My hand held the dagger outwards, my breath catching in my throat and my eyes evidently widened as I sat up in bed.

The moonlight streaming in from the balcony only added to the eerie feeling but it also illuminated the figure I was pointing my Silern dagger at with justified hostility.

The soft purple duvet had slipped low, revealing the red nightgown I was wearing with thin straps and a satin like feel to it when I had shot up from my bed and grasped my dagger within moments.

My breathing was uneven and I couldn't exactly find my voice.

He smirked as he leaned against the door to my room, completely at leisure, hands folded over that well muscled chest that I had already had a glimpse of earlier in the day.

"Easy, Angel. It's just me."

I scoffed. "All the more reason for me to do this." I gripped my weapon tighter and his stormy grey eyes lit up with amusement.

"You wound me, Cara." He clicked his tongue and moved forward, his steps light and his fingers unbuttoning the top two buttons of his crisp blue shirt. "I did say I might give you a special visit tonight."

My eyes observed his movements and I was frozen in place.

Well, not a lie.

Out of the blue, he had crossed the distance and was standing right in front of me.

Fae speed. Ugh.

His smirk was confident and I couldn't tear my eyes away from his. Russet hair fell over Arion's forehead, pointed ears slightly peeking and he bent forward until his face was level with mine.

"What are you doing here, Your Majesty?"

My voice was firm even if my heartbeat betrayed me at the closeness.

His smirk grew and then I felt his fingers over mine, electricity shooting and making my pulse increase.

He swiftly slipped the dagger from my hands and my hold was so loose that it offered no resistance when his fingers touched mine.

"It's dangerous...." I whispered and he chuckled softly, his eyes looking away to stare at the bejeweled dagger. "It's Silern."

"Mhm. I'm aware." Arion was only touching the hilt and observing the blade because the rare metal Silern was deadly to all supernatural creatures.

Surprisingly, I didn't feel afraid that he would hurt me at all. But something about the action was enthralling when he returned the dagger to me.

I lowered my hand, still holding the dagger for the sake of....I don't know. Comfort?

The Fae King took a seat on my bed and I couldn't bring myself to scoot away when the heat of his body reached mine.

He leaned forward, his stormy grey eyes trailing over my face and then lower to my neck till the dipping neckline.

Arion's fingers were suddenly under the red strap of my nightgown, making my breath hitch and I sucked in a sharp breath when he moved them. His touch left a searing feeling over my shoulder and lower as he pulled on the thin strap.

"Red suits you."

His voice was almost husky and I involuntarily clenched my thighs. Arion stared deep into my eyes, his eyes a shade darker.

"Thank you." I barely breathed. "Your Majesty."

He hummed and then let go, making me exhale in relief but his touch still left me reeling.

"No need to address me with titles when it's just us, Angel."

"Why not?" I questioned.

He smirked. "I rather like your snark. The titles bring out the actress in you."

I couldn't help the twitching of my lip. But...

Was I that easy to see through?

"No. You're not easy to see through at all." He answered my unasked question and it made me feel a tad bit better.

"That's good to know." I responded. Then narrowed my eyes, "Again, I'm wondering what the Fae King is doing in my room. Its inappropriate. "

Arion ran a hand through his russet hair and his grey held held me. "Good thing I'm the King and I decide what's appropriate and inappropriate for me, Angel."

I gulped, feeling my throat drying up.

Will he stop calling me Angel please?

"Did you have fun watching me today?" He smirked and I scoffed.

Trying not to let my thoughts wander to his shirtless back and abs, those strong thighs flexing-

I sighed in exasperation. "You have time for petty talks like this with me?"

He clicked his tongue, amusement clear on his face and even though I didn't answer his question, the flush of my cheeks probably gave me away.

But then he spoke, shrugging his shoulders. "Case in point, I've been quite busy after we arrived and I never got a chance to see how you were doing now that you're slightly settled in."

I nodded slowly, taking in a deep breath and rubbed a jewel on my dagger hilt.

"Its been...." I couldn't find appropriate words actually. "Its new but I don't hate Valeryn. Not by a long shot."

The gorgeous grin that lit up Arion's face made my heart leap and I bit my lip.

"I was sure you'd find Valeryn a better alternative compared to Celera."

I snickered. "Vampires on first sight are certainly more deadly to mere human slaves such as me."

"You aren't a slave anymore." He squinted his eyes at me and his tone was firm. "Don't address yourself as such."

I smiled lightly, looking away. "As you wish, Arion." Saying his name out loud with no title should've gotten me beheaded.

But we've established that I'm special and apparently my speaking so only made Arion suck in a sharp breath.

Good to know I'm not the only one being affected.

"I was, however, serious regarding you getting some training in weaponry." His vice was husky before he cleared his throat.

