30-3

In the meantime, I was introduced to almost two hundred people by Kenna and Athena. Erick was MIA, but I did spot him once with Kendrick, Jordan, and his wife, Selene. I was hardly paying attention to the other guests, except for a few whom I had met before, my grandfather for example. The rest I forgot as soon as I had taken a step away. I did pay attention, though, to the group I was being taken to now. It was the small group of five who were the only people who didn't bow to the king, Miaka and the four men. However, this time, I only spotted one of the two boys. The one with black hair wasn't with them. Kenna led me to the group and introduced me to each one of them. "Alina, you've already met Miaka, so let me introduce you to Acelin and his younger brother Lancelin. They're incubi and Lancelin is their prince. This fine young man is the younger LycanPrince, Kain. His brother is Kiba, their supreme Alpha, but he seems to be missing somewhere." "Don't worry. Jordan just kidnapped him." Acelin, the handsome blond man reassured Kenna with a smile. God, why was everyone here so gorgeous? "Mother." Erick appeared at my side using his vampire speed, again! "Yes, dear?" "I think Alina had enough for one day. Can I please take her with me? She needs to rest." Erick, my saviour! "Yes, of course! How silly of me. I completely forgot!" Kenna gasped, probably remembering the fact that I was still human. "Take her to your room, Erick. I'll send dinner shortly." "Thank you, Mother." Erick took my hand and whisked me away from the crowd as several onlookers watched us with knowing smiles, making me blush bright red. "Thank you," I told him when we were alone in the hallway. "No problem. I knew my mother will forget that you've had a tiring day. Come on. I'll let you rest now, but there is one visitor you need to see first," Erick told me. I groaned in protest. "Please, no! My feet are killing me! I won't be able to feel my legs anymore if I don't sit down," I whined. "Trust me, you'll wanna meet this guest before you rest." He took me up a flight of stairs at the end of the hallway, past the room where I'd gotten dressed and stopped in front of a set of huge double doors just as ornate as the rest of the castle, if not more. This door had a scene of battle engraved on it. Two armies stood on opposite sides while their leaders engaged in a gruesome duel. Their faces were fierce, and their weapons clashed in a wave of lightning. It was so lifelike, it felt like I was witnessing the battle in front of my eyes. "And who's this guest you think I'll be dying to meet?" I asked as he pushed opened the doors, and the spell was broken. "Me, of course." My eyes widened as I finally saw the person inside the room, sitting in a wheelchair with Kendrick by his side. It was the all too familiar face of the person I loved most in the world. "Papa!" Lancelin "What's the matter, brother? You look worried." Ace came to stand in front of me, much to my annoyance, so I decided to express it. "Why must you loiter around me to notice my every expression, Acelin?" I questioned back. "Because it was Miaka who put that expression on your face, and she just might be the only person in your life you've ever loved," he stated. Indeed, he stands corrected. We may not be her brothers by birth, but Erick and I, we both raised her since she was an infant. We taught her to talk, to walk, and to fight. It was impossible not to love her. We would give our lives for her if she but asks. We can never be truly angry at her, but it wasn't Miaka who put a frown on my face. It was what she had said that did. "Miaka just told me something... something that's quite distressing," I informed Acelin. "It's about Erick's competition." "Emiel, was it?" Ace continued at my nod, "What's so disturbing about him?" "Alina told me something today," it was Miaka who spoke from behind Ace, "something that indicates towards possession." "Impossible!" Acelin looked at her unbelievingly. "Possession? How?" "We have yet to confirm, but I have a hunch." She led us to a secluded corner where no one could overhear us. "If what I'm thinking is true, then... this is no longer a battle for the throne." "I don't understand, Miaka," Acelin pleaded. "What aren't you telling me? What's so bad about this?" "Very bad if what we think is true." I nodded at Miaka. Acelin might worry, but he wouldn't whisper. Miaka looked at me for a second and agreed. Then she confirmed what had been in my mind this whole evening. "An Ancient is waking."