaldur’s gaze, blinking back the sudden tears.

“Erina,” Kaldur said, and it was like the guests fell away. Until it was only us. “You’re everything I ever wanted—a soft place to come home to, an embrace I would forever seek. Once I was too blind and proud to see that you are the only person in this universe for me. But never again.”

This was a very public declaration of his love, romantic and stunning. It was a new start, with my name intertwined with his for all of Vyaan to know.

I was warm and flushed. I swore I even heard Syndras sniff at the end. This was like something out of my stories, only made real.

Then I heard a voice that cut through the warmth like an icy shard .

“That was very touching,” Lydrasa of House Azola declared. “I knew you were always a romantic at heart, Kyzaire .”

She strode into the dining hall in a beautiful red dress from the opposite door, closest to the entrance. Kaldur’s expression darkened.

“Sorry I’m late,” Lydrasa said. “Where should I sit?”