Freeing Lilia

Treachery

Unedited. 

Chapter 24: Treachery.

Something was pounding inside my skull as I trudged down the steps of our home, a hand trailing the bannister and every step a cruel, harsh movement. The curtains had been pulled and I hissed viciously at the flood of light, a hand wafting to my brow.

Water.

I needed water.

There were bodies in the sitting room. Live bodies fortunately, tossed in various shapes along the couches. I winced at the sight of Red, bent like a tent on the arm of the armchair, his cheek pressed against the cushion and drool soaking into it from an opened, snoring mouth.

"That is my chair!" There was no strength to muster words. Even moving my eyebrows caused the war inside my skull to rachet up.

There wasn't a measurement to how much I had drank last night. The reveal, the sighting of Desmund had taken a lot out of me. So, when the wine had been drunk and the whiskey had been opened, I had taken full opportunity to drink it. It should have embarrassed me to have acted that way in front of those King's soldiers but I didn't answer to them.

I had vague memories of being locked in Sage's room with him, sprawled out on the bed and nattering about everything and anything. He wasn't a talker when he was drunk and last night, he had retreated further into himself.

"I doubt you're having a good morning, so I won't waste my breath saying the words," A low, dark voice mused as I stumbled into the kitchen.

"Ailbrich..." I hissed. "Of course, you would be awake and ..."

"Are you struggling to find words? Drinking is not a great coping mechanism, Lilia Merek." Ailbrich rose and rose up. A scowling male in dark clothing who moved like a brush of shadow. Water had already been fetched and as I sunk into a wooden chair, he fetched me a cup and sat again, sliding it across to me.

"I don't drink to cope," I lied, "I drink because I like to."

"And I shut myself off from my emotions and skulk because I like to." Ailbrich replied witheringly.

"You could have poisoned this," I said as I took a long drink. "I hope it's a strong one to kill me quickly and save me from this conversation."

"Drink and a withering sense of humour? What a rare combination in a damage soul."

"And yet, you are the least amusing person I have ever encountered. Do you ever smile?" I shot back, scowling even as the army inside my skull reached the castle walls, flinging flaming skulls over the walls.

"Not when I can help it."

He rose again as I finished the water, filling the cup again and sliding it across to me. I should have been suspicious that he was being so nice to me, but honestly, the over-powering need for water was taking over everything.

"We will have to talk more of your dragon, Lilia."

Fear curled around my breastbone. I raised my head, teeth baring. "Her name is Seren."

Dark eyes flickered. "We don't mean her any harm."

"You might not, but Anene will. The days of Nalron are forgotten. People have forgotten the massacres. Now she's back and we're together and I don't think the kingdom will view her lightly."

"Aden would protect her with his life."

"Because she's a tamed dragon?" I said witheringly.

"No – because she means the entire world to you. Her soul is bound to yours," A voice rasped behind me. Dark hair tossed, mouth pressed into a harsh line, the Lycan prowled into the kitchen. "And for harm to come to her, harm would come to you."