Page 30 of The Last Aether

He glanced in my direction, squeezing my fingers. “We’re with you.”

I bit my lip but nodded.

Voices filtered up from the living room as guards swarmed the entryway.

Phoenix’s jaw tightened. “We’re going to have to sweep the house for bugs after this.”

“Wouldn’t hurt to have a bomb-sniffing dog come through either,” Atlas muttered.

It was hard to wrap my head around the fact that this was what these guys had grown up in. Never being able to trust anyone in their orbit, sometimes even their family.

As we stepped into the living room, the kings turned. King Torrent and who I assumed was King Ash both dipped their heads in a bow. King Torrent smiled, striding forward and shoving Riven aside to wrap me in a hug. “I’m so glad you’re safe, Aura. Has my son been taking good care of you?”

I couldn’t help the answering smile. I liked Kai’s father the most of any of the high society royals I’d met.

Kai sighed. “Of course, Dad.”

“I’d like to hear the report from Aura, thank you very much.”

“He’s taking great care of me, King Torrent.”

The king made a tsking sound. “I told you to call me Aenon.”

King Zephyr scoffed, sending a look of derision at a man whose size told me he must be King Terra.

The dark-haired man with olive skin, whose resemblance to Phoenix was uncanny, stepped forward. He too had tattoos that wrapped around his arms and neck, and there was a menacing quality that clung to him. But it was oddly comforting. Perhaps because it was so similar to Phoenix’s.

King Ash dipped his head again. “Aura. It’s a pleasure to finally meet you. Have you recovered fully?”

His voice had a bit of the rasp like Phoenix’s did, but there was a gentleness too.

I did my best to smile. “I’m feeling much better. Practically brand new.”

King Zephyr’s eyes narrowed on me, scanning my face as if trying to find the last missing puzzle piece to my existence. “And how is that possible? We heard you were shot in the chest.”

“We got her to a healer as quickly as possible,” Riven said in a cool tone.

That laser focus of King Zephyr’s flicked to Riven. “And how did you know she was at risk?”

“We were going to check on Aura when we heard the shots,” Kai explained.

King Zephyr glared at Kai. “Was I speaking to you?”

King Torrent turned on him. “Watch your tone, Zephyr. My son was providing the details you requested.”

King Terra made a sound in the back of his throat, pulling my gaze to him. It wasn’t a growl exactly, but it wasn’t warm and friendly either. When my eyes met his, I fought the urge to shiver.

There was a cruelty in King Terra. I wasn’t sure how I knew it with such certainty, but I did. And that dark force was probing into me, searching for any sign of weakness. Then he smiled.

The curve of his mouth was all teeth. As if he would snap at any moment and sink those teeth into me.

Atlas stepped in closer, his heat warming my back a welcome relief.

King Terra’s gaze flicked to Atlas, and his grin widened. “Aren’t you going to introduce me to your plaything, son?”

Atlas stiffened behind me. “Aura, this is my father, King Terra. Father, this is Aura, my destined mate.”

King Zephyr scoffed. “I don’t know that we’ve made it that far yet. This could still be one big mistake.”