“My destiny’s tied to hers through the Fates. I am connected to her in a way that cannot be undone. The girl’s different, which is unsettling. She doesn’t order people about, she’s kind to lesser classes. She’s actually refreshing after being stuck serving assholes. Aria doesn’t expect this world to hand her anything as Scylla’s daughters did. Their downfall was their sense of entitlement because of their status as royals. Aria on the other hand? Without first earning their respect, she won’t expect anyone to merely bow to her. Scylla made sure that Aria wouldn’t so easily bow to the whims of others.” My ears perked up at his words as my stomach churned, twisting with misery from the truth buried in them.
“That girl had to learn how to survive from birth because her mother attempted to steal the power Aria housed. So where does it leave me? It leaves me guarding her back from the bevy of blades seeking to end her life, because she is the key to unlocking this prison that they’ve held us in, and returning us to the fight brewing inside the realms.”
“You and I both know there’s nothing left of our home,” Basilius hissed.
“Oh? Didn’t you hear? Aria’s the key to unlocking the walls forcing us to remain here. The moment she exits, the entire realm dissolves and then our prison holding us in will open, my friend. As I said, she’s our salvation and for that, I’ll die on my sword before I allow another to touch one silken strand of hair on her alluring head.”
Chapter Twenty
Aria
The village we traveled to wasn’t the same as I’d run from earlier. They built this one in a cave, which forced the dragons to veer left and then right through a slender rock formation. A wide entrance allowed them to fly into the cavern, which was filled with lanterns covering man-made bridges reaching throughout several tiers. In the center of the large, open cavern a wide walkway reached from one side to the other.
“Welcome to the City of Dragons, princess,” Zyion stated, even as he slid from the back of Basilius, who’d been the only dragon willing to carry both of us for the long flight to the hidden city. “Basilius and his brethren who ended up trapped here built it while our people were blessed with a mirror realm of our own.”
“It’s amazing,” I admitted before wincing as a familiar voice called out from above. I spun around, peering up three tiers as Esme and Eva waved from above. “You brought Esme here?”
“You wouldn’t have remained here without her. There’s a lot we need to discuss, Aria. It will not be a quick conversation.” Zyion’s eyes held mine before lifting to where Esme was shouting down from above. “It is best that you follow me. You need warmth, and your gown is beyond repair.”
Zyion walked through a hallway, which threaded throughout the cavern. Thousands of tiny, glowing lights filled the walls, as if they’d captured millions of lightning bugs, then released them. Once we’d passed the long, winding corridor of small, hand-carved doors, the cave opened into a vast oasis. The same tiny flickering bugs were within the large, intricate structure. An entire city had been built into the earth, which stole my breath. The damp, earthy scent drifted around us, soothingly. The air was chilled, but then we were inside an underground cavern.
Zyion didn’t stop long enough for me to appreciate the view, forcing me to run to keep up with his longer-legged strides. We moved over a rock formation, which they’d utilized as a bridge, allowing a glimpse over the edge, which had a fast-moving river running through the lowest level of the cavern. Around the edge of the same level as the underground river, a pathway with strips of drapery covered what I assumed were doorways. Following directly behind Zyion, while still inspecting the wondrous city built into the vast cavern, I didn’t notice him stopping before me. I plowed into his chest, then jerked back as his hands shot out, steadying me.
“I wouldn’t get too close to the edge. I’d hate to drag your corpse from the river below. The cavern won’t disappear before I’ve provided you with warmth and something suitable to wear. There will be plenty of time to both explore and appease your curiosity after we’ve spoken,” he chided, before pulling back a crimson tapestry with images of dragons and phoenixes in flight, sewn into the fabric in silver thread. “Ladies first,” he purred as I ducked beneath his arm, entering into the room.
The chamber we entered was obscured by darkness. The dim light from the lanterns outside offered just enough to discern the layout of the chamber. I remained in place as Zyion released his hold on the curtain, closing the room off from the outside. I swallowed down the uneasiness that being alone with him created in my abdomen. Zyion didn’t seem to hold the same worry, entering behind me and promptly vanishing into a doorway, or what I assumed was one, only to vanish.
I didn’t move, uncertain if he’d expected me to follow behind him. The fact that Acheron had insisted I’d find out about what Zyion had done created uncertainty within me. I had my suspicions about what had occurred, but I needed answers. Answers that only he could give me.
“Are you nervous about being alone with me, princess?” he questioned from behind me, which almost had me jumping out of my own skin. He’d managed to catch me off-guard, which wasn’t something people normally did. Knox was the only one who managed to sneak up on me.
“Actually, yes. I don’t know you well enough to be alone with you, Zyion. Plus, I don’t like whatever is connecting us. It’s bothersome.” I hadn’t meant to admit it to him, but he unnerved me.
“And you think I’m enjoying being tethered to you?” In his voice, I heard pain and anger, which caused the skin on my forehead to crease. “I don’t know if you’re ready for the answer. Neither of us were asked if we wanted to be connected to one another. If Scylla had asked me? I’d have declined being connected to anyone ever again, but that wasn’t the case. You’ll soon be the Queen of the Kingdom of Fire. That means I will be your protector and champion. It’s not a job I’ll take lightly, either.” He turned me toward him, which I allowed.
It felt like he was peering into the depths of my soul as he held my gaze. Silently, I studied the turquoise irises within his eyes, noting the flecks of gold that shimmered within the tranquil color.
“Why should I trust you?” I asked with hesitancy warring through my emotions. “You failed my grandmother.” I noted the way his eyes closed before opening, flaying me open with the pain I witnessed in them.
As I waited for his reply, his emotions closed down and the thread pulling us closer felt frayed. Almost as if he was trying to rip free of the link.
“You shouldn’t trust me, Aria. In fact, you shouldn’t trust anyone until they’ve proven their intent toward you. I didn’t fail my queen, either. If you’ll let me, I’ll explain why you feel the thread tethering you to me.”
His words caused a flurry of butterflies to whisper through my belly. Though not like Knox created, it was a more worrisome flutter. Was Zyion pleasing to the eye? Definitely. Was he Knox? No, which meant I needed to sever the thread binding us together.
“Why should I trust you if what Basilius said earlier is true?” I asked, needing to know why he’d murdered her and then allowed the others to think he’d betrayed her.