His elbows rested on his spread thighs while he leaned forward a bit, his head still angled towards me as he sat on the edge.

How decent of him.

But also very hot.

"You'd teach me?" There was a kernel of hope behind my words and I knew Arion caught it as soon as the words left my mouth.

Honesty was never my forte in these five years and it still isn't. That is how you survived as a human slave in Vammal. Head down, mouth shut and a picture of submission.

And yet some specific male specimens wrenched it out of me.

Then again, I'm also not a slave anymore. I'm still not sure what Arion's agenda in giving me a life like this is.

Or the Princess Sera for that matter.

Arion's grin widened and he leaned in, whispering in my ear sending my pulse skyrocketing. "Personally."

I cleared my throat and gave him a nod, my cheeks and neck flushed as I tried to take in air like a normal being.

"Just leave the rest to me. I'll tell you when we start. Preferably from the day after tomorrow." He mused, his gaze lingering on my lips as his hand twirled a stray strand of my onyx hair around his finger.

Calm down, Cara. Calm. Down.

He tugged on the strand, making me automatically lean forward as my heart gave a jerk.

His stormy eyes were so captivating and definitely darker with blacks swirling in them, his pupils dilated. His sharp jawline seemed to be carved from stone. Even with the minimum light from the moon, that much was still plain as day to me.

Arion's breath fanned my lips, that was how close he'd tugged me. His eyes stopped their assault on my heart shaped lips that made me feel like I could get swollen lips just from his gazing.

It was silent between us save the rustling of the wind and the trees outside.

Arion's adam's apple bobbed when he gulped and I refused to let myself ponder on how I was blushing.

His eyes strayed from mine to observe his twirling finger wrapped around my hair.

There was palpable tension between us and this pull wasn't going anywhere.

Arion's burning gaze stopped at a spot on my neck and I felt tingles. His free hand grazed it and I felt the sensitive touch to my bones.

It was Damien's fang mark.

The grey eyed Fae King withdrew his finger form my hair, letting me lean back slowly and his eyes moved over my body till they rested on left my hand.

More precisely: On Lucien's jade ring.

Suddenly feeling self conscious I wondered about the crescent shaped almost healed bite marks from the Alpha. The first time when the golden eyed Aplha wolf and I met in Seraphima's room in Celera.

He had licked it better alright but the scars hadn't faded though they were lighter.

Yet, it felt like Arion didn't even see them.

How?

His eyes lifted to meet mine and I licked my dry lips, his gaze following the movement and he clenched his jaw.

"You're a temptress, Cara."

I almost felt like laughing at his statement and dare I say that I did snicker.

"I don't believe you have any reason to be tempted by the likes of me."

His eyes it up, lips tugging upwards as he went into his former position, elbows on spread thighs, and put some much needed space between us.

"If you didn't, you wouldn't be wearing Lucien's ring or having Damien's marks or my undivided attention since I laid my eyes on you."

Or that werewolf Alpha's involuntary marks that he healed.

He chuckled, almost darkly but the sound sent me shuddering in pleasure.

"No, Cara." He took a deep breath and closed his eyes, his nostrils flaring as he took in my distinctive scent and kept out a shaky breath. "You're something else entirely."

"You flatter me, Arion." My voice might've been breathy but the underlying edge didn't get missed by the sharp Fae.

He rose a brow in amusement. "Why do I get a feeling that you aren't so fond of Lady Katherine."

It wasn't a question as much a statement. And he did remember what Katherine had just said to him earlier in the training room.

I don't like her.

I lifted one shoulder carelessly. "I'm not the only one."

I pointedly stared at him and he mock grimaced surely remembering his sister and the rest of his court as well. As much as I'd seen it interact with said female.

I still felt my lips curling upwards despite myself.

"I'd say the green of jealousy doesn't suit you but then I'd be lying." He smirked, every bit cocky and I rolled my eyes.

Shaking my head I agreed. "I don't exactly disagree either. I do adore the jade green of my eyes." Arion looked heavenwards, grinning at my words.

As an afterthought I mumbled, looking away. "Much better than a poison green."

I could feel Arion's gaze on me as my neck prickled in awareness. With a sigh I turned my face to meet his eyes again.

His grey eyes were sparkling with mischievous intent and I barely suppressed a groan.

"I was referring to Katherine's eye color if you didn't catch that."

I supposed I should amp down on the forwardness and sarcasm but I couldn't seem to put my words into action.

"I know, Angel." His voice was lighter and he seemed to be enjoying himself far too much.

Of course this just pressed my buttons more. "Oh? Could've fooled me." I remarked snarkily.

But instead on incurring a wrath I was rewarded with a laugh.

A proper, genuine laugh that made my heart melt. That surged forth emotions so strong that for a moment my eyes filled with tears.

