Page 20 of Vicious Princess (The Trials of Death and Honor #1)
CHAPTER NINETEEN
I t turns out nobles in Ekios are no different than nobles in Wetra. Tonight, Ezkai Castle has been turned into the most lavish estate I’ve ever seen. The lush gardens are illuminated with dim lights along the stone paths, and I feel like I’m in a fairy tale as we make our way inside the castle.
Hundreds of folks have gathered here tonight, and inside, it’s crowded. The stolid, cold fortress is lively, laughs and loud chatter bouncing off the stone walls and echoing through the vast corridors.
My head whips from side to side as our group makes its way through the castle, following Ezkai Gavriel. I’m eager to take in as many details as I can. It’s not every day one gets to visit the place where the Ezkai General lives and rules the country from.
I try not to be too hopeful about seeing dragons tonight. That would be too much to ask of the gods, so I keep my hopes humble.
As humble as I can manage.
We approach a large wrought iron double door that’s three times as tall as I am and just as wide. When we enter the grand hall, the understated beauty of it all takes my breath away.
The ceilings reach so high, I have to lift my head all the way up to see the very top…that’s not there. Above our heads, the clear dark sky stretches, full of stars.
Yeah, humbling my hopes of seeing dragons tonight doesn’t last long. There’s only one explanation for why the ballroom has no ceiling.
The number of folks gathered in the hall overwhelms me. I can barely hear my own thoughts with so much chatter around me. Not all guests are fae Decarios, and I sense their heightened emotions pressing into my senses.
It takes much more energy than usual to keep my guard up and make sure that none of the emotions slip past my shields and overwhelm me. Not being able to bend a mature fae’s emotions to my will is the least of my issues. If I want to be an Ezkai, I need to find a way to make my shields ironclad.
I rub my right temple, which throbs faintly, and march forwards so I don’t get separated from the group.
So many Ezkai in one place. All looking intimidating and powerful. Our group might wear the proper leathers, but we look nothing like them.
Mingling amongst Ezkai are beautiful fae with ethereal-colored eyes and colorful gold-embroidered silk tunics with wide sleeves. I notice at least a few dozen of them, all cheerfully raising crystal glasses to their lips, laughing and talking amongst each other.
Nobles. These fae must be nobles from House Dzuni.
Very quickly I notice that there are very few young fae who aren’t dressed in Ezkai leathers or Dzuni tunics. Yet, despite their lack of honorable attire, they are the center of many social circles.
One of them, I recognize.
A petite young fae with long braids reaching all the way to her hips and steel-grey almond-shaped eyes. The sharp three-piece suit she wears is a deep plum, the shade matching the one that paints her plump lips. A luxurious black diamond choker graces her lean neck, catching every speck of light.
It’s the stunning fae I saw the other morning, one for whom people parted to make way as she walked the street.
Who the fuck is she?
From the way many nobles and Ezkai gravitate towards her, always flanking her, I might say she’s the Ezkai General.
But current Ezkai General is supposed to be a man.
Next to her at all times is that bald Ezkai I met on my run the other night. Now that I see him in the light, I’m not so sure he’s an Ezkai… He doesn’t wear the leathers but a black-as-night silk tunic that reaches all the way to the floor. And…
I blink a couple of times. That can’t be right. Around his shoulders and neck, smokey shadows weave close to his skin.
The hair at the back of my neck prickles.
When a chilling roar pierces the air, bouncing off the stone walls that surround us, I’m not terrified. My heart thumps with excitement as I tilt my head up in anticipation.
Through the open ceiling, the largest dragon I’ve seen, with purple-grey scales, soars into the castle.
There’s just about enough space for the creature to extend its bat-like wings.
It weaves through the air in circles like a serpent until it finally lands on the floor mere moments after the crowd scatters to make space for it.
The dragon huffs, sending out a strong current of warm air. The scent of burning coal is so strong, I almost gag. It eyes the crowd and then folds itself in a little ball. A fae sits tall on its back in a saddle.
The same handsome fae I ran into the other night on my early-morning run.
“Good evening, noble fae, honorable guests from Wetra and Emera, and my loyal Ezkai,” he says with a broad smile. “Welcome to my castle for a night full of pleasurable entertainment and not-so-pleasurable talks about international politics.”
The crowd roars with laughter.
I’m startled when Roman pushes a drink into my hand. I blink and look around. No Ezkai Gavriel or other students. I got separated from the group and didn’t even notice.
“Never in the history of Ekios was an Ezkai General as fuckable as Kitajo Hiromasa. Believe me I’ve checked,” Roman says, eyeing the fae. He turns to me and jerks his chin at the drink. “Try it, it’s good. It’s one of the traditional Ekiosh wines made from purple blossom plums.”
No fucking way. That’s the Ezkai General?
He’s young, handsome, and charming. With ease, he slides off the dragon, pats it on the snout, and whispers something only the creature can hear. The dragon roars, unfolds its wings and, soars into the sky.
I can’t believe I bumped into the Ezkai General on my run.
I can’t believe he was so nice to me.
The bold shadow fae and the stunning fae in a suit approach him once the dragon is gone. He exchanges a couple of words with the shadow fae, then chuckles before offering the beauty in a suit his arm. She places her palm on his forearm, and he leads them through the crowd.
Now it all makes sense, why the crowd parts when she walks the street, and why all the nobles and Ezkai gravitate towards her. She must be the Ezkai General’s wife, essentially a queen.
“We’re so lucky to be here tonight,” Roman whispers, his voice drenched with excitement. “Not every day one gets to see so many powerful folks in one fucking room. Look, even damn Emera’s Council is here, in Ekios. With us, in the same damn space, breathing the same damn air.”
Pulled by curiosity, I turn to see where he’s looking. Indeed, five stocky dwarves dressed in the most lavish black iron armor encrusted with glimmering gems stand in a group, drinks in their hands.
They’re the only dwarves here. I can’t say I’m surprised.
“I’ve never seen dwarves in real life before,” Roman says. He crinkles his nose. “They’re much shorter than I expected. How can they be stronger than humans if they barely reach your shoulder?”
I bring my drink to my lips. “You don’t get it because you’re fae, and you’re taller than normal.”
Roman quirks an eyebrow. “Normal for who? I’m a rather average height for fae.”
I roll my eyes. “You know what I mean.”
“Mmmm. I’m not so sure. I’d like for you to spell it out for me, princess.”
I’m about to flip him off for wanting me to acknowledge the fact that fae are taller than humans when it hits me.
If Emera’s Council is here, it means King Francis and his court are also here. Which is very, very bad news for me.
Just then, two figures approach Emera’s Council.
A tall man with waist-length raven hair, part of it pulled up into a loose bun atop his head. He wears the burgundy uniform of the Royal Guard, all sharp edges. King Francis’s Royal Commander, Axel Dukas—the man who torched my family’s home that night.