Chapter 4 Her Other Knight

• KNIGHT
• Ayra was a lot of things: deceitful, a betrayer, and most of all, a conniving bitch who could fester emotions he swore he didn't possess.
• She masked what she wasn't, painting her emotions on her face like a billboard, inviting him to read them and feed on her fear.
• "You don't know what you're saying!" She snarled in his face, "I know what you're up to, Knight, but you can't get it through me; you will only be Duke if Selene says so!"
• So stubborn. So fucking stubborn. But, just the way he liked it,.
• Knight dropped his eyes on her fingers, spotting the slices on each tip. "Does that mean more blood for Selene tonight?"
• Swallowing hard, she slowly hid her fingers behind her gown, but in the blink of an eye, he snatched her wrist and observed them; damn, were the slices deep.
• She wasn't joking when she said she was ready for death.
• "Selene won't tell you anything about the next in line." The smell of her blood wafting past his nostrils was irresistible; it awakened his buds and made his tongue water. "I know it as well as you do."
• They were both in a struggle: her with her face against the wall, refusing to look him in the eye while adopting a steely gaze.
• There had been blood on her hands; he could make out their traces. It was all to show that the curse, despite all of his training and exorcism, was still at work.
• Ayra.
• All it took was for her to awaken it.
• Like she was hot coal, he snatched his hold away from her wrist and turned away so she didn't see the heat that had found its way to his face.
• "It's obvious you've made up your mind. You're back to destroy me," she murmured behind him, her voice a quiet shade of its former bravery. "It's been fifteen years."
• "It was all of my trust."
• Thorstein sprang in, his eyes darting from Ayra to his brother, nearly knocking the door off its hinges.
• During the years he had been away, Knight traits of the Father on Thorstein—even their quiet look of disdain—were the same.
• He strolled towards Ayra. "I came as soon as Mel told me. Are you alright?"
• She nodded, her attention now on him as he stood a couple of feet away from her, her relief at seeing him evident on her face.
• Thorstein turned to him, a reddish glint creeping up to his blue pupils. He growled, "Is there something I should know?"
• He also got tough, Knight noted amused, then raised both palms in mock defense, "Easy Duke, she came to me annnnd I might have misread her intentions."
• "You mother_"
• Thorstein made to launch at his brother, but Ayra grabbed his arm, tugging him back. The scar on his forehead sent a sense of déjà vu through the air, and Knight knew he wasn't the only one who felt it.
• "You don't fucking touch her, do you understand?" Thorstein fumed.
• Knight wondered if he was aware of her forbidden crush on him and if she still harbored such feelings. It appeared that she was willing to touch him, regardless of the potential consequences.
• Thorstein, on the other hand, was just a good boy.
• "Thorstein, no." He let her pull him, but his posture was still threatening. "He's telling the truth; I came here on my own."
• Thorsten's brows knitted in confusion as he looked at her. "What?"
• Knight cut in, "I have a lot stacked on my list that getting Ayra back isn't a priority. Well, unless she comes to me."
• "Ayra, what are you doing?" demanded a disturbed Thorstein, whose rage had subsided.
• "Tell him what you are doing here, Priestess," Knight echoed.
• "NOTHING!" she exclaimed, focusing her entire attention on Thorstein, who was feeling uneasy.
• She dashed out of the room, face flushed and chest heaving, with Thorstein running after her and calling her name.
• Left alone, the grin left his face. She would rather suffer his torture than make him Duke.
• Knight moved to the window, gazing far ahead at the temple's top.
• If Scania were this peaceful, he would also possess the same bravery.
• ... Peace..
• Brows rose.
• That was it; Scania was too peaceful; Ayra had her life in order.
• But he'd like to see what happened when there was a minor disruption.
• ***
• Anya staggered towards the lake, feeling her darkness close in as she approached.
• She wasn't going to the sacred lake to purify herself for the first time since her induction, although she could feel him on every part of her—his smell, his rage, his touch.
• She had a deep-seated conviction that Thorstein was indeed the next duke, all she wanted was a confirmation.
• Duchess Astrid was right—there was no way Knight could be Duke.
• In her next step, she felt the familiar chill on her toes, and at the same time, water climbed up to her ankle.
• Ayra sighed, letting the relief cloud her senses, although the weather was millions of degrees cold.
• Usually, Mel would be here, but she needed a vision; she needed to beg for this one, for even Mel couldn't know that she knew nothing about who should ascend the throne.
• Now the water was at her waist, still and biting, freezing her white fabric to her skin.
• Ayra looked up at the dark and menacing cloud in the sky before pulling out the little golden-handled knife.
• "Goddess, Selene," she prayed, letting the knife's sharp edge slice through her closed palm. Tears filled her eyes. "I need just one vision."
• She felt the thick Ione drop into the water, but nothing happened.
• "I've served you for years." She squeezed her palm, hearing more drips and feeling herself go dizzy. "Just one vision."
• Impatience and terror tugged at her, and she dunked her head into the pool, holding her breath and waiting.
• And it came. In a nanosecond, she was alone in the courtroom, behind the throne.
• But this was no Duke's throne... It was... was...
• "The Alpha King's."
• Why was she here? Did she ask wrong? No, she didn't. Ayra's lips trembled. Was the goddess playing games with her?
• But then the figure on the throne stood and turned.
• Ayra's mouth dropped open.
• Above him, dark clouds loomed, shielding the moon and casting a dark red ambiance.
• Blood dripped from his fingers, plastered on his scarred upper body—blood she knew wasn't his.
• But that wasn't what had her pulling back.
• The reason: he was staring directly at her, Ash Pupils, dripping venom in a way it hadn't in the courtroom.
• It was a vision, and he couldn't see her!
• Or, couldn't he?
• His eyes darkened.
• He could?!!!
• Ayra pulled her head out of the water and returned to reality, fighting to fill air back into her lungs as she stumbled towards the lake's bank.
• It was all a mistake. Her heart pounded.
• It couldn't possibly be.
• It couldn't be Knight.