Cracking his jaw, the Second Ruler's face crumpled in rage as he registered the extent of his injuries.
His yellow eyes flashed, and his roar shook the court.
“How dare you, Vladya!How dare you!” Zaiper bellowed, struggling against the High Lords pinning him down. “How dare you attack me this way!”
Vladya flashed him a bloody grin, lifted a hand... and gave him the middle finger.
Chapter two
A LOVE THAT IS FIERCE. AN ILLUSION SO BEAUTIFUL
Hourslater,GrandLordVladya returned to Blackstone. As he approached the Royal Residence’s hallway, he came to an abrupt halt. Aekeira stood leaning against the wall outside her sister’s chamber, eyes closed.
Vladya allowed himself to look at her.Reallylook at her.
His chest ached at the sight, and for once, the pain had nothing to do with his bruises or swollen eye.
She wasn’t talking to him. Hadn’t spoken a word to him in three days.
Avoided him like he carried the plague.
Vladya couldn’t blame her, but still it stung.
Eyes fluttering open, they landed on him. Jerking upright, Aekeira straightened, and looked away immediately.
But just as quickly, her eyes flicked back to his face, her expression shifting into one of shock.
“What happened to you!?” Aekeira hurried toward him, brows furrowed deeply as she took him in. “Look at your face. Look at…” Her breath caught.
Even now, she worried about him.
Vladya... missed this.
Her fretting. The easy smiles. The warmth in her voice directed at him.
“Is it the… you know?” Concern was etched into every line of her face. “Did you have an episode?”
“It’s not the madness.” Vladya hadn’t had an episode in over a month now. The longest stretch so far.
“Then what is this…” She lifted her hand, brushing against his busted lip, light, almost hesitant.
Vladya didn’t so much as flinch.
She could have pressed her fingers into his swollen left eye, and he wouldn’t have reacted… wouldn’t have minded at all if it meant she kept touching him.
“I was in a fight,” he sighed, hoping to ease her worry. “In court.”
Her lips parted in shock.
“Don’t worry about it, it’s nothing. You should see the other male.”
She squared her shoulders. “Who is he?”
“Why? Are you planning to fight him for me?” The faintest smile tugged at his swollen lips.
She snatched her hand away from his face. “I wouldn’t. And you shouldn’t joke about things like this, Your Highness.”
Your Highness.They were back to formalities. He hated the distance formalities created between them.