Soulbound

The servant led us to a room looking over the small barracks of soldiers tucked off to the side of the castle. According to Annalyse, this room was appointed as the Dragon Knight room; whenever we visited the castle, this was where we would be staying. A good thing, because it was easy to find in this massive building. It had a good view of the comings and goings of the castle gate too, which I was sure was intentional. One day, once my training was complete, I’d be able to take advantage of the position of this room to protect the important people inside, but right now all it did was help me get an understanding for the layout of this place.

We weren’t high enough for me to see the city of Lexxis and its modern beauty, but there were so many lights within the city that a halo glowed above in the dark clouds. It was a magical sight and I didn’t want to step away from the balcony yet, but Annalyse was calling for me. It was time to get ready for my dinner with the king.

Taking a deep breath, I mentally promised myself I’d explore the wonders of Lexxis later, and turned to go back inside.

Grinning excitedly, she directed me to the bathroom--which was even more lavish than our own at the base!--and helped me get ready for the night. She worked my hair and padded my face down with powder and charcoal until I couldn’t take the ache in my butt any longer.

With an indignant sigh, she let me leave the bathroom. I stopped short when I caught sight of Jacob; he was in the middle of adjusting his tie in the floor length mirror sitting in the corner of our room. He turned and blinked at me in return. The peachy chiffon dress hung off my shoulders, showcasing my slender frame, but the corset pushed my breasts up, making them look bigger than I thought they could. A thick, silky ribbon laced everything together at my back. I had never worn anything like this in my life.

Annalyse gave my hand a little squeeze. “I’ll give you two a moment.” She left to join Grayson in the hallway.

I cleared my throat, uncomfortable with the look on Jacob’s face. I could see it in his eyes, the change of his perception of me: no longer his little sister who always needed protecting, but his grown up sister confidently taking on the world. This look had expectations, ones I wasn’t sure I could meet.

“You don’t look too bad yourself, you know.” Seeing him in his dapper suit, hair brushed and tidy, I saw a different side to my brother. A side I didn’t think he had in him. He was a diplomat here, a respectable gentleman. It was one thing to see people in our village to take him seriously after he became a Knight, but it was a whole other thing for the leaders of our kingdom to respect him. He’d grown up far more than I had.

I sensed tears fast approaching.

“Hey now!” Jacob snapped out of his stunned silence and rushed to my side, handing me a handkerchief. “No need for tears, Eva. What’s wrong?”

I took deep, controlling breaths. Annalyse would kill me if I ruined her hard work. “Mom and Dad would have loved to see you like this.”

A sympathetic smile grew on his lips as he comforted me. His eyes were soft when he looked at me, the same look he always gave me when I was upset. It was the only thing that could keep me calm sometimes. “Me? What about you? My little sister is a grown woman now. They would be so proud. . . of both of us.”

I nodded. All they ever wanted was for us to be happy and follow our dreams. I could almost feel the pride they would have felt if they could see us tonight.

We hugged to keep the emotions at bay. Now wasn’t the time to revel in the past.

Annalyse knocked on the door. She, like Grayson, wore her formal gear as part of our protection detail. She could have been mistaken for the Commander herself she wore the blue cape so well; her hair was tied in a slick braid that trailed halfway down her back. However, despite how gorgeous she looked, her eyes did not leave my brother, like he was the belle of the ball. It was then when I realised she hadn’t come here with the boys before; this was her first time seeing Jacob all cleaned up. I’m glad I wasn’t the only one who approved.

A servant curtsied in the doorway. “Dinner will commence in ten minutes. Please, follow me.”

Swallowing a lump in my throat, I trailed behind her, making sure not to step on my dress as I did. The last thing I wanted to do was fall flat on my face in front of everyone. I felt better knowing Grayson and Annalyse were right behind us; one of them would be fast enough to catch me before I made a fool of myself.

The servant showed us to a large room hosting a grand mahogany table. It was decorated with far more utensils I’d thought existed and gorgeous colourful bouquets. The wall opposite the tall arched windows held a mural of a field with wildflowers in full bloom and an elegant castle standing proud in the back drop. It took me a moment to realise this was in Lexxis. The field looked so different from above.

“Eva?”

