Chapter 86: A Princess and Her Exit Strategy

Chapter 86: A Princess and Her Exit Strategy
Aurelia was tense, her spine straight and her expression tight. She was assuming that she was in the middle of another round of banter between the brothers, and this particular joke had led to Xavier grabbing her wrist.

First, she’d been alarmed by Zen’s asking whether he liked her, and then she’d felt a little better when Xavier blatantly responded in what Aurelia couldn’t see as anything other than a joke.

So, why had all that joking around led to a stifling pressure about her chest?

It was the same as what she’d felt at the table the day she’d accidentally interrupted the Legion’s breakfast. When Zen had kissed her hand, Vlad…

He was doing it again.
She didn’t need to look at him to know he was displeased.

It appeared he didn’t find any of the jokes funny at all. And, it also appeared—to Aurelia’s horror—that the same jokes that got her into this mess would lead to a trip out of Onyx… with Vlad.

Over her dead body.

With wide, pleading eyes, she looked up at Xavier. He had to say no.

“Is there a problem?” Vlad asked again, and only Aurelia could sense the simmering tension deep within his falsely casual question.

Someone. Anyone.

Just one protest.

“Why do you want to go?” Zen asked.

Yes. Aurelia nearly jumped for joy.

Too much had happened between her and Vlad. She didn’t think she could handle a trip alone with him.
What if… he touched her again, and she caved? What if she found out just how far he’d secretly been going to keep her safe, and she lost her already fragile ability to be nonchalant with him?

Just being in the same room with him made her mind plead to crawl closer to him. Closer until she was close enough to feel his cold skin against hers.

She had to prevent it at all costs.

“Why not?” Vlad muttered. “It’s not like I have anything better to do.”

“It would be better for me to go, I’m suspended, so I really don’t have anything else to do,” said Xavier.

“Actually, you’re meant to be focusing on training and self-reflection,” Vlad countered.

“When did you turn into Seth?”

“When you started neglecting your goddamn punishment.”

X let out a bitter laugh, but his eyes were cold.

Aurelia pursed her lips. Okay, things were getting bad.

“My punishment?” X demanded. “Whose fault is that—” He broke off and, glaring at Vlad, cursed, turning away. “You know what? Yeah. It is my fault, and nobody else's.”

Zen’s arms were crossed, his gaze going back and forth between the two. “Let Syre take her.”

Both turned. “No.”

Syre pressed his lips together, suppressing his annoyance. Eyes blazing with determination, he looked at his brothers. “Actually. I will take her. Aurelia, would you like me to take you to the Kingdom of Geminor so you can ask King Aiden for his help retrieving the Blood Crystal?”

The pleasantly worded question was received with one of Aurelia’s elegant smiles, and she swiftly freed her wrist from Xavier, walking over to Syre as though he’d asked her for a dance.

“Why, I’d absolutely love that, Syre. Thank you.”

He smiled, nodding. And, like a gentleman, he bowed. “I’ll make arrangements. And I’ll let you know when we’ll leave for Geminor.”

She nodded. “Lovely.”

With a triumphant sigh, Syre strutted happily from the room.

And Aurelia, avoiding Vlad’s stony gaze, quickly dipped into a curtsey. “I must quickly return to work. Good day to you all.”

And, snatching her list from the table, she rushed out of the room.

Silence settled over the remaining four.

“Damn him,” X muttered.

Ethan blinked. “Hey, you should be happy I’m not taking her, or Zen. She’s going with Syre, the meekest of all lambs. She’ll be fine.”

“Are you slow?” X asked. “You don’t see the look in her eyes when he looks at her?”

Ethan looked confused. “Are you slow? We established long ago that he doesn’t feel that way about her. Even after all our teasing, Syre said she’s nothing more than a friend. Get a clue!”

Zen sighed. “You know, sometimes I worry about you, Ethan. I worry about your intelligence.”

“Worry about yourself. Worry about how come you’re so shockingly beautiful and yet no one wants to be in a relationship with you.”

Xavier’s mouth opened in mute shock, and he quickly closed it, turning away.

Vlad, glancing slowly at a frozen Zen, saw the exact moment all the inner peace gained from his meditations vanished. He snapped.

When Vlad walked out of the Onyx Eye’s common meeting room, it was to the sound of Xavier trying to break up a bloody fight. X could handle it.

He needed to find Aurelia and talk some sense into her.



Breathing the clean morning air again after being stuck inside for the past hour or so made Aurelia feel like she could fly.
The Legion camp was as clean and quiet as usual, the tall trees casting cold shade over the property.

She was rushing towards the gates and briefly wished she had one of those infernal beasts called horses. Anything to quicken her escape.
Because, more than anything else, Aurelia could feel the sense of urgency creeping up on her. She could feel the pounding of her heart that told her she was being chased.

She couldn’t see him yet, but she knew he’d be on her tracks very—

Vlad appeared before her.

“Good galls!” Aurelia gasped, pressing a hand to her chest as she closed her eyes.

He frowned. “Good galls? Not the type of language a princess should use, is it?”

She sighed, glaring at him at the corner of her eye. “I’ll say what I want.”

“Where did you learn that?”

“What do you want, Sir?”

“To speak to you.”

She raised her brows, glancing around. “Are you sure? What if someone sees us? You hate being seen alone with me.”

“Remind me when I said that.”

She opened her mouth to do just that, but paused, noticing someone enter the property.

Betty.

The other girl noticed her at the same time, pausing with her arms wrapped around a basket.

She tilted her head, staring at Aurelia. And then she smiled acidly and raised an arm to wave.

Aurelia’s eyes narrowed with a glint of suspicion as she remembered what Bronan had said. “Just a moment, Vlad, Sir.” She would get to the bottom of it herself. “Betty!” she yelled. “A moment, please.”

Vlad glanced over his shoulder, his stare making the other girl freeze for a moment.

“Don’t scare her away,” Aurelia whispered. “I need to get the truth out of her.”

“Truth?” Vlad asked, still studying the girl with poorly concealed annoyance. “What truth?”

Aurelia looked at him. “I spoke to Bronan.”

Vlad turned to look at her, surprise in his eyes.

Her gaze softened. “Thank you… for your efforts. But I think I might know the culprit.”