Fires of Ruin (War and Deceit #3) - Erin O'Kane Page 0,60

heard it before, and I remember his promise to me. My heart flutters at the gesture, but the queen isn’t impressed. Crossing the space between us with fae preternatural speed and grace, she snarls in Eldrin’s face.

“I wasn’t speaking to you.” Her features are twisted, and I’m reminded that this is a supernatural being standing in front of me. The harsh words make him flinch as she stands in front of him, growling softly, but to his credit, he doesn’t step down or back away like my body is screaming to. As if just remembering I’m here, the queen’s expression starts to smooth as she glances at me, disgust flickering in her eyes for a second before her serene mask is fully back in place.

“Clarissa, have you met my brother? Prince Taejon?” she inquires, her arm gesturing backwards towards him, but she doesn’t turn around or look at him, her gaze locked on me the whole time. I get the impression that there’s no love lost between the siblings as I notice a flicker of irritation cross the prince’s face before he walks up to me. Stopping just a step behind the queen, he smiles in a way that, had I been a cat, would make my hackles rise.

“Your Highness,” I reply, remembering my lessons with Naril and Master Ardeth on court etiquette as I dip into a curtsy, making sure it’s respectful but not as low as the one to the queen had been. Straightening, I loosely cradle my hands behind my back, wanting to keep my goddess mark from his view for some reason. I know he’s seen it before. When I first arrived, my mark glowed brightly enough that everyone watching was able to see it. “We’ve not been officially introduced yet,” I continue with a small, polite smile.

“The honour is all mine, Clarissa.” His eyes run up and down my body with a hunger that makes me feel nauseous. Eldrin shifts his weight behind me, and I know that if we weren’t in front of the queen, he wouldn’t just be standing quietly behind me. “I’ve heard much about you, including some of your more unique abilities—”

“Taejon,” the queen barks, cutting off whatever the prince was about to say, once again not even looking at him as she speaks.

His anger is much more obvious now, and I see rage threatening to overtake him as he tries to calm himself. “I’ve overstepped,” he apologises, his calm restored. Dipping his head towards me, he smiles, but it’s lacking the energy it had earlier, and something I’m unable to identify flickers in his eyes, making him seem dangerous. “It was nice to meet you, Clarissa, I look forward to spending more time with you soon.”

Without waiting for a reply, he turns and storms past us up the stairs and out through the door into the main castle. Relief immediately floods through my system as soon as he leaves, and this time, I can’t hide the shudder his presence invoked. I notice the queen watching me with interest. There’s a pause, and I remember why I was nervous to come here in the first place. She’s looking right at me.

“Clarissa, walk with me,” she orders, turning and walking farther into the atrium, fully expecting me to just follow without question. I suppose that’s the benefit of being in charge—people do what you say. Glancing over my shoulder at my companion, I see he’s frowning at the queen’s back, his confusion evident. At my look, he shrugs and gestures for me to do as she ordered, stepping forward in time with me.

As if sensing the movement and prepared to pounce, she pauses and glances over her shoulder. “Lord Eldrin, you may wait here.” Waving a hand dismissively, she turns away once more.

Struggle and strain are obvious on Eldrin’s face as he takes another step towards the queen. “But—”

This is the wrong thing to say. Spinning and using that supernatural speed again, she suddenly appears in Eldrin’s face, her expression full of rage. She’s going to hurt him, that much is true, and something strikes me in that moment as I watch him. He’s going to go against her orders. Sudden clarity hits me, and I know I have to do something. He’ll protect me, just like he said, and then she’ll kill him.

“You dare question me?” The queen almost seems to grow in size, and this close, it looks like her eyes have gone wholly black, her body shaking with her