DIANA
Aeris gave me a lazy grin.
“I merely came to check if you were still among the living or if you had already been eaten alive by these palace predators. Though looking at you now, it seems my worries were unnecessary.”
A radiant smile spread across my face.
I was happy to finally see a familiar face in this nest of vipers that I thoughtlessly stretched my hand to grab his, then I caught myself.
Unnecessary physical contact between a man and woman who were not married was considered highly inappropriate and shameful.
Aeris laughed, shaking his head.
“Oh, please do not embarrass yourself further, Your Highness.”
I frowned.
“I wasn’t-”
“You were,” he interrupted me with grin.
“There’s no need to worry about the court’s gossiping eyes. You’re the only one who can actually see me, Diana.”
My eyes widened a little.
“What?”
“Your Highness?” Sarah’s hesitant voice came from behind me.
“Are you alright? Why… why are you talking to the pillar?”
I went still.
She was staring at me with a deeply worried look.
I snapped my gaze back to Aeris who as smirking wickedly at me, clearly enjoying himself.
He had cloaked his appearance from everyone else.
I quickly cleared my throat, forcing my expression back to normal to ease Sarah’s suspicion.
“I am perfectly fine, Sarah. I was merely… rehearsing a few words in my head.”
Her brows pulled together, obviously unconvinced, but she slowly stepped back.
I lowered my voice so only Aeris could hear me.
“How am I supposed to talk to you without looking insane? And why can’t you just show yourself properly?”
He raised an eyebrow.
“Because this is the Central Palace, not Volkar.”
My confusion deepened.
“And?”
His expression turned a little serious.
“Faes and dragons do not exactly….share friendly history.”
Before I could reply, he snapped his fingers and instantly, a transparent cover formed over us.
It was the same cloaking magic he had used during the ambush to ensure the Queen’s men couldn’t hear us.
He exhaled.
“There…now they can’t hear us.” His eyes returned to mine.
“You can speak freely.”
The noise from the cheers of the crowd had reduced.
“What is this competition really about?” I asked.
“And please, don’t just tell me it’s a simple display of skills. Not after the way the everyone reacted when Draven arrived.”
He dropped to the empty chair beside mine.
To anyone looking from the outside, the seat was vacant.
He leaned back and crossed his legs.
“You’re quite inquisitive, Princess,” he murmured, his gaze drifting to the field where Lyra and Kira were currently preparing to draw their bows.
“It’s a centuries long tradition, held once every year since the founding of the realm. It’s more like a festival to celebrate the kingdom’s prosperity and unity. Anyone of noble blood can compete. The princes, their wives… everyone. Well, except the King and Queen, of course. The supreme rulers do not compete with their subjects.”
He paused, a dark smile tugging at the corners of his lips.
“But that is the lie they feed the commoners.”
I shifted in my seat, turning my head towards him a little, while keeping my eyes fixed on the field so no one would notice my focus.
“And the truth?”
“The truth is that this field is a bloodless war zone,” He explained.
“Prince Roderick and the Prince Zain take this with a sickening level of seriousness.”
“Why?” I asked.
“Because the King still hasn’t chosen a crown prince. The Dragon Kingdom does not inherit crowns simply through birthright, Diana. It inherits through power.”
I watched as Lyra raised her bow.
Her posture was flawless and focused.
It was obvious she trained hard for this.
“So this is about… succession,” I whispered.
“You could say that. The public uses this match to gauge the strength of their future rulers,” He continued, gesturing lazily with his hand.
“Roderick, Zain and their mates are actively trying to prove to the realm who has the stronger household, the better lineage… and ultimately, who would be the superior heir to claim the throne after King Xerxes.”
“So the First and Second Princes are fighting for the throne.” I murmured.
Aeris snorted.
“Fighting is putting it mildly.”
I looked across the field, past the targets and straight to the isolated pavilion where my husband sat.
“And Draven?” I whispered, my chest tightening.
“If this is about proving who is fit to rule… why has he never attended before?”
He barked out a laugh.
“Diana, your husband is not interested in sitting on that throne.”
That was…
not the answer I was expecting.
“He doesn’t want to rule?”
Aeris looked genuinely horrified.
“The man barely wants to attend family dinners.”
I couldn’t help the small smile that tugged at my lips.
“Then why does everyone seem so threatened by him?”
His amusement faded.
“Because whether he wants it or not, he could take it.”
That wiped the smile from my face.
“Oh.”
“Exactly. The realm respects strength above all else, and unfortunately for everyone involved, your husband possesses an unreasonable amount of it.”
I looked back at the field just as Lyra released her string.
The arrow flew with terrifying speed and landed straight on the distant target.
The crowd erupted into a roar, waving Roderick’s banners.
Lyra lowered her bow, turning to look back at our pavilion with a smug grin.
“The Commander doesn’t need to shoot an arrow at a painted piece of wood to prove his power, Diana. They don’t need to see him hit a bullseye when they’ve seen him slaughter armies.” Aeris said.
I looked at the Queen and her sons and suddenly a thought occurred to me.
“If Draven doesn’t want the throne…then the Queen should be relieved.”
Aeris turned to me and laughed again.
“Diana.”
The way he said my name made me sit up.
“The Queen hates him, regardless. She would never allow him to sit on that throne because he’s not hers. She only wants one of her own children crowned. And she sees the Commander as a threat.”
“She seems to already have a favorite.” I mumbled.
“Roderick.”
Aeris smirked.
“Exactly.”
Suddenly so many things made sense now.
The subtle favoritism and Roderick’s confidence.
If Roderick or Zain inherited the throne, her bloodline remained in power.
If Draven somehow rose instead, everything she had spent centuries building would crumble.
I sat back in my chair.
“This family is exhausting.”
Aeris looked delighted as he said, “You have no idea.”