The king of shifters grumbled under his breath and shook his head. “Withdraw your knife Penina.”
Penina’s pearly white smile lit up her face and she flipped her blade away, skillfully hiding it in her pink chiffon clothing. “I hardly know what you mean, General Dark. I advise my king in many ways.”
“Remnant will do.” I sat down with a swivel. “And you mean you advise him in all things death.”
Penina took the chair, next to me, where Emon had been sitting, and propped her bare feet casually on the table. Every single dainty toe was ordained with gold jewelry.
“Perhaps.” She grinned.
I grinned back at the seemingly youthful shifter. There was more to her than what she allowed everyone to see. Something mysterious and unknown.
I liked it.
Flashbacks of another time forced itself to the front of my mind and I buried it again. Those fae were gone, nothing could bring them back from what I had done.
Emon groaned and scrubbed a hand over his face. “That was my chair.”
Theyoungshifter wiggled her petite frame deeper into the leather. “And you warmed it up for me. Such a thoughtful king.” She reached over and grabbed an apple from an elaborate bowl of fruit decorating the table.
Emon chuckled and shook his head, plopping himself down in the other unoccupied chair next to me.
Penina bit into her apple with a loud crunch and then leaned towards me, her gold pierced brows wiggling comically. “Did you know, when I was a cub I used to pretend that I was the great General Remnant Dark. I would climb the tallest peak of the Red Caps and race along its ridgeline pretending they were the Nocturnes.”
The Nocturnes were the snowy mountains of my homeland and wrapped around the giant crescent craters that bordered the City of Night. “That sounds like something I would have done. Perhaps one day we can run the Red Caps together.”
She grinned, her bright smile beautiful in contrast to her mocha skin.
“It’s a good thing you are not her Nina, or else you’d be a traitor to all of fae kind.” I knew that voice. “Your majesty.” Eshe flipped her long blonde hair over her bare shoulders showing off a thin crop top covering her midnight skin, paired with a long flowing red skirt.
It was an outfit meant to entice and I knew exactly who it was for.
I glanced over at Emon who was frowning at his steward in confusion.
“I don’t believe that.” Penina snarled next to me.
Eshe sat with a flourish right across the shifter king. She gave Penina a condescending smile. “The general has a habit of killing whoever gets close to her…I for one would never want to be like that.”
My hand snapped up in front of Penina, who I sensed was just short of launching herself across the table.
I stared into Eshe’s yellow-green eyes. “I do not deny that I have killed thousands of fae in my lifetime as well as that many in a single day. An atrocity I live with but I am what I am.” I placed both my hands on the table and watched the shadows spread across it like spilled ink. Eshe’s smug grin fell as she watched the shadow creep towards her. “And who I am is much better than being the ignorant and short minded fae that you have proven yourself to be.” I leaned back and the shadows snapped towards me and swirled up my arms. “We all have our faults I suppose.”
Penina snickered and crunched into her apple. Chewing very slowly and watching her companion compose herself.
Emon raked a hand through his hair. “Despite what her demeanor has been of late.” Emon shot her a warning glare. “Eshe has been and is very loyal to this kingdom as well as the fae within it.”
“Thank you, your majesty.” She purred.
Emon gave her a pointed look. “You know better. Get over whatever the fuck is hanging you up about having the general here and start acting like the fae I am proud of.”
The room stilled and Eshe’s face turned a shade of gray.
Penina bit into her apple with another obnoxious crunch.
Then Eshe bowed her head to the shifter king. “Apologies, your majesty.”
Another crunch of apple within the awkward silence.
“Who’s the new beauty?”
