Page 104 of Royal Lies

"Eli! I begged you not to! You know what he did! To his own people nonetheless!" She fought back as words tumbled from my mouth once more without my consent. Perhaps it was because I was tired of all this blame being cast my way when I wasn't the one at fault.

"Please as if that's any different from what your people do-" I had cut myself off a tad bit too late as I felt her energy rise.

"What?" She gritted in such a hushed tone I knew I had done it.

"Wait, I-I didn't mean to say that. I just meant that your people go to war with one another so much that killing half his own is practically the same thing. Shit, that’s worse. I mean-" I quickly hushed myself at the withering look I was receiving from those red-hot eyes, literally. They were like burning rubies under the chandelier light of the office.

I expected her to yell at me more. What I hadn’t anticipated was the sudden trickle of tears running down her cheeks. Oh lords, this was not what I meant to happen. "Aki- That's not what I meant, you know that. I-I'm just a bit tired today. With Everetta's meltdown and the workload." I gestured to the mountains of paperwork on the table and floor of the office. I bitdown on my lower lip as I watched Akatsuki break down and I was going to go to her. To help wrap her in my comforting arms when she held out a hand distancing me. Halting me from taking any more steps closer.

"No- Ispecificallyasked you not to. I begged you not to. I told you he had something up his sleeves. I warned you not to make a bargain with him.” She repeated looking back up at me, her eyes brimming with more unshed tears.

Silence.

I didn’t know what else to say. What would make her see that what I did was the best solution?

“What was the bargain?”? Her weet stained eyes meet mine. Confused, I didn't reply until she repeated herself and even then what was I supposed to tell her?

“What was the bargain?! What the fuck did he ask for?!”

Here it was. I had hoped she had forgotten about that one question.

Wincing I could still remember those words as if it was yesterday. I didn't regret it because there was no other way. Besides, it wasn't as if it was going to be held for long.

"What did you trade, Eli?" Akasuki asked, she wasn't yelling this time. She wasn't screaming anymore and maybe it was her quite broken tone that made me crack. The pleading knowing gleam in her glistening eyes as if she’d already given up. On what, I hadn’t a clue. Even without saying a thing she already knew the answer, my bright mate.

"You handed me over. You traded me in. Didn't you?" She asked, her broken fractured tone like a knife to my throat. Biting out a soft smile as if she'd already accepted it she turned her gaze away from mine. It was like she couldn’t even look at me.

But what was there to accept? I wasn't going to let that bargain come true, at least not for long.

"He was never going to have you for long. I was going to kill him as soon as the bargain was fulfilled. I was going to end him the moment our deal was done. A second, it wasonlygoing to be for a second. I promise. There was no way I would ever let him touch you, you know that." I tried to reason. Reaching out a hand to grab onto her to maybe hold on to whatever hope might be left for me to convince her that I would never just sell her off. But Akasuki was already shaking her head from side to side almost like she was there but not there at the same time.

She backed away.

"You traded me up. You're just like my father. I'm nothing but a bargaining tool for you. For my brothers, for my whole family... I thought you weredifferent. We were mates, Eli! I'm your fucking mate. How could you do this to me?!" Akasuki began but before I could answer she was already breaking away. Shaking her head rapidly now as if she was in denial. Of what I haven't a clue.I didn't do anything wrong.I was carrying out whatneededto be done. I was doing what was necessary!

"Do you love her?" She began confusing me. Dragging me out of my building rage. What the hell is she going on about? Love? Who? Her?But as I tried to ask exactly that she began anew.

"Do you love her,Everetta?" She asked, her body shaking from the tears streaming down her face.

"What? As always, yes, I do, she's one of my best friends-" I started but Akasuki cut me off again shaking her head slowly as tears slowly trickled down her delicate percaline alabaster skin. Like wet stains on an Oyama doll.

"No, you know what I mean. Do you love her? Not as a friend but as a lover." Her eyes seemed to have made up their mind looking at my confused and hesitant gaze.

Silence.

What was I supposed to say? What did she mean? Not as a friend? What else was there?I opened my mouth but nothing seemed to come out.

I couldn’t speak.

I grasped onto my throat with one hand trying to fight the suffocating feeling there.

It was like a rock was logged in my airway, choking me as I tried to get the words out. It was no. It was no! Right?!

As if that was all the confirmation she needed Akasuki looked away clasping a hand over her mouth, a whisper of a statement floated in the air as she shook her head, “Fae can’t lie.”

She started trailing backward as if her legs were leading her on their own. Gripping the wall for support she slowly slithered down, her quivering body contracting curling up into a ball. I don't know what thoughts were streaming into her mind.

I-I. I loved Everetta sure but I-

---