The tavern isquiet when we arrive. A lone wolf sits at the bar, lost in the bottom of his glass. A pixie flutters by the fire, speaking to a fae male. They share a few laughs. Afew other patrons nurse their drinks and look up when the bell above the door rings. Some simply glance at me and then away, back to their drinks. But others do a double take and straighten up in their seats.
These people may have never met me, but they know a king when they see one.
But it’s not me who holds their attention. It’s Erin. The only human in the tavern. My body hardens, and I pull her closer, glaring at any fool who dares to stare at her for too long.
“Allarick,” she whispers, tugging her arm away from me. Disapproval colors her features, but in the next second, it’s gone, and she looks away.
“Yes, sweet girl?” I prompt because I don’t want her to have to hold her tongue around me.
She looks reluctant at first but then says, “You don’t need to growl at everyone who looks at me. It makes me feel like I’m your property.”
Did I growl? I don’t remember growling. I just remember seeing men stare at Erin like they were waiting to eat her up, and something inside of me flipped. I wanted to defend her. Show them that she…
Belongs to me.
Oh.
Damn.
Property belongs to people. People don’t belong to people. I can’t control the way people stare and look at Erin, but I can control my asshole nature. I can’t take her disappointment in me. It cuts worse than any blade.
“Forgive me, sweet girl. That was unacceptable. The last thing I ever want you to feel like is property.”
Erin blinks in surprise, like she hadn’t ever heard an apology for one’s behavior before. Maybe she hadn’t. Gingerly, she places her hand back on the crook of my arm. “Forgiven. Thank you for keeping me safe. I know you didn’t have any ill intentions; it’s just that James…”
She trails off. I didn’t need to hear what that bastard did to know it wasn’t good. He’d be a dead man walking if he were in Mescos. I wouldn’t be able to stop myself from inflicting the greatest amount of pain until he left this world screaming. Erin might be upset, but I would rather get on my knees and beg her forgiveness than have that monster walking around.
“I understand. No more growling.” I smile, trying to lighten the mood.
“Well, I wouldn’t be opposed to some growling.” She smirks. Her voice takes on a new cadence, one that sounds like flirting.
Heat blooms low in my stomach, traveling south. My cock stiffens in my pants. It’s the last thing I need right before meeting my sister.
Oblivious to my growing need, Erin scouts the room before pointing to a table by the window. “Oh, there she is.” She smiles, pulling me along. Seeing my sister hunched over her drink is a douse of cold water over me.
Something is wrong.
My worries are further confirmed when we get closer, and I see the dark circles under her eyes. Her hair is a mess, and her shirt has some questionable stains on it. Atina’s eyes are glossy when she looks at us, and it takes her a moment to realize who we are.
“Ah, Brother.” Her words are slurred. “Come join mein drinking.” My sister has never been a heavy drinker, much preferring to keep her wit. To see her like this is unnerving.
Erin’s smile drops when she takes in Atina’s state. I approach her like one would approach a hungry shark: delicately and alert. I pull out Erin’s chair and wait for her to take a seat before I take mine.
“You two look cozy.” Atina smirks, but her eyes remain dull.
“What happened?” There’s no other reason why my sister would take to drinking other than something terrible happening.
“No pleasantries, Brother? No declarations of brotherly love for a sister who works her ass off for her kingly brother?”
“Atina,” I growl. “This isn’t a time for jokes. Tell me what has you finding the bottom of your bottle.”
Atina, my impossibly larger-than-life sister, slumps forward. For a moment, the meek little girl I grew up with peeks through. I’m reminded, for all my sister’s bravado, she’s not as fearless as she claims to be. She cares too much, and caring begets fear. It’s the price we pay for loved ones.
“Is there anything we can do to make you more comfortable?” Erin asks, wearing her beautiful heart on her sleeve. “Clearly this is really hard on you. You don’t have to carry that burden alone.”
A ghost of a smile pulls at my sister’s lips, and something passes between the women I’ll never fully understand. Both are strong warriors in their own right. Not by choice, but by the hands they were dealt.
Atina traces her finger around the rim of her glass before pulling out a map she’s tucked within her pocket. “We’ve located the Leviathan.” She rolls out the map of Mescos, pointing to a coordinate forty-five leagues southwest of the Lycan Forest shore. She’s marked the spot with a small red X.