I jumped and faced Jacob, who held a chair out for me in a very gentlemanly manner. We were the first to arrive, so thankfully I only looked like a fool in front of my brother. Annalyse and Grayson were stationed outside the door, dutifully keeping watch--as silly as the idea seemed to me. They were more prominent members of the Dragon Knight community than I was, they should be allowed to join us.

I stared at the place settings, quickly going over everything Grayson had taught me. I had thought he was overpreparing me, but it appeared that he had been down playing just how many things I needed to keep up with, likely so I wouldn’t panic before the event.

The doors suddenly swung open. A servant announced the royal family. Jacob hauled me up to my feet and bowed, slipping me a look to do the same.

King Renkon came in first, shoulders broad as his green cape billowed behind him. An aura of power and resilience surrounded him; when he looked at me, his deep brown eyes took me in slowly. His gaze left me feeling like a disappointment.

Let him underestimate you, I reminded myself, remembering Grayson’s advice. He’ll regret it later.

Queen Angeline, on the other hand, offered me a friendly smile. She was as elegant as she was beautiful with dark curls cascading down her front. Beside her, Prince Leonidas strutted in, chin up, shoulders back, with a silky smooth demeanor expected from someone who spent hours practicing his gait. However, when his eyes landed on me, his flawless gait faltered, and he stumbled to a stop. A devilish grin tugged at the ends of his lips.

I suddenly realised why Annalyse was so excited to come here. What girl wouldn’t want to meet the handsome Prince Leonidas, with chiseled features and entrancing blue eyes?

King Renkon took his spot at the end of the table and waited for his queen to sit before joining her. Prince Leonidas stood in front of his spot opposite Jacob, then glanced at the empty seat beside me. Obviously not caring for the seating arrangements, or propriety, he walked over to me and bowed, offering a hand out to me. Not wishing to be rude, I accepted his offer; he kissed my knuckles. “Prince Leonidas Kain, my lady, but you may call me Leo.”

“Eva.”

His grin broadened. “Charmed. Wilfred,” he addressed a servant. “I will be dining beside the lovely Eva tonight.”

He pulled up a chair beside me and sat comfortably, informally, gaze locked on me, while Wilfred changed the place settings. It wasn’t fair that he was allowed to lean his elbow on the table and I wasn’t. My back was already straining from sitting up so straight.

“So the storm dragon rider is a woman,” the prince was delighted. “A beautiful one at that. Isn’t this a treat? Jacob, I envy you, spending your days surrounded by gorgeous women. You really must take me to Dragon Canyon one of these days.”

I tried to hide my surprise by his casualness when he addressed my brother. I thought Jacob was just trying to make me feel better when he had said they were close.

Jacob forced a smile. “Eva is my sister.” He explained our relation as if it held some weight. Considering the prince didn’t even bat an eyelash his way, I doubted it had as much influence as he thought it would.

The prince’s eyes twinkled in their excitement; they reminded of the pond by Brar when a full moon shone down on it. “I can tell. She shares your eyes, but I must say, they’re much prettier on her.”

Try as I might, my cheeks went boiling hot. Men weren’t typically so outward with their advances, and certainly none of them were princes.

“Leonidas,” the king warned, “save your bantering for another night.” His eyes were like steel as he glared at him, lips pursed in a frustrated line.

The prince pouted theatrically at the king. Was everything a joke to him? “Come now, Father, it’s just a bit of fun. You like to have fun, don’t you, Eva?”

I refused to answer, because I had a feeling his definition of “fun” was very different from mine, and I was honestly at a loss of what to do about him. I hadn’t anticipated this kind of reaction when I met the royal family. King Renkon’s stiff, cold demeanor was more expected.

King Renkon gave his son a dry look. “She is the storm dragon rider, not a plaything. You will not interfere with my plans. Understand?”

“And what plans might those be, Your Majesty?” I asked, doing my best to sound polite, but it was difficult when being discussed as if I wasn’t present. Once upon a time, I might have let people--especially royalty--treat me like an afterthought, but it was becoming very clear that I was far from that. These people didn’t invite just anybody to dine with them.

The king gave me a cutting look; his eyes narrowed in on me with a similar glare he’d given his son. I didn’t like that look; the last person who gave me a look like that got a black eye. “We will discuss them later as they become relevant to you. Tonight, I wish to discuss your previous experiences. Who trained you?”

