Chapter 99

 

I stood back and watched this Romeo as he spoke to Arius, pausing often to smile over at me. Mitz had been right when she’d used the word slimy. Did he really think I was going to smile back each time he leered at me? What I wanted to do was throw my knife at him. Turning to roll my eyes at the man playing ominous bodyguard, I couldn’t seriously believe he worried about my being around this ‘romeo’.

Troy just continued to stand there with his arms crossed looking like an enormous statue. When he moved his eyes slowly down my body and then wandered back up to my face, I did the very same thing to him and then winked at him. He actually smirked before turning his glare back to the two men heading our way.

Arius stopped a few feet away, but the other guy moved right in and dropped to one knee in front of me. “My Lord. My Queen, I am most humbled by your presence.” I lifted my hand, hovering it over his slicked back hair, glancing at Arius, his eyes flicked behind me and then he shook his head barely moving it.

“Enough, Romulus,” Troy barked, “we have no time for this.”

Romulus raised his head, his eyes moving up over me. I took an automatic step back until I was leaning against Troy. His hand moved to rest on my waist, so I decided this is where I was staying.

Standing, the mage’s eyes moved over my arm and then hesitantly to his King’s. He inclined his head. “Of course, time is of the essence in this matter.” He smiled. “I know I can be very helpful. Marcus was my mentor and taught me everything.” He shook his head. “I am still troubled that this is happening.” Sighing, he turned and went over to a table. “Although when one has that much power it’s not surprising that it got to him.” Picking up a book, he came back over to us. “This is my journal, it illustrates much of what you’re looking for. To teach you would take hours, but I feel as long as you can learn some of the preludes you will be able to recognize when to bail and run and when not to.” He paused and studied me. “You are really immune to him?”

I shrugged not really wanting to engage him in any sort of dialogue.

He nodded, a smile plastered to his face. “Of course you are, prophecies don’t lie.” Holding out the book, he bowed his head. “If you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to come and see me.”

Troy reached around me and took the book out of his hands. With a nod to Arius, he placed his hand behind my back and started guiding me toward the door, with no room for argument.

With a helpless look to Arius, I shrugged and went where I was being lead.

Once we were outside, he paused and looked down at me. “I am sorry.”

I had to wonder for which part exactly, but kept my mouth shut.

“For even considering you’d prefer him over me.” He looked embarrassed.

I grinned up at him. “Oh I don’t know.” I sucked in a breath. “It’s a tough call…” I shrieked when I found myself swung up over his shoulder.

Lifting my head, I tried to look around to see if there was something I could reach to get out of his hold. I found myself looking at an amused upside down Arius as he was closing the door.

“If I didn’t know for fact you were only ten years older than I, brother, I would have to wonder if you predate the dinosaur.” Arius shrugged at me and then stepped out of my sight line. “Put the huntress down, we can’t walk through the village with her slung over your shoulder, despite how charming it looks.” He almost sounded bored.

I would have to thank him later for that when I found myself flipped around and practically tossed up in the air before being caught in strong arms.

“Can I carry her this way?” Troy was smirking.

Arius sighed. “Perhaps you should ask your Queen if she wants to be toted around the village like a toddler, with everyone looking on.”

Troy looked at me and then heaved a dramatic sigh. “I am fairly certain I know the answer to that.” Gently he placed me back on my feet and smiled down at me.

Flipping the hair back from my face, I sent him a scalding glare and then turned to Arius and grinned. “Thank you.”

He inclined his head and then side stepped so Troy’s large body was between us. I frowned, wondering if I was going to have to always walk five feet away from everyone from now on. It could make things a little hard during a fight or even practice. Females that hung around the royal brothers were something I’d never seen yet so that would leave me on the side lines. That I didn’t do. Shaking it off, I turned and started walking, hoping it was in the right direction. “Let’s go look at the compound.”