Page 100 of Wolf Caged
I chalked it up to calling him an asshole, the part of me that had cooled down quickest in the aftermath of our verbal boxing match latching onto it and how at Beltane he had threatened to get imaginative with his punishment if I went ahead and called him that name.
“Not very imaginative after all,” I muttered, holding back a huff. “Cold shoulder is so old school.”
I had thought myself a master of it but it turned out Kaeleron excelled at the cold shoulder treatment. I wasn’t sure I could have done it better myself.
A familiar scent swirled around me, but it was only faintly laced with wild storm, mingled in with layers of vanilla and blooms whose names I was yet to discover.
Jenavyr.
I lifted my head in time to catch sight of her crossing the grounds at a pace, heading towards the gatehouse, and hurried to intercept her. She noticed me as I neared, her bright silver eyes swinging my way and the clouds in them lifting as she smiled.
“Saphira, it is good to see you. Have you been well?” Vyr stopped and turned towards me.
I lost my nerve as I neared her, asking if Kaeleron was around twisting into something else.
“His royal pain in my ass hasn’t been making me do stupid tasks for the last few days, so I’m great.” I forced a smile, hiding how much her brother had hurt me as it all rolled up on me andI realised that his silent treatment had worked, blending with what he had said to shatter my confidence. “I was wondering whether maybe we could walk around town again?”
Jenavyr’s fine eyebrows pinched together. “I would not let him hear you speak of him like that.”
“Too late for that.” I shrugged.
She sighed and shook her head. “At least hold your tongue a little in the coming days. Kaeleron is due to return tonight, and I expect him to come up with some foolish demand for you, but he will be in a terrible mood. He always is when he comes back from Belkarthen.”
“Belkarthen?”
Vyr pointed to the south, beyond the castle gates. “A port city near the southern border. We grew up there, and moved here shortly after Kael ascended the throne. It is the most beautiful city… but not to Kael. He avoids it now and only goes there when it is absolutely necessary, or completely unavoidable.”
She stared off in its direction, her gaze warm and filled with unmistakable love for the city Kaeleron seemingly hated.
“The city council expects him to visit after each rite, to ensure everything ran smoothly and the rite succeeded. Kael has already been to the towns bordering Wraith Wood to check the Beltane celebrations were successful there too.”
My cheeks heated at the mention of Beltane and I slammed my mental barriers shut on any memories of that night that involved Kaeleron. “About Beltane… Is that usually how you celebrate?”
Vyr laughed, but her voice was serious as she said, “I will be having words with my brother about taking you. I warned him against it. We probably looked like heathens to you, but it is tradition, and both unseelie and seelie require the rites in order to generate magic, and magic in our lands is fed by blood andsex. So there are sacrifices made, and pleasure had. I am sure it all sounds very primal to you.”
It did, but it wasn’t the primal side of it I was hung up on as I looked at Vyr.
Had Kaeleron missed out on topping up his magic because he hadn’t slept with anyone?
Presuming he had been telling me the truth and hadn’t returned to the celebration to join in with the festivities.
I schooled my features in an unreadable mask when Jenavyr studied me a little too closely, plastering on a pretty look of interest rather than revealing how mortified I still was about what had happened and how angry I was with Kaeleron for what he had said.
And how frustratingly hot her brother made me with just a look.
Or a few wicked words whispered against my lips.
“The feast was rather lavish, but where does all the leftover food go? It seems like such a waste when it was hardly touched.” Terrible subject change. I grimaced at it.
Jenavyr looked at the gates behind me. “Nothing is wasted. The food is distributed to the less fortunate in the city.”
That was good. I fidgeted with the ties of my corset, trying to think of something else to say and beginning to squirm under Vyr’s scrutiny as she narrowed sharp silver eyes on me.
“You know,” she said, slowly, thoughtfully, “my brother grew bored of the celebrations more than a decade ago and now he just attends them rather than participating.”
I recalled how many females he had turned down at the rite. “I’m surprised to hear that. I was sure your brother would have liked having his ego petted so thoroughly.”
She laughed, the sound bright and real. Not forced. At least one of them knew how to laugh. I shut out the sound of Kaeleron laughing at Beltane, banishing it from my mind and pretendingit had never happened. There was no warmer side to Kaeleron. Nope.
