Page 57 of Zar

Chapter Sixteen

Callie took in her surroundings. The great hall was a huge room with vaulted ceilings. Large wood beam trusses caused Callie to wonder how they’d managed to build something so immense. The walls were covered in tapestries of all different colors, each seeming to depict a scene of some kind. She couldn’t make out exactly of what from her position by the entrance. There were tables covered with white cloth for everyone to sit and enjoy the feast. One row of chairs was placed along the back wall. They were up on some sort of platform which set them higher than the rest. A large ornately carved black chair sat in the center. It was immense. Ah, so that’s the throne. She noticed a square pillow situated on the floor in front of the throne. It was multicolored with gold tassels at each corner. To Callie it looked like something straight out of an Arabian movie. And I’m supposed to sit there like a good little ofelia. She glanced over at Flare and caught him watching her, a look of concern on his handsome face. Okay, this once she would sit on the damn cushion, but if she was staying then they were going to have a little talk about her place in Zar’s life. She gave Flare a curt nod. Flare’s gaze widened and he mouthed the words thank you.

Callie turned away and noticed several pairs of eyes staring at her. She inched closer to Zar. When his arm around her waist tightened, she relaxed a fraction. Dyre cleared his throat, getting her attention.

“You need to address your people, my king. Her presence has everyone curious.”

Zar stared down at her with a look hot enough to set her on fire. “Callie has decided to stay,” he murmured.

Her heart did a little somersault. “I will have to make at least one trip home to speak with my father. Arrangements will need to be made in relation to my job as his CEO. And there’s my apartment and all my belongings to consider.”

“We will work out the details later. For tonight I will announce you as my ofelia.”

Zar’s brothers appeared out of nowhere, Therius catching the tail end of the conversation. He winked down at her. “Anxious to let all the males know she’s taken, are we, brother?”

Kade laughed and Zadoc watched her with an intensity that made her uncomfortable. Venn, who seemed to be every bit as serious as Dyre, actually cracked a smile. She wasn’t sure but it seemed they all approved. One hurdle cleared at least.

Zar’s wing came around her as he replied, “Their stares are agitating my creature. I don’t want to wait any longer to publicly claim her.”

Flare signaled someone across the room and a loud bell sounded. Everyone in the room fell silent. Zar moved forward, bringing her with him. Dyre, Flare and Zar’s brothers flanked them. Once Zar was in the center of the room, he looked down at her and announced, “I am pleased to introduce everyone to my ofelia, the beautiful Callie Wilson. It is Garra’s will and I am honored by his choice.”

Several whispers started. A few of the men closest to them looked her over and gave an approving nod. A group of brown-winged women near the back, commoners Zar had explained, smiled brightly as they looked on. Okay, that wasn’t horrible so far. It was one blue-winged woman near the front, an educator, that spoke up and all but spat the words, “She is earth-born. What is the meaning of this?”

Zar pinned the woman with a hard stare. “Yes, Ferras, she is. My creature has not only accepted Callie but formed a tight bond with her.” Zar’s gaze roamed around the room. “Any who oppose this union speak now. I will gladly deal with each of you personally.”

Callie heard Kade chuckle. “Nothing like a bloody fight to get the festival off to a roaring start.”

Zadoc stepped closer and pinned Ferras with an angry glare. “You have a problem with earth-born women, Ferras?”

The statuesque beauty ignored his question and stepped closer to Zar instead. She placed a hand on his forearm and murmured, “I had hoped you and I could touch wings tonight, my king.”

Zar jerked out of her hold. “What would ever make you think that? You are an educator, Ferras. There was never a chance of that happening.”

The woman clearly didn’t catch the clue Zar was throwing out because she stepped closer, until her breasts were a mere few inches from rubbing up against Zar’s chest. “Have I not always pleased you, my king? I believe we are very well matched.”

Ah, now Callie understood. Zar’s had sex with Ferras in the past. The woman clearly took that shit personally. The ugly green monster of jealousy slipped in under the cracks. Callie lifted her hand and covered Zar’s wing, directly over that sensual yet dangerous area where his talon extended. She rubbed gently back and forth. Zar sucked in a breath, his wings doing that sexy vibration thing that told her he was turned on. Ferras watched on, bitter hatred filling her pale blue gaze. That’s right, bitch, I’m his ofelia. Zar dipped his head and peered down at Callie, his lips curving upward. Oh, yeah, he knows the point I’m trying to make.

Ferras didn’t say another word as she straightened her spine and the pretty smile she’d sported for Zar fell. In its place was a nasty frown that told Callie she hadn’t heard the last of the woman.

“Anyone else have a problem with this union?” Dyre said, raising his voice to be heard over the low murmurs. As if of one mind, everyone in the room bowed at the waist. Dyre leaned close to her ear and whispered, “That would be a no.”

She just barely managed to contain a laugh. Therius and Venn moved to stand at her side. Therius put his hand on her low back and shouted, “Let’s all here it for King Zar and your future Queen, Callie!”

Everyone started clapping and cheering at once, the noise in the room was nearly deafening. After a few minutes the room fell silent and Zar said, “Let the feast begin!”

The crowd dispersed, several went off to another area and began placing big bowls of food on all the tables. She could see platters of meat as well as vegetables. The aroma of marinated beef filtered over to her and her stomach rumbled. Zar chuckled as he placed his palm over her belly. “You are hungry. I should take better care with my ofelia.”

“It’s been a pretty busy day,” she offered, thinking over the past twelve hours. So much had happened and her head spun a little. Had she really confessed her love for the big alien and agreed to live with Zar? She hadn’t so much fallen in love but dove headfirst into it.

Another blue-winged woman stepped up to them. She was shorter than the other woman. Her beautiful blue hair hung straight down her back and she wore a long black gown with a plunging V neckline. There was a bruise on her left cheek that she’d clearly tried to hide with makeup.

The woman smiled as her gaze darted between Zar and Callie. “Congratulations, my king.”

Zar frowned as he reached a hand toward the woman. “Someone struck you, Iris?”

Her eyes widened and her gaze quickly darted away. “It’s nothing.”

Suddenly Kade was there. He took Iris’s chin in his palm and forced her to look at him. “You will tell me who,” he growled.

---