I couldn’t help it; I scowled. What did it matter who taught me how to hunt? “My father taught me how to use a bow. Then, after his wagon accident, Jacob showed me how to follow animal tracks and catch prey.”

The king and queen exchanged a look that formed a pit in my stomach. It was Queen Angeline who spoke, “We are curious who helped you become Bound to a dragon. A dragon would only Bond with someone of exceptional swordsmanship and unparalleled bravery. Did a lord teach you, perhaps? One of our royal guard? Did a druid help you master your magic?”

I looked to Jacob for answers, because they couldn’t be implying what I thought they were. Did they know nothing of where I came from? Like a lord would pick me out of a crowd and take me under his wing. We had one lord in Brar, and he certainly wasn’t a master swordsman. His “exceptional training” did him a fat load of good when we were invaded. I was alive because my father and brother had taught me how to survive--and even then it hadn’t been enough. Arkon had saved me.

Jacob cleared his throat. “Your Majesties, I regret to inform you that you have been misinformed. Eva has had no formal training. Whatsoever. She is to begin her training as soon as we return to Dragon Canyon.”

A dark look loomed over the king’s features. “Are you meaning to tell me that a storm dragon Bound to an ignorant little farmgirl? Is this dragon an imbecile? He has started a war, and he has given me this.” He gestured to me in absolute disgust. “Where is he? I must speak with him.”

Arkon’s protectiveness surged through me. A bolt of lightning flashed outside. Everyone turned, gasping, to glance at the storm forming outside.

“He’s somewhere safe where you can’t touch him,” I snapped, rising to my feet. “You can say what you like about me, but I won’t let you insult Arkon. If you don’t like the cards you’ve been dealt, we are more than happy to walk right now and leave your little kingdom to figure things out with King Sylus.”

The room was so silent I heard Jacob’s sharp inhale. He was definitely going to kill me once this dinner was done, but right I didn’t care. I had a glaring contest to win.

King Renkon’s face went redder the longer the silence stretched on, but he retained his cool demeanor. “You would commit treason over a few simple words? This goes to show what a mistake your dragon made Bonding with you. You are nothing more than a child throwing a temper tantrum.”

They can’t throw you in jail, I repeated over and over in my head. Grayson had said so. He also said they’ would like me. But he didn’t know I was going to be saying these things. I didn’t know I was going to be saying these things.

“I am a Dragon Knight,” I said boldly, struggling to keep calm. It was especially difficult when I felt Arkon’s anger as strongly as I felt my own. “I protect and serve the people. Not you. I may not be as skilled a fighter as your royal guard, but I will learn. No matter how hard I have to train or how many sleepless nights I must endure, I will become a powerful Knight. And when a village burns, I will actually do something about it instead of sitting pretty in my obnoxious castle and host dinner parties.”

Jacob’s mouth fell open. “Eva! Your Majesties, forgive my sister. She doesn’t know her manners.”

“You don’t speak for me, Jacob,” I growled. Breathing was difficult in the coreset when all I wanted to do was seethe. “I know exactly what I’m doing.”

King Renkon set a hard glare on me. “I should have my guards drag you to the stockade for your insolent words. I will not be disrespected in my own home.”

“My king-”

“But,” King Renkon continued before Jacob could make his protests, “you are still angry and hurt from your loss, such emotions make women volatile creatures. I will forgive your actions just this once.”

Volatile creatures?? My blood simmered. Before anyone could stop me--including myself--I said, “Don’t worry, Your Majesty, it’ll only be the once because this is the last you’ll be seeing of me.”

Jacob stood up so fast his chair flew back and skidded across the floor. He bowed curtly. “If you’ll excuse us, Your Majesties, I need to have a word with my sister.”

King Renkon glowered. “Don’t bother bringing her back.”

Finally, something we could agree on.

Jacob gave Prince Leonidas, who looked like he was enjoying the whole spectacle, a terse nod then hustled me out of the room. As soon as the doors closed behind us, he whirled around on me, face as red as the king’s. “Are you out of your bloody mind?!!” His voice echoed through the halls.

Grayson and Annalyse were at our sides in an instant. “What happened?”

“My balloon head of a sister insulted the entire royal family, all the way back to their first ancestors.” I’d never seen my brother so mad, not even when I stole the food he stashed under his bed for later. I still didn’t feel bad. In fact, I was peeved he was taking the king’s side.

“He started it!” I shot back, shoving a finger in his chest. “He called me a volatile creature--what is that even supposed to mean!?--and doesn’t have a clue what’s going on outside his pretty gates. If he doesn’t like Arkon’s choice in riders, he can shove a sword up his-”

“He’s our king!”

“He’s a pampered, misogynistic ass!”

Jacob gripped his hair and looked seconds away from yanking it all out. “You can’t go around calling people names because you don’t like them! We’re not in Brar anymore. Culture in big cities are different; what you say to people can actually get you into trouble--especially if that person is the king of our kingdom!”

“Okay, now.” Grayson stepped between us, the only calm one in the hallway. “Let’s just take a breather here. We can still make amends.” It was a good thing he got in the way, because I was this close to punching my brother.

“I don’t want to make amends,” I snarled, glaring at Jacob over Grayson’s shoulder. “He doesn’t care about what happened to Brar. I want to go back to Dragon Canyon.” I didn’t want to deal with a man who didn’t care about his people. He could have at least shown a shred of remorse for what had happened.

“Leaving so soon?” We all turned to find Prince Leonidas standing behind us with a fake pout. “We were just getting to know each other, my beauty.” I didn’t know how long he’d been standing there--long enough, at least, for him to get comfortable leaning against the wall. He gave me a slow, sultry smile. He received nothing but glares. I wasn’t in the mood to be flattered.

Sighing, he pushed off the wall and gestured to the dining room. He still had that smutty air about him, but his face was all serious, a hard line on his lips. “It’d be a shame for you to come all this way and not eat. Will you join me? I’m famished.”

I was hungry but not enough to give in to his charms--especially if his father was still in that room.

“The king and queen have decided to retire for the evening,” he added. “They thought it’d be in the kingdom's best interest if I made amends for my father's deplorable reaction, and, if you are willing to hear me out, I will be your liaison from here on."

That sounded better.

I let out a chunk of air, my anger slowly receding. Maybe this was for the better. It would be handy to have an ally in the Kain Court, especially if that ally was my prince. “All right. I will hear you out. Let’s go, Jacob.” I still hadn’t forgotten my brother didn’t have my back, but I was going to need his help to keep this guy’s hands off me.

Before Jacob could follow, the prince stopped him with a foxy look in his eyes. “Sorry, but the invitation was exclusively for your charming sister.”

Our massive fight forgotten, Jacob glowered at him, stepping for him. “I’m not leaving you alone with my sister, Leo.”

Laughing, he adjusted his lapels and stood straighter to make him appear taller--not that he needed to; he had a good two inches on my brother. He also had broader shoulders, making him all the more part of a prince. “The king has decreed it.”

“He decreed you deal business with Eva, nothing more,” Jacob growled. After all that fuss he made about me using my manners and addressing the royals correctly, he threw it all out the window now that King Renkon was no longer present.

I put a hand on Jacob’s shoulder, pulling him away from the prince before he did something stupid. I may have mouthed off to the king, but if the prince kept pushing his buttons Jacob would hit him, which I was sure was far worse than anything I’d done tonight.

I smiled at the prince, working charms I didn’t know I had. “It wouldn’t be appropriate for me not to have an escort, my prince. Who knows what could happen if we were left alone?”

The prince liked the uncertain danger of us being alone. He stepped closer to me, slipping his arm over my shoulders. “Well, if you put it that way, I suppose we could make it a threesome with the lovely Annalyse.” He gave her the same look he’d been giving me all night.

Annalyse was about to accept when my brother spoke up. “Oh, no. No. Grayson will be escorting Eva.”

Grayson agreed in a heartbeat, stepping to my side. I smiled at him, grateful to have him near. He had a strange way of making feel perfectly safe when he was around, and right now I needed to feel untouchable. My fate, as well as Arkon’s, would be decided tonight, and I needed to ensure it was the fate we wanted.

Prince Leonidas feigned a smile. “As long as he doesn’t mind watching.” He waggled his dirty eyebrows at me then guided me back to the dining room.

I peered over my shoulder to Jacob, hoping I hadn't dug myself a pit I couldn't get out of.