You Can't Run From The Dark

{Part 22}

~Zaire~

Zaire wasn't surprised that the sentry wasn't leading him toward the Dark Court palace at all, but rather toward a steel structure that resembled buildings in the mortal city. Only there were no windows, no artistic architecture - just ugly metallic walls. Zaire was being led further away from wherever they were hiding the other half of his soul, and he frowned when he could only taste the faintest hint of her. As the sentry halted in front of one of the flat steel walls, Zaire lifted an eyebrow at him. There was no visible door, but when the Fae traced a small, hardly perceivable rune on the surface with his claw, an opening materialized.

While he followed the sentry in, the Fae male quickly schooled his emotions to reflect a placid, uncaring nature, and Zaire chuckled darkly. The sentry had indeed learned to hide his intentions around the King and Queen, by muting his emotions into something that resembled a bland nonchalance. Zaire was annoyed that he was impressed by the honed skill. The moment that the opening closed back up behind him, Zaire couldn't even taste the phantom of his mate's emotions. The walls of this building must serve as some sort of block, and his chuckle died instantly at the realization. At least a dozen sentries lined the corridor as Zaire made his way through, and each one shared the same insipid flavor. He could have been fooled that they were Light Fae, given how fucking emotionless they were all pretending to be. Was this some form of new training the sovereignty had come up with? It was as clever as it was dangerous. It was useful for the royal guard to be able to shield their feelings from the Dark Fae that weren't apart of the inner circle, but it was ill-advised to be ignorant of the fact that it could be used against them  as well. 

The corridor opened up to a vast space that was definitely reminiscent of the throne room in the palace, except instead of ancient tapestries and fixtures of gold, everything was cold and grey. They had even built a ridiculous dais out of the metal, and it took everything Zaire had not to roll his eyes. The matching thrones were not studded with rare jewels, but carved with protection runes, and the towering walls were completely bare - not even a portrait of the King and Queen to spice up this hellhole. And sitting upon the thrones, were the despicable heads of the sovereignty, who stared down their noses at him. There were at least two dozen more sentries stationed in this substitute for a throne room, and two envoys on either side of the dais. All of them had their eyes fixed on the ceiling above.

The King and Queen, however, stared right at Zaire with unflinching focus. The sentry who had escorted him approached the dais and knelt in front of them, bowing his head. The Queen was the only one to glance down at the sentry before looking back up at Zaire expectantly, as if she thought that he would kneel as well. The expression on the King's face displayed that he knew very well that Zaire would do no such thing. 

"Pathos," The King greeted, his voice measured and cold. Zaire wasn't near enough to the dais to taste their emotions, but he didn't need to. He knew that they were uneasy, and possibly surprised that he had bothered to pay them a visit over the mortal they had captured. Maybe even excited that their little scheme would get them what they wanted most. 

"King Roan," Zaire grunted with a minute nod. Referring to him by the undeserved title was all the respect he could muster. Zaire kept his eyes fixed on Roan, but he could see the Queen glaring at him in his periphery for not addressing her. 

"Have I inconvenienced you?" Roan asked, with a subtle quirk of a smug smile on his lips that wobbled slightly. He wanted to give the appearance that he wasn't worried about the outcome of his treachery. Something in his eyes told Zaire that this was the Queen's idea and not his. Pathetic.

"I suppose you have," Zaire shifted his weight slightly, wishing he could slay them both right there and watch their blood drip all over their garish dais. "I'm here, aren't I?"