The arrival of Mikko Itsuki

The arrival of Mikko Itsuki
Aribella POV

“Are you nervous?” Emrys whispers as we trail behind the King.

Nervous was an understatement. This was the brother of the man I loved, and everything I’ve heard about him, and his cruelty made my skin itchy. With each step, I felt the weight in the pit of my stomach grow heavier and heavier. Not to mention, my back flared with phantom pain as I stared at the back of Johnston’s.

Something about this entire situation feels off, but I can’t figure out why.

Mikko sent men here to attack the Kingdom, and from what I gathered about the attack that nearly killed Rhys, the target was Mael himself. That little bit of information threw me for a loop.

Kaelar had relayed what Rhys told him about the attack, and it was clear that someone was trying to get rid of Mael. I thought about the why until my head ached, but the only real reason I could come up with had to do with Johnston himself.

Why would he invite the Sire of a recent attack on his own son to the castle unless he had something to do with it? Not to mention Gideon showing up regularly to toy with me before setting his sights on Kaelar.

That seemed eerily intentional too.

But no matter how many times I come up with various scenarios, none of it makes sense. There is a missing piece that I’m not seeing, and it’s infuriating me.

“I’m more curious than nervous.”

Emrys let out a soft huff, “That actually doesn’t surprise me in the slightest.”

“You two seem awfully close these days,” Johnston throws a look over his shoulder, and the menacing look in his dark eyes sends a shiver racing down his spine.

“I believe that Aribella is a great fit for the future of Sacaris,” Emrys stood straighter, conviction laced in his voice.

I was stunned by his admission, and the confidence behind every word.

The king arched a brow, “Maybe she should marry you, Mr. Locksley.”

Emrys didn’t waiver, “She is set to marry your son, sir. Pining after an engaged woman would leave a bad taste in my mouth.”

Rhory was silent… almost too silent through the entire exchange, and I desperately wished that I could read his mind. Everything about him seemed to confuse me, but even more so, he seemed confused himself.

There was a war waging behind his honeyed eyes, and I wondered how long it would take for him to finally break.

I leaned into his side, wrapping my arm tightly around his, and squeezing. Emrys offered the tiniest bit of gratitude with the tilt of his lips at the gesture. Rhory was spiraling, and he needed Emrys, but their relationship was only behind closed doors.

As angry as I was with him, I wasn’t about to abandon him now. I know what abuse does to a person, and I know for a fact that whatever the hell Johnston Whitehall has been doing to both Rhory and Mael was a form of abuse.

It’s nearly impossible to escape the clutches of someone you love, even when they’re breaking you from the inside out.

Mael studied us curiously, failing to do so without being noticed. He was another person I desperately wished I could see inside their head. Everything he’s done up until this point seems to be self-serving, throwing me for a loop.

Was he just that turned on by chaos that he created?

Kaelar, Rhys, and Reo kept a close enough distance to jump in if need be, but far enough that it would be obvious if I turned to eye them. I barely sneaked a kiss in before Kaelar was due to be ushered away this morning and for some reason, that left a bitterness in my chest.

The gates of the Castle slowly swung open, and beyond them, you could see townspeople littered along the street like fallen leaves. There were even more bodies than when they gathered for my punishment.

Each of their faces were flooded with negative emotions. Hatred, fear, disgust. All expressions I’d seen the day that Kaelar was my shadow as I walked through the street vendors.

The loud thudding of horses hooves against the uneven, cobblestone roads drew my attention away from their faces, and to a pair of large, black horses. They were like something out of a horror novel. Their hooves were larger than any horse I’d ever seen, and their fur so black, it would blend into the night.

They were pulling an all-black carriage behind them with red ornate details. The aura surrounding their arrival was nothing short of terrifying. It felt as though the air had been bled of warmth, leaving an icy chill despite the warm rays from the sun.

Johnston seemed shockingly at ease, despite the tension in the air, and I couldn’t tell if it was an act, or if he truly believed that Mikko was no threat to him.

The horse drawn carriage pulled just inside the gates, and slowly, they creaked closed behind them. I was shocked to see there was no one steering the horses, but they halted the moment they were inside the gates.

Johnston stepped forward, his hands clasped behind his back, and a lazy grin on his face as the curtain parted.

My breath hitched when a man who had the same facial structure as Kaelar stepped out with a tiny hop. His lips pulled into a broad smile, showcasing a perfect row of white teeth, and a sharp set of canines. But in contrast to Kaelar, everything about him screamed darkness. Their faces were similar, but Mikko had jet black hair and the deepest shade of crimson eyes.

The smile on his face didn’t match his persona, and I assumed it was part of his charm. An easy way to lure in victims when you have a face like that.

He bowed dramatically, “Your highness,” when he stood to his full height, that devilish grin was still plastered on his face.

“Mr. Itsuki,” Johnston bowed, shocking me to my core. I wasn't aware he possessed a single ounce of respect for anyone, let alone a vampire.

Mikko’s eyes were no longer trained on Johnston, focusing just behind me…. At Kaelar, his grin widening slowly, “I’d like to introduce you all to some very important people,” Gideon stepped out first, “This is my right hand, Gideon Quartz.”

Gideon looked every bit as fucked up as the last time I’d seen him. His beady eyes smirked when they saw me clinging to Rhory’s arm, but they didn’t linger as he bowed.

“My assistant, Devin Ellis,” another man stepped out, and my breath hitched. He looked terrifying, with long dark hair, and nearly black eyes. A scar split from his hairline, across his eye, and to his upper lip. This man didn’t bow respectfully, his eyes scanning us like we were nothing more than dinner. For a moment, I felt a pinprick of familiarity, but I couldn't quite figure out from where. Devin's eyes narrowed slightly, but he remained eerily silent.

“And last but certainly not least,” Mikko’s eyes once again locked on the man behind me as a woman appeared from behind the curtain. There was an audible exhale of air before Mikko spoke again, “My beloved, Corabelle Itsuki.”