Page 27 of Aria's Desire

Rellik nodded in agreement. “I anticipate this as well. I believe we can expect a few attempts on our lives.”

Aria and Sin both zeroed in on him.

“What kind?” she asked.

“Poison, tampering, and the like.”

“So, no outright attacks?” When he shook his head, she nodded. “Makes sense. They wouldn’t want to be directly tied to attempted murder. Wouldn’t want to disobey the Queen outright. You two ready?”

He and Sin exchanged a look. Oh, they were ready. Ready for whatever was thrown at them… and ready to charm the blasters off of Aria.

* * *

Rellik caughtthe familiar scents wafting their way long before they entered the grand hall where the feast was taking place. Roasting meats, perfumes, incense, and lust mixed to create a heady fragrance, one that reminded him of his past, of nights spent dancing, fighting, feasting, and fucking.

Except, in his memories, it was Aria’s pale green eyes gazing down at him heatedly. Aria’s body moving above his. Aria’s hands touching him.

Swallowing a groan, he forced those thoughts from his mind. He had to be on guard. They were not yet safe here, and none of them could afford him being distracted.

The moment they entered the hall, he heard Aria’s low-voiced mutter, “Holy fuck. That’s a lot of naked right there.”

Chuckling, he gazed at the spectacle before them. There was, indeed, a lot of nakedness. Everyone was dressed in finery. Females were reclined on mounds of floor pillows surrounding a massive table laden with food, wearing their most flattering gowns, highlighting their figures with sheer fabrics and glittering jewelry. Their males surrounded them, dressed in loincloths, leather, and, in some cases, only collars, all matching their females’ court colors.

Peering at Aria, then Sin, and down at himself, he realized they were all dressed in black and smiled that they, too, though unintentionally, were matched as a court.

Thinking on it, he realized he’d been subconsciously dressing to match Aria’s colors for months now. Where he used to favor paler colors to complement his grey skin and unusually bright orange eyes, he now dressed almost solely in black.

It was a small thing, but it warmed him, made him feel as though he belonged. It made him feel like hers.

Still smiling, he scanned the room. The grand hall was lit with candles and glittering lights, dimmed so the space felt warm and intimate, the air thick with mouth-watering scents, the sounds of talking, and the occasional moan of pleasure.

His were a hedonistic people and everything in the room was crafted to delight the senses.

Conversation died down as they were spotted, but his Aria, his glorious Queen, never faltered. She entered the hall as though she owned it:back straight, gate smooth and predatory.

Though he couldn’t see her face from where he and Sin walked behind her, he knew her striking eyes would be scanning the room, taking in everything. She would see that female’s badly hidden snarl, that one’s tentative hope, that one’s scheming look. She would see it all.

He imagined her meeting their gazes, bold and fearless, letting them know she saw them, and was not cowed.

Goddess, he loved her.

He loved everything about her, even her rebuff of him because he strongly suspected a lot of it came out of loyalty to Tirox and Kix.

For a male who’d come from a place of shifting desires and fleeting affections, even if nothing else about her was appealing, that kind of loyalty would’ve been enough to hold his attention. That she was honorable, fierce, protective, and beautiful, as well as unfailingly loyal, and was it any surprise he’d lost his heart to her?

As was customary for the guest of honor, a place had been set up for Aria and her court at the opposite end of the long table from the Queen.

Just as they reached the bed of pillows, Rellik caught Ishtal gesturing for him to approach.

Before he moved, he asked, “Sarasha?”

“I see her. It’s up to you.”

He didn’t bother to hide his smile at her response and, taking advantage of his pretend position as her mate, leaned down to brush his lips ever so lightly across the bare skin where her neck met her shoulder.

Biting back another groan when he heard her breath hitch, he straightened and walked the length of the table to approach Ishtal.

Bowing his head, only slightly, he murmured, “Queen?”

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