Niako approached the palace door first while I remained standing on the golden steps, cuffed and flanked by Tibo and Ruck. Makari threw the doors open and pulled Niako into a stiff embrace, patting his cheek a bit too sharply to be affectionate.
"Welcome home, Niako," said Makari. "I haven't seen much of you since you decided you'd rather live in the slums than with your own family."
Niako stood rigid until Makari released him. Then he reached a hand up to brush off his cheek and turned back toward the guards.
"Bring in the Claimed," he said.
Makari's dark gaze flicked past Niako to me. His eyes darted to the collar on my neck, and his hands scrunched the material of his frock. Then he smoothed the frock again and looked back at Niako.
"You know guards are not allowed in the palace," said Makari.
Niako gave a tight-lipped smile. "For today, we will consider them guests." Then he beckoned the guards by curling his index finger twice, and they each grabbed one of my arms and pushed me up toward the entrance. Makari frowned, but he stepped aside to allow us to enter.
They escorted me to the family room back behind the dining room. Like ten years prior, stiff armchairs circled the outside of the room, spaced just far enough apart to make conversation difficult. The rug of patched-together exotic animal furs still covered the ground, and the lighting was just as dim as I remembered. But now four chairs were occupied, and a Claimed kneeled on the rug in front of each one.
I recognized the golden-haired woman who had sat to the left of Niako during the Claiming Ceremony. The frilly pink garment she wore enveloped her like a cloud, and her vibrant jewelry flashed with every movement. Her Claimed wore only a pair of gray knickers. While bountiful silk garments and fur wraps spilled over the sides of each Master's chair, it appeared I was the only Claimed who was fully clothed.
Of course, out of all of the Masters present, Makash still managed to stand out. He filled out his entire chair, legs sprawled, chest puffed, and forearms draped over the armrests. The fabric of his shimmering gold frock bulged over his muscles and crotch. Before him, Stro knelt on the ground, sitting back on his heels with his head hung low and shoulders slumped. Naked, hairless, and slathered in glittering copper paint.
Hardly aware of what I was doing, I wrenched my arms free of the guards and spun back toward the dining room. But before I could pass through the doorway, hands grabbed my arms, tighter than before.
"Watch yourself," Tibo growled, digging surprisingly strong bony fingers into my biceps.
As Tibo and Ruck forced me back toward the chairs, Niako's eyes swept up to my chest, but he stopped before meeting my gaze and turned his back on me. Then he stalked forward a couple steps and flopped down into the armchair on the opposite side of the room from Makash.
Makash's stare pinned Niako, and a slow smile spread over his face, broad enough to reveal a missing canine tooth on the bottom. I hoped it was from the Challenge Day competition, and that Finny's hero had done the deed.
He has plenty of other teeth.
Oh, Finny. An avalanche of emotion snowballed toward me, and I quickly forced the thought aside.
"Good thing you've brought your guards, little brother," said Makash. "Your methods for teaching your Claimed have clearly not been successful."
"On the contrary," said Niako, "My Claimed is exactly as I want him to be." His voice was relaxed, but his hands curled tight around the ends of the armrests.
"Ha," said Makash, leaning his head back to roll his eyes at the ceiling.
The guards steered me toward Niako's seat, and then Ruck spoke into my ear.
YOU ARE READING
The Claimed: A Clash of Copper and Gold
FantasíaA stubborn prince joins forces with the beautiful son of his enemy to save his kingdom and his life. --- Prince Toom has never questioned the safety and power of his family - until he meets Niako, the cunning, arrogant, and unnervingly beautiful son...