Why did I so suddenly feel like crying? What-

It felt like a burden had been lifted off my shoulders as I continued to hear him laugh, enticed with the way he stared upwards, head thrown back, eyes crinkling.

Like I'd been yearning to hear that sound.

My heart squeezed and scenes blurred as I exhaled a sharp breath, blinking away my tears furiously.

Once his laughter subsided and I was sure my eyes were moisture free, Arion looked at me again.

All traces of playfulness were gone though and once more a blanket of confusing emotions and tension surrounded us.

"I can't wait to find out what's so special about you."

His voice was barely audible, coated with a layer of....restraint?

"But then again, I suppose I'm already learning something new each day."

To be frank, the admission made me feel both tingly and angry.

Try as I might I couldn't believe that what he was doing or saying was just for the sake of me being special and him having an advantage in whatever war was approaching.

The light was dimmed as the full moon hid behind the clouds drifting in the dark sky.

A bizarre question rose to the surface of my mind.

Then Arion was no longer sitting on my bed, face inches away.

No.

He was standing at the door he'd been leaning against so casually earlier but this time Arion narrowed his eyes, not exactly with innocent intentions.

The smirk he shot me was not just amused but was singing a song of the cunning Fae.

"And I can't wait to mark you."

I bit hard on the inside of my cheek as my breath caught in my chest.

The Fae King meant it.

How was he going to mark me?

"Wait."

My single syllable made him halt in the process of leaving, his hand on the door knob, back towards me.

"I have a question."

The only indication that he heard me was that he hadn't already left and had turned his face to look at me a bit.

I kept my face blank, unlike his that held the undertones of curiosity.

I swallowed thickly, my chest feeling compressed as I asked him the question I just had.

"Who did this room belong to before me?"

Arion blinked.

He tilted his face, eyes colliding with mine before his brows drew in slightly.

He opened his mouth, "I....."

The crease between his brows deepened and I held my breath in anticipation. His jaw muscles ticked and then he looked away. He almost looked baffled.

"I don't know."

I couldn't hide my surprise at his answer and frowned. That was impossible.

"What?"

"Sleep, Cara."

He didn't say anything else and his words were harsh. He almost looked irked. At what, I didn't have a single inkling.

Just like that the door closed and Arion was gone.

The moon peeked out from the clouds again, like a dark phase had gone by as the room was once more lit up with the natural beams.

I blinked.

Once.
Twice.
Thrice.

It didn't make me think this was all a dream.

I slipped off the duvets, my dagger in my grasp as my bare feet touched the cold granite of the floor.

Once I had silently padded to the balcony, my hands tightly curled around the railings, I let out a shaky breath.

I let the railing support my weight as I
bent forward feeling like I couldn't get enough air into my lungs.

It was dark yet the city from here was still shimmering. The trees rustled. Stray owls hooted. Lights flickered.

The Fae City looked beautiful.

A howl rose in the air.

Goosebumps rose on my arms and my fingers grazed the crescent scars on my left forearm.

I closed my eyes tightly because without any knowledge of how or why, I knew.

I knew that was the golden eyed Alpha's howl.

Would I ever see him again? What exactly had happened that night?

Did I even want to meet him again?

I knew in my hearts of hearts the answer was yes.

I felt a lump forming in my throat as he howled once more from somewhere. Somewhere around. I don't know. But I could hear him.

And it seemed like he had answered my question.

My heart dropped to the pit of my stomach as the wind whispered to me.

Perhaps I was being delusional. Or perhaps things had just gotten a whole lot more complicated.

'Soon, my love. We'll meet very soon.'

•○•

AN~

Oookkkaayyy! Ignore the typos, of course.

So did you all enjoy?! Was the chapter any good? I sure hope so...

We had alone Cara and Arion moments. What did you think of it? Was the romance okay? Lol. And then so much mystery hm? How about when Cara felt like crying or when Arion didn't know whose room it was? The Alpha and his promising words?

Oh and, do we miss Lucien and Damien? *eyebrow wriggle*

Please do comment, vote and enjoy! And feel free to tag anyone of ur friends who you think might like it ^^ oh and are the chapters too lengthy? I'm so sorry if I get carried away ugh I realized they might be a bit longer than most times.

I'm so sorry for a month long wait but oh well. I'm very very busy with exams so kinda offline but promise once May is over, you guys will get faster updates cuz I'll have the time and liberty yay! But till then, bear with me please because I sure as hell will finish this book ;)

Anyways, next chapter will be in Arion's P.O.V! Hope you're excited after what just happened haha. And don't be a silent reader, at least vote lol it means a lot. Thanks for over 12.4K reads and 2.4K votes, we have so many new readers too. Till next time then!

~Skyler