Page 46 of Bound to Four Alphas

“This is Caeda,” he said, “my younger sister.”

“Hello,” Caeda said with a warm smile as she cautiously approached the group. “It’s lovely to meet you all.”

“Caeda,” Kaelen said with a wince as he pulled himself up into a seated position, subduing Selena in his arms as she squawked at him moving. “How come we’ve never met?”

Caeda glanced over at Elian nervously, and Elian cleared his throat. “Phaendar is somewhat … protective. She’s an omega, and her mother, Phaendar’s second wife, died giving birth to her. He knows the political power that comes with an omega daughter and doesn’t want to lose her to an alpha he deems … unworthy.’

“But Father doesn’t know that I sneak out to fly,” Caeda said with a small giggle. “And it’s a good thing I do, otherwise I wouldn’t have seen you fighting those humans.”

“Yes,” said Elian with a frown, “speaking of that. Where the hell is Phaendar, and why wasn’t he here to let us in himself?”

Chapter 21 - Selena

The Marble Halls were even more beautiful than Elian had said. As soon as they were through the mountain tunnel, the space opened into a vast collection of gleaming white spires, fresh green ivy winding up the towering blocks, polished silver gleaming from the tiles lining the roofs.

If only she could focus on all the beauty that surrounded her.

Pale-faced nobles turned in shock as they slowly made their way through the streets towards the glinting palace, Kaelen barely able to stay on his feet. He had been struck by iron-tipped spears in the fight, and all the fire-magic in the world couldn’t protect him against the blades. Ronan and Malek weren’t in much better shape, although they both walked close enough behind her that she could feel the heat radiating from them, hear the low rumbles of anger whenever anyone so much as glanced at her the wrong way.

Elian was leading them, his sister by his side. The stunning Fae had immediately done what she could to patch their wounds enough that they could walk, her hands flitting over Selena with shock.

“Are you…?”

Selena had nodded, her hands coming up to cradle her stomach. Caeda had embraced her then and there, her hair thick with the scent of lilies.

Since then Caeda had been whispering to Elian, filling him in on all the details they had missed on the road. The humans had launched a full-scale invasion, breaching the western territory line. Iveir had negotiated a temporary truce with Thyrius, Ronan’s second-in-command, and the wolveswere claiming shelter in the volcanoes while they waited for word from Kaelen and Ronan.

All of Malek’s nightmares had been taken by the human forces, turned into beasts to fight for them.

“How many days until the brunt of the forces reach the gate?” Elian asked, his voice a low hush.

Caeda chewed her lip. “Maybe three? I don’t know. Father won’t tell me anything, I had to break into his office to read the reports coming in.”

Elian growled, “And you say you haven’t seen him in days?”

She shook her head. “He’s been preparing for war, I think. You know what he’s like. It’s been strange, Elian—there are people I don’t recognize, odd conversations, advisors falling silent whenever I enter a room. I don’t like it.”

Selena could sense how tense Elian was even from behind him.

They reached the palace without fuss, and gorgeous handmaidens flitted around them, expertly guided by Caeda.

“Yes, take them to healers, they all need checking. And prepare the Northern Suite—yes, the whole suite—make sure there is plenty of food and hot water for baths!’

Selena winced, her muscles aching after days clinging to Ronan’s back. It was with apology that he set such a brutal pace, and she was grateful for it, but she couldn’t deny the pain twinging through her.

Her baby was safe, though. She liked to think she could feel it, warm and nestled inside her. She may not have had time to adjust to the reality of being pregnant, but she found herselfnevertheless already in love with the small being growing within her.

The healers were efficient, magical hands passing over her and healing any surface-level cuts and bruises she had managed to accumulate. The others weren’t so lucky. Elian had been warned not to expend any more magical energy for at least a day; he had nearly burned himself out. Malek and Ronan were covered in wounds and burns that were treated and bound and told to rest.

But Kaelen. It was everything she could do not to hiss at the healers as they reset broken bones, his howls rattling the glass of the windows. He was in the worst shape, and all she could do was hold his hand as the healers did their work.

“He’s a shifter,” Caeda said with one hand on Selena’s shoulder. “He’ll heal quickly.”

And he quickly did. Once the worst of his injuries were closed, it was almost incredible how fast he was demanding food and a bath, Elian rolling his eyes at the bossy tone.

And so, Elian led them to a private bathing room in the Northern Suite, the promise of hot water and steam nearly enough to make Selena drool. Caeda accompanied them, listing off facts about the Marble Halls, promising to send clothes and wine between her constant chatter. She was halfway through a story about the carving of the great engravings covering every wall when Elian tapped her on the nose and gestured to himself then the steaming bath.

“I’m not sure you’re going to want to see this, little sister,” he said. “Come back in an hour and we’ll eat together.”

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