His Forsaken Luna-Chapter 53: Disarming

"Will your brother replace him in the meantime?"

"Hmm?" I glance back at Eryx, aware that I was rude for not paying attention to him. But as expected of the Alpha Prince of Sun and Fury, such etiquette means nothing to him. It had been made clear today when I was with the likes of Kharis and even Cohnal.

"Will your brother replace him in the meantime?" Eryx asks, and I know now that this question has been asked multiple times, bringing me back from my spiralling thoughts.

I need to snap out of this. The palace was a viper pit, and I’d simply been reminded-- again.

Our walk is slow, and the pace seems too slow even for me at my regular, shorter strides, but I don’t complain or pick up the speed. The warmth and stability he provides by my side gives me the strength to act on my part.

"If he knew, there would be no doubt that another guard would replace Soren," I reply automatically, still not quite feeling myself.

"Why does he not know?" Eryx glared at me, and I suspected it had more to do with the fact I called my knight by his name, showing our familiarity, than the replacement of my guard. "Was it not the Alpha King that has called your knight away?"

I shake my head. "Soren was tasked to guard me by Alaric, but he is Deyanira’s spy," I explain calmly. There was no point in lying about this. Faidon seems to be doing his job correctly now and will report this to Eryx at some point if he hasn’t already done so.

There was no telling how long it would take until he discovered Soren was the one who threw a blade at my head. My hand clenched in response. I will deal with him first.

Eryx’s steps stopped, and it took me a few more before I realised my arm had stretched back slightly. I turn to see him staring at me. "You have a spy in your midst, and you haven’t done anything about it?"

My eyes narrow on him. "Don’t believe me to be a fool. He works for me." I was a fool, though.

Eryx started walking again. "How can you be certain he is trustworthy?"

"I do not," I admit, and my heart clenches.

It was one thing to doubt him in my mind but to voice those doubts hurt me. I feel betrayed and frustrated with myself. Again.

"So, how can you keep him close to you?" Eryx demands, tugging my arm back until I slammed into his chest.

"Because I am ’playing the game’," I hiss back, glaring up at him. I steel my spine and words. "Now unhand me."

I didn’t want to be touched. If he touches me again, I feel like I might break down and cry, and that I cannot afford. There were enemies everywhere, and I was an annoying flea they all wanted to squish. To Eryx, I was someone to use; to Deyanira, clearly, I was no longer her plaything; and to the courts, someone they could ridicule to distract them from their miserable lives.

Eryx released me, and I backed away, glaring at him before turning and striding forward, my hatred and self-loathing fueling the fire that was now keeping me moving.

"I will have Faidon guard you," Eryx says, catching up to me in one large stride.

"Ah, so I am meant to trust you?" I glower over my shoulder.

"I saved your life today-"

I twirl on him. "Because you had no choice," I hiss, glowering at him, our bodies close. "If I died, then it would cause you complications. Don’t act like you did it for my benefit. Yes, I am grateful, and grateful I can now use a crossbow, but it is all a part of your scheme."

"It was not all a part of my scheme," Eryx begins to say, but I turn away from him. I despise liars. I’m surrounded by them. Why must he lie to my face? We both know our positions here in this fake relationship.

Arms wrap around my chest, and I breathe in his scent before his face is next to mine, chin resting on my shoulder. Being in his arms like this makes me feel restrained. It only frustrates me further. That is, until he speaks.

"Something has upset you since you left me at the Guest Pavilion, and now," Eryx says quietly. I can hear the restraint in his voice as his body shakes from what must be his anger. He is not used to someone so defiant and assertive against him.

I frustrate the Alpha beast in him. I would have enjoyed this moment more, but his words were making me crumble little by little.

"I will not push you further. Be smart, Lia. I am watching. Faidon will protect you from afar. You won’t know he is around." His voice is deep yet soft against my ear. This sudden change in his usual dominating behaviour drains the fight from me.

It disarms my defences entirely. That is dangerous. I need to be on guard, especially to this barbaric prince.

I nod, clutching at his arms and close my eyes, allowing the warmth from his body to cocoon me. It is only for a little while. Just a little while then, I will be a block of ice, a hard wall. I have already survived this long, and I will not break down now.

My heat is slowly resurfacing, but I can ignore it with all the emotions swirling disastrously in my chest. They battle each other for dominance while I breathe out slowly.

It was not until I realised Eryx’s shakes had turned into low growls from his beast, the vibrations calming me, that we had stood like this for a while. I clear my throat, steeling myself again. "Thank you," I say, for what I do not know.

Then we part, both silent to our thoughts, his most likely murderous and my own full of vengeance, schemes and the odd fluttering in my stomach that was not caused by the heat.