𝑩𝒓𝒂𝒊𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝑮𝒐𝒍𝒅

chapter sixty

Emriana

The tension in the ballroom was palpable. It could be cut with a knife. Not a single person, a single soul, had dared move nor utter a single word as the man marched down the grand staircase. The orchestra had ceased, drowning the room in the most morbid suffocating silence weighing on my chest.

I managed to catch a glimpse through the small gap between Zeke and Drakkar, and my heart staggered against my chest at the man coming toward everyone. Around fifty royal guards stood close to his side, their swords already out, ready to take action. The guards began to spread throughout the room, pushing through the masses of guests while others covered all the possible exits. I recognized the woman who stood at the top of the staircase, looking reluctant. It was the Queen of Ekudal, their mother.

She seemed visibly uncomfortable and nervous, even from all the way across the room. Her eyes were fixed on her husband descending the last steps before coming to a halt.

Zeke's breathing became heavier, and I witnessed just how scared he was of his father. I had never seen them interact with him before. The confidence they always radiated was wiped away, replaced by a dark liquid terror I could almost feel crawling on my skin.

The King looked around the room, his narrowed, calculating eyes watching each person, and I moved to hide completely out of sight behind Zander when he looked in our direction. Their holds on me tightened yet again, and I bit my lip to contain the wince as the pain throbbed throughout my arms.

The darkest and most morbid chuckle echoed through the ballroom, and I shivered in fear. My nails dug into their grips.

"Well, this is certainly unexpected!" He exclaimed, venom and dark humor lacing his every word.

"King Krolf," my father spoke as he walked down the steps of his throne, leaving Rosina behind with the guards. Loud thuds resonated against the closed doors of the ballroom as the guards of Cassemir tried to come inside. A feeling of worry mixed with anxiety pulsed inside me as I watched my last family member approach the man who had slaughtered my adoptive parents.

"I wasn't aware that your sons' invitations were extended to you as well," he continued, and I mentally applauded my father for making him look like a fool. Take that!

"Well, plans change, don't they?" He snarled with the nastiest chuckle I had ever heard. I didn't even need to see it. I felt it when he turned to look in our direction. Drakkar's body tensed, Zander's arm clenched harder than before, and I felt like my wrists would crack any second.

"I couldn't miss this special occasion when I learned the news," he added before he paused. I took a subtle peek between their bodies to see the King examining the room with a dark scowl.

"Where is she?" I hid my face deeper against Drakkar's back as their grips became so agonizingly painful the bones cracked, and I muffled my cry into Drakkar's back. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I tried to deal with the pain becoming so unbearable I felt like passing out. Their holds slackened only a little, and I glanced at my father, who looked visibly worried. His eyes stayed on the vicious man, but they flickered to mine. It was barely noticeable, but he saw it.

"Oh! She's there," he snickered, "Move, boys!" He ordered his sons, but none of them moved a single muscle.

"I said MOVE!" He roared at them, and I felt them all flinch at the venom in his words. Zander's hand twitched on my own, and I knew he was battling with himself.

My blood ran cold as the man let out another wicked chuckle, which sounded closer to the one of the devil than a human.

"Well, isn't this delightful?" He said with joy. The crowd was silent as they watched the scene unfold.