26 Family Dinners (Chapter 25)

Isla's burial was small. Me, Drake and Ryan were the only ones who attended. We all said goodbye and prayed her soul to be at peace. Ryan didn't speak a word. His heart was too heavy. It made me feel alone. