Song of Darkness

Chapter 24

I decide to spend the rest of my day quietly reading in the library. But despite my persistent research, I find nothing useful to help me out of this situation.

Dinner time comes around far too soon. This time I make my own way to the dining room when it's time. I don't need someone to come fetch me for Ayden. I'm perfectly capable of doing things for myself. And perhaps he'll let me out for good behaviour.

Not likely, I argue with myself, especially if I'm going to defy his punishment for me. I just might get myself in a whole lot more trouble tonight.

I knock loudly before barging into the room.

"Glad you could join me." Ayden remarks from his seat.

"Wish I could say the same." I shut the door and glare at him.

A smirk dances on his lips. "I missed you today, you know."

The liar.

"Shut up." I say.

"In fact, I've missed you every day since the Summer Festival."

"Shut up." A bit of aggression enters my voice as I stalk towards the table, stopping opposite him.

"What did you think of the gift I left for you this morning?"

"I said. Shut. Up." I growl, banging my fists down on the table.

"Wasn't it so thoughtful of me?" Ayden's knowing grin only infuriates me further.

I let out a seething scream, barely holding myself back from lashing out at him.

He laughs. He actually laughs at my anger. I pause. The realisation crawls up my spine that he is purposefully trying to provoke me. He's toying with me. I'm merely a source of amusement for his wicked manipulations.

I blink. Take a moment to cool my molten rage down to frozen hostility.

"Perhaps a more thoughtful gift would've been giving me my stuff back." I suggest, a dangerous calm edging into my voice. I deliberately ease myself into the seat in front of me, eyes focused solely on Ayden.

"Perhaps you'll earn your weapons back once you've accepted your punishment." He states nonchalantly breaking our stare to rub at a smudge on his wine glass. "Besides, my security system short-circuited any devices you were carrying. Sorry, Kora, but your spyware will never work again."

So that's why my earpiece is broken. He's rendered it utterly useless. I'm cut off completely from the outside world. Despite my frustration, I can see the genius in his foresight.

It doesn't stop me snapping back. "I might've attempted to steal from you, but you actually have stolen from me."

He flinches at my accusation. Certainly not the reaction I was expecting.

"The weapons stay locked away for now. I need to be certain you won't do anything stupid, like try to use them against me. Again."

The for now part of his statement gives me hope. Hope that there is a way out of here. If I can make the right decisions.

Before I can reply, the door flies open.

"What was so important that you missed our meeting today?" The princess questions, glaring at Ayden.

"Selene." He begins tensely. "Can we have this conversation later? I'm still busy right now."

Why the heck is he acting as if our dinner is a priority? I'm a prisoner who will still be stuck here tomorrow. Princess Selene clearly has important business for him to attend to.

She glances in my direction, as if only just noticing my presence.

"Well then." She flops down in the seat beside me. "Now is the perfect time to introduce me to your..." She seems to catch herself, as if she knows more than she should. "Guest."

Ayden clears his throat, looking disgruntled. "Selene, meet Kora. Kora, meet Selene, my sister. Happy now?"

"Hardly. You ditched me earlier and couldn't even be bothered to text. I deserve an explanation, brother."

"Something came up that needed my immediate attention. You understand duty, don't you?" As Ayden is speaking, the same servant from yesterday comes into the room carrying two plates of food.

"Our meeting was your duty." She turns to the servant. "Bring another plate for me." The servant bows before hurriedly exiting the room.

"That's my servant you're ordering around." He grumbles, more annoyed than angry.

"So?" Selene shrugs. "I'm a princess."

I begin eating the steak on my plate, hiding my smile as I watch their verbal tennis match. Admittedly, it's a relief that the spotlight isn't on me anymore. And the siblings are surprisingly fun entertainment.

"Don't pretend to start pulling rank on me now." Ayden retorts. "It's only going to damage the relationship I'm trying to build with Kora."

"What relationship?" I try to argue, but it's hard to sound angry with a mouth full of food.

"Hey! Leave the poor girl out of it." Selene snaps, surprising me that she would bother to defend me. Perhaps I misjudged her earlier. "This is between you and me."

"Then why are we having this conversation now? I'll tell you why." Ayden picks up his steak knife, pointing it haphazardly towards the princess in accusation. "Because you decided to burst in here and hijack our meal."

"You're drunk." Selene sniffs in disgust. "Let's go, Kora. Leave the neglectful idiot to throw his pity party." She extends a hand towards me as she pushes away from the table.

I hesitate. I'm actually starting to like Selene. I mean, anyone standing up to Ayden like that feels like an ally to me. But I can't forget what she is. The negative energy she radiates.

"You are free to go." Ayden drawls. "But she belongs to me, so she will stay here."

Selene moves so fast, neither me nor, apparently, Ayden see the strike coming. His head snaps to the side, turning red instantly. Selene grabs his throat and squeezes it, forcing him to look at her, eyes wide.

"Claim to own a woman, and I promise you, she will make you regret it." She growls. "It's the biggest mistake you could ever make." She retracts her hand, only to slap his face the other way.

Selene steps away, holding her hand out towards me once more. I don't hesitate this time, hastily slipping a steak knife up the sleeve of my free arm as she helps me to my feet.

Once we're on the other side of the door, I hear something that sounds an awful lot like glass shattering.

Selene stops us in the corridor. "I apologise for my brother's appalling behaviour tonight." She says, seemingly sincere. "Me and him are going to be having words in the morning."

I don't have a clue how I'm supposed to react to this entire situation. "I... appreciate it?"

"In the meantime, you can either join me in my room and I'll send for food to be brought up to us, or you can hide away alone in your room, most likely bored out of your mind."

"I don't want to go back to my room yet."

Being alone with a dark-side princess might be a dangerous move, but I doubt it could be any worse than these dinners with Ayden. And besides, I'm not defenceless anymore.