Page 18 of The Call of Crimson (The Crimson & Shadows #2)

The fury I felt with the queen returns in a heartbeat. With a snarl, I wrap my shadows around his throat, lifting him into the air. The position should cut off air flow, but the bastard is grinning.

Before my eyes, he vanishes from my hold, only to reappear behind me in an instant, cold steel pressing against my throat.

“I know how I became General,” he murmurs, voice low against my ear. “I’m still trying to puzzle out how you did.”

A sly smile curves my lips as two swords are leveled at Darian. His hand goes limp against my throat in a tell-tale sign of Aurelius’ Gift seizing control of his body. Darian stiffens behind me, refusing to move as Ryder and Zion give him deadly looks for daring to threaten their princess.

“She earned it.” Aurelius’ voice is low and threatening as he approaches my side. “I suggest you remove your hands, General. I will not hesitate to end you if I feel she is in danger.”

Ryder and Zion grunt in agreement, just as Ayden finally decides to step in.

“Easy now.” Ayden shoots Darian a sharp look, commanding him to step down. “Darian wouldn’t hurt my fiancé. I trust him with my life. This is simply a lapse in judgment.”

Darian seems to battle with himself a moment longer before finally stepping back. Ryder and Zion reluctantly sheathe their swords.

Stepping away from Darian, I rub my neck where a drop of blood has run from where his dagger nicked me. “Call me inept one more time, General,” I bare my teeth at him, growling, “and it won’t be my bodyguards you’ll have to deal with.”

His jaw ticks, nostrils flaring, as he fights to keep his temper in check.

“Darian,” Ayden says flatly, “find somewhere else to be until you can figure out how to control your temper.”

“Gladly,” Darian responds, storming in the other direction.

When I’m sure he’s gone, I turn my anger on Ayden. “Seriously, Ayden? What the fuck. Is your entire kingdom this hospitable?”

He shrugs, a coy smile fighting the corners of his mouth. “No, those two are just the worst. I figured we might as well get it over with all at once.”

“Some warning might have been nice.” I level him with a glare.

“Where’s the fun in that?” he says, winking as he grabs my elbow lightly. “Come on, I’ll show you to your room. Aurelius knows where he’s going.”

He leads me out and toward the royal wing. I find that the surrounding halls are just as bright and welcoming as the rest of the castle to this point.

“What’s Darian’s problem with me?” I ask as we begin ascending a staircase in the west wing.

Ayden sighs. “Darian has his reasons. I’m not condoning his actions, but his story is his own. If you want to know, you’ll have to ask him yourself.”

“That’s all you’ve got to say?” I bark a humorless laugh. “The male held a dagger to my throat, and your explanation is ask him ? Unbelievable.”

“Everyone has a right to their story, Breyla,” he says without flinching. “And the right to choose who hears it.. Darian is one of my oldest friends, and I will not betray him. I’ll just say… you two have more in common than you might think, but he does have his reasons for disliking you.”

Seeing that I’m getting nowhere, I take a different approach. “How long has he been your general?”

“A little over a year,” he replies. “And while we’re on that topic—I ordered the attacks on your borders to stop before that.”

“You—what?” His confession is so nonchalant, I almost think I misheard him. The revelation throws my world off-kilter.

“I had no desire to fight a war with Rimor. That ended with my father. I simply want my people to live in peace.”

“How am I supposed to believe you, Ayden? I’ve been on the front. I’ve seen the attacks and the blood your soldiers spilled.”

“We keep a few units on the borders,” Ayden says carefully, “but only to maintain order. The soldiers you’ve been fighting? They aren’t mine.”

My head screams that he must be lying because who could possibly be behind this if not him? But my gut, damn it—it says he’s telling the truth. “I would be a fool to trust you, Prince.”

“You would be a fool to trust anyone entirely,” he says with a small knowing smirk. “But you can trust me on this. We can get Aurelius to corroborate this with his Gift if you’d like.”

The way he offers proof without hesitation tells me enough. I believe him about this, but I still don’t trust him.

We round the corner into the royal wing, grand marble halls stretching ahead.

“This room you’re taking me to better not be yours,” I grumble.

“Well, the way I see it, you have two choices.”

“Oh? What would those be?”

“Your trunks, and therefore your leathers, are already in my chambers. You can either sleep where you belong…” He steps closer, voice dropping, “Or you can take a room across the hall and be forced to rely on my mother’s choice in wardrobe.”

“So, I can sleep with you or be forced into dresses full-time?”

He nods, a playful smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

“You find this amusing, Prince?”

“I find a lot of things you do amusing, Princess.”

“This doesn’t seem like much of a choice,” I mumble, mulling over my options. The idea of being trapped in dresses made me shudder, but the thought of sleeping next to a male who wasn’t Elijah or Aurelius made my skin crawl.

Elijah isn’t here. I had no intention of letting Aurelius into my bed, so it looked like I would be sleeping alone.

“I’ll take my chances with the dresses,” I decide.

“Not the answer I was expecting,” Ayden muses.

“You’re a terrible fiancé, Ayden.”

He stops in front of a door, pushing it open for me. “I could be a wonderful one, if you’d give me the chance, Breyla.”

“I’m not interested in a fiancé,” I retort.

“Not interested in a fiancé, or not interested in me as a fiancé?” he challenges.

“Sorry, pretty boy,” I say with a mocking smile as I stride past him. “It’s not you, it’s me.”

“You think I’m pretty?” Ayden gives me a wide grin.

“Is that all you heard?” I roll my eyes.

I move about the room, inspecting every corner in the bright, open space.

Dark wood floors provide contrast to the white marble that comprises most of the castle.

A white duvet covers the four-poster bed, a thick black fur at the foot.

Dark furniture fills the space, giving it a homey, warm atmosphere.

“It’s all I needed to hear,” he teases.

Mindlessly, I thumb through the gowns in the armoire, my nose wrinkling in disgust at the pale silks and gold embroidery.

“Not that your ego needs it,” I say, “but yes, you’re gorgeous Ayden.”

He leans casually against the doorframe. “You sure you don’t want to stay with me?”

“Positive.”

“Well, you know where your pants are… if you change your mind.”

He winks and backs out of the room, leaving me to explore in peace.