Render Me Starless

♛ | Chapter 28 - "blazing proposals"

"I'm glad you guys are back."

I look over Gray's shoulder to see King Elias with Angelina, the Lady of Lupus. I look to Orion instinctively and he returns my stare with a subtle nod of his head. Everything will be okay. "We returned this morning," Orion says in response to his father's words. "I was planning to see you after we finished eating."
I offer the Lady a smile as she looks at me. She doesn't return it, instead opting to look away. My smile falls.

I meet eyes with Gray from across the table and we share a look. What exactly was the Lady doing here in our private dining area? Orion and I had explained all of my visions to The Night Weaver and his mate. My best friend and I glance at the King before sharing another look. What was the King up to?

"We all know Lady Angelina, yes?" The King says, motioning towards the woman. The question was mostly directed to Rose and I. I nod, meeting my father in law's gaze. "We met at my coming of age ball."
He claps his hands. "Wonderful. You don't mind if we join you? I have much to discuss."
"Is this about the Day Throne?" My mate asks as they both take a seat. The King on Orion's left and ultimately in front of me while Angelina takes the seat next to her King.

"Yes," he answers and the room grows evidently quieter as we all sit up straighter, food all but forgotten. "Go on," Orion encourages. We had all agreed that we wouldn't be speaking about my visions to the King. It gave us some sort of leverage against whatever it is the King has been planning.
"I had met with Taylem like I had mentioned and we made an arrangement," King Elias starts off with and my stomach drops, the bones in my body knowing I wouldn't like whatever it is that will come next. "An alliance through a marriage." I don't miss the way he sends me a fleeting glance.

Rose's disgusted gasp is the only thing you can hear amongst the wicked quiet. A silence so tainted it had my skin crawling. "You know that's cruelty," Orion says. "Forcing a mage to be with someone who isn't their mate is subjecting them to a life of torture."
The King does not back down. "It's one life compared to thousands."
My mate shakes his head. "There are other ways to keep our people safe, father. I will not allow it."

King Elias frowns. "You forget who is king, son."
"And you forget how important mates are," Orion shoots back.
Gray speaks up for the first time since The King and Lady had arrived. "My King, who would you have married from our Throne?"

Elias looks down, hesitating. Again I catch the look he sends me but this time, I'm not the only one who sees it.
"Tell me you didn't, father," Orion says, his voice a harsh whisper. "Tell me you didn't trade off my mate." I attempt to swallow the lump that was quickly forming in my throat. "My mate!" he shouts, surprising us all. This was the first time I had ever seen him raise his voice. It was always his usual calm, collected cold voice. Orion stands, throwing back his seat in the process. The King stands too and Gray quickly joins them on foot.

"She was the only one Taylem wanted," The King explains as if it would make everything better.
"She is my mate, the only one I want. The only one I need," Orion says, his voice so full of ice. My eyes widen as I see my mate's shadows join me in my seat, swirling around me in a protective embrace.
"I have another mate for you," The King says and Angelina stands with a confidence that made me want to punch her pretty face. My mind quickly processes his words and now it's my turn to stand, my mate's shadows following the action. "Fuck no," I say. "Orion is mine. You can fuck off," I tell Angelina.
Rose chuckles, drawing my attention as she too stands. "You tell them, honey."

"You are willing to turn away your future mate, Angelina?" Orion asks the Lady and I bite my tongue, refraining from telling him to stop looking at her.
"I will do what's best for my kingdom," she says with no emotion. She was a blank wall. The perfect soldier who did what she was told.

"Her loyalty is to the throne, son. You should do well and follow her example."
"My loyalty is to my mate first. She will always come first." Orion turns to me, his eyes flashing gold. "Astraea comes first."
I take his hand in my own, hoping to express my gratitude. He gives it a gentle squeeze and sits back down once he rights the chair. I take his lead and take my own seat. Rose and Gray follow suit but the two across from me remain standing.

"Would you have traded mother?" my mate asks, his cold calm returning.
The King darkens considerably. "I wouldn't trade her over for anything," he spits out in a harsh whisper.
"But you would trade my mate?"

The silence comes back, giggling.

"Very well. I will come up with another plan." The King stands and Angelina scrambles to follow once Orion sends her a scathing look that could kill. The two leave, taking away the tension coiled around my limbs. I let out a small sigh, slumping into my seat. "I really don't want to be married off, by the way," I mention, just in case somebody didn't get the memo. My mate turns to me. "You won't be. The only person you're marrying is me."

I believed in Orion and I trusted him. The idea that the king proposed still instilled fear in me however. The fact that King Elias had even considered such a thing was scary. Being in the enemy's kingdom. Living with the enemy. Marrying the enemy.

My hands reach up to the necklace that I always wore, the gift that Gray had given me. Marrying anyone but my mate. I clench it tight in my fist, a habit of mine now. No, stop thinking Strae. My stomach swirls and bile threatens to drown me. Being forced to-

"Astraea."

I let go of the gold plate that hung around my neck and met Orion's eyes. He still held my other hand so he gave it a soft squeeze. "I'm not letting anything happen to you, okay?" he says. I nod. I meet my best friend's worried eyes and offer him a smile, hoping it didn't look as strained as it felt. "I think it's time to just go back to bed," I grumble.