Page 15 of The Stolen Throne

My eyes shift to Dax, and I allow his name to slip from my lips. “Dax? He won’t take me back with him, will he?”

His eyes widen in surprise for a moment before his expression turns neutral again. “No, he will not be taking you back with him.”

My grip on Bene’s hand tightens as I quietly ask, “You promise?”

He arches a brow and smirks. “I said you were under my protection, did I not?”

Taking a deep breath, I nod. “Yes.”

He crosses his arms over his chest as Bene and I make our way over to him. “I suppose this means you’ll have to trust the villain.”

My eyes meet his bright blue ones as I nod. “I suppose it does. I do hope if you plan to betray me, you will kill me before handing me back over to him.”

Dax offers me his elbow as he gives me a small smile. “I have no reason to betray you.” I slip my hand through the crook of his arm as he lowers his voice to a whisper. “If I were planning to kill you, I would have done it the day we met. I would not have allowed my men to be beguiled by your beauty.”

My eyes widen at his words. “Beguile your men, huh?”

He chuckles as he and Bene usher me down the hallway. “Yes, beguile my men. Whether you believe it or not, Little Raven, you hold more power than you think. I know you have put Asher under a spell for sure.”

I gasp at his accusatory words. “I am not a witch! I have put no one under a spell.”

“You do not have to be a witch to put my men under a spell, Little Raven. You cannot convince me you haven’t enchanted Asher. He does not shut up about you. He constantly asks me to be your permanent guard.” He gives me a wink before he adds, “The only reason I have declined is because he is amazing with the new recruits. He sets them at ease during training.”

My cheeks heat as Bene opens the door to my room before releasing my hand. Stepping aside to guard the door, he says, “I’ll wait outside to take you to the great hall to receive the king.”

Dax unwinds my hand from his arm. “I set out an outfit for you. Forgive the lack of material, but it is what my father will expect to see you wearing. Once he leaves, you may return and change.”

I peer into the room to find the outfit laid out on the bed. He’s right, there isn’t much material to it. It will cover my breasts, but the long slits up the sides will leave my legs exposed and barely cover my vagina. I suppose if his father expects Dax and his men to treat me the way he and his men did, they will need easy access.

I shiver at the memories. Dax gives my hand a squeeze before releasing it. “Are you alright, Eira?”

Jerking myself out of those nightmares, I give him a smile. “Of course. Thank you for the clothes.”

He watches me for a moment, his eyes narrowing on my face, then he looks at the outfit laid out for me. When he turns back, his eyes are black as night. “He did not clothe you, did he?”

The thought of lying to him crosses my mind, but it feels wrong to do so, considering the freedom he has given me here. Biting my lip, I shake my head. “No,” I say softly.

His voice shakes as he asks, “His men… he allowed his men to visit you?”

I feel myself shrinking away from the anger that radiates off him. “Yes.”

With a stiff nod, he says, “I must take my leave now. I will see you in the great hall.”

I watch him march off, swirls of darkness trailing behind, and I jump when Bene speaks quietly. “Dax has lines he will not cross, and his father crosses many of them.”

“Is that why he left so quickly?”

Bene nods. “Dax has great control over the darkness. Better control than his father has. It helps that the six of us hold a piece of it as well, so it is not as overwhelming.”

My eyes widen. “You each hold a piece of the darkness?”

He nods as he points to his chest. The same spot where Dax has a handprint scar. “His father branded him with a curse. It slowly eats at your soul until there isn’t much of you left. We each hold a piece for Dax, so his soul won’t be torn apart like his father’s.”

I point at my eyes as I ask, “Is that why his eyes sometimes turn black?”

He nods. “The darkness thrives on dark emotions. Anger. Grief. Envy. Things like that. And when the emotions become too much, the darkness will try to overwhelm him. He walked away because he did not wish to hurt you.”

I look in the direction Dax left before I turn back to Bene. “Are you guys safe? Am I safe to be around all of you?”

---