Son of Night and Daughter of Stars

Chapter 30: The Dishonor

It was amazing, how fast the Princess's demeanor changed. 

"Good," She said, dropping his hand and crossing her arms. The ire he'd seen decorating her face vanished, replaced by a wicked smile. "We'll start by hearing the whole story. And I mean the whole story. I want to hear every detail you can remember. But--" She turned her head towards her dark-haired compantion, who still sat at the pianoforte. "Later. I'll find you after the party, alright?" 

Nyx nodded. "I'll try to remember everything I can." 

Seeming to have said her piece, Estelle nodded, turned, and walked away. He watched her go, watched her walk all the way back to her friend, who she pulled to her feet and whisked away into the crowd. 

He heard a low whistle behind him. "What I wouldn't give to get a taste of that." 

Nyx half-turned, eyebrows raised. His gaze landed on a group of young boys, who all looked to be around Estelle's age, if a little older. Almost men, but boys compared to him. And the Princess, now that he thought of it. 

The one who'd spoken laughed, his eyes lingering on Estelle in the middle of the room. "Too bad her fire-breathing bitch mother won't let anyone near her." 

"I'd be more worried about Prince Rowan, actually," One boy muttered. "I heard he once threw a man off the highest tower for asking to meet the Princess." 

Nyx walked a few feet away, pretending to get a drink from the nearby table. He almost laughed at the boy's claim. The Queen would never let her mate be so callous. 

The first boy laughed again, waving off the other one. The leader, then. "No. It's the Queen you have to get through. She's got the temper of a child, and isn't ashamed to show it." 

Nyx considered the merits of turning around to confront them. They'd probably seen him talking to Estelle, if they'd watched her leave as he had. But did they know who he was?

"You probably shouldn't talk like that in the Queen's own castle," One of the other boys said. The first one, who Nyx was liking less by the second, scoffed. 

"Please. The Queen doesn't scare me. She's a traitor, and in my opinion, she never should have been given the throne in the first place. Or did everyone else just conveniently forget that she sold her soul to the former King of Adarlan, that she warmed the current King's bed, that she killed and murdered her way through ten years of her life?" 

The other boys were silent. Nyx could hardly believe his ears. Is this really what people thought of Aelin, after everything she'd done? No. It couldn't be. This was just one insolent boy trying to appear important in front of his friends. 

He didn't pretend to know the Queen, but he knew what she meant to his mother. And he knew that Aelin had sacrificed everything, again, and again, and again, to ensure the safety of not only her world, but his own. A woman like that had earned her throne, and the loyalty of her people. 

"Then why the hell do you want to sleep with the Princess, if you despise the Queen so much, Raoul?" One of the other boys muttered. 

Nyx dared a glance over his shoulder. He saw the boy who had spoken staring at him. The boy's eyes went wide, and he opened his mouth as if to stop the first boy, Raoul, but it was too late. 

"Well, from what I've heard, she's pretty easy already," Raoul said haughtily. "A whore is a whore. This one just happens to be of royal blood." 

Nyx didn't know when he'd started shaking. He slammed his glass down on the table and stormed over to the gathered boys. The one who'd seen him pointed over Raoul's shoulder, his eyes wide and fearful. Raoul turned just in time for Nyx to stop in front of him. 

"You've got a lot of nerve, talking about the royal family that way in their own home," He snarled. "Did it not occur to you that the Queen sits on that throne today because she earned it?" 

Thought a healthy amount of fear touched Raoul's eyes, he cleared his throat. "Of course you'd say that, wouldn't you?" 

"What are you implying?" Nyx growled, his fists balling at his sides. 

Raoul's friends made to grab his shoulders, but he shook them off. "I know who you are. You're the Princess's newest lover. Why else would you be here in the castle, an honored guest, attending a Lady's celebration?" 

Nyx really, really wanted to punch him. "What?" 

Raoul leaned forward, completely unaware of just how much Nyx wanted to break his nose. Or perhaps he was just stupid. Nyx suspected it was the latter. "You'll have to tell me-- what noise does she make when you're inside her? Does she pay you before or after she's spread her legs?" Raoul smirked, completely unaware that Nyx's red face had nothing to do with shame. "No, wait. Let me guess. She's got a wing fetish inherited from her mother?" 

Before Nyx even knew what was happening, his fist was flying.