Game of Prythian

Chapter Thirty-Two

Fingers snapped in front of me and I flinched. My gaze whipped to Darwyn who stood beside the chair while his hand hovered before my face. He murmured, "You didn't sleep did you?"

He wore a sleeping shirt, and cloth pants that rose inches above his waist. Shaking my head Darwyn side, I growled softly as he plopped into the chair with me. I closed my book before Darwyn snatched it from me, "Mother gave you this?"

I nodded and Darwyn's lips pressed together tightly. "What story did you read?"

I murmured leaning my head back against the chair, "It was the first one, about someone called The Death Lord."

Darwyn shivered, "Mother used to tell us that story to make us behave, she claimed that if we were bad The Death Lord would come and cut up into little pieces like the King."

I snorted, "Good parenting." Darwyn smiled and murmured, "Yeah I suppose so."

I changed the topic, "Why are you here."

Darwyn sighed and murmured, "Father wanted me to come check on you, and tell you that we are going to have breakfast with a few nobles who came from out of the capital to attend your party."

"You mean he's going to release what the party is about." I grumbled. Darwyn nodded and wrapped an arm around my shoulder. "Take a nap, they'll notice the dark circles."

I closed my eyes, the demon flashed blood running down her sharpened teeth, it stained her shirt. You deserve this. My eyes shot open, "I can't."

Darwyn glared at me, before scooping me up. I yelped and snapped, slapping his chest. "Put me down!"

He threw me on the bed and cursed at him, keeping my voice hushed for Athena and Aurthur's sake. He laid down beside me, "Sleep, Kana."

He sang something from the old language, a hymn likely. Dione had sung one similar last night to Athena and Arthur. My brother locked his hand through mine. I refused to let go of him. Even as my eyes closed and I was swept down into hell.

✵ ✵ ✵ ✵ ♞ ♝ ♜ ♛ ♜ ♝ ♞ ✵ ✵ ✵ ✵

The ceiling was blurry as I opened my eyes. Two voices murmured outside my door, the spot where Darwyn had laid was cold. As my vision cleared from the haze of sleep my head rolled over to look out the curtains.

The gloomy light of a late dawn shed through the curtains. Darwyn came back in, Xer peaking over his shoulder at me. I grumbled, "Can't you just tell them I'm not available."

Xer snorted and murmured, "No, you won't have to socialize though, we're using the party festing room instead of the family one."

The door swung open revealing Aldrich, who stalked in with his hands in his pockets. "There will be no drinking Kana. It's breakfast, not the ball tomorrow." I spotted the Queen eyeballing me from behind him similarly to how Xer had.

I traded, "I'll let Dione pick my outfit if you limit the drinking tomorrow to three glasses of wine." Dione slapped his shoulder harshly, propping her hands on his hips. She had convinced him without saying a word. She yanked me from my bed, I yelped as she tugged me into my dressing room.

The door however did not shut or open, so the boys decided to see my torcher then. I grumbled something as Dione helped me from my sleeping gown. She poked my mark above my heart, "That's a beautiful tattoo dear, I didn't know you had one."

"It's a bargain mark." I muttered softly, Dioen blinked at me. She smiled and declared, "It's beautiful either way."

She darted over to the wardrobe where Mari had stored the dresses I decided I favored over the rest. Dione asked, "What color, dear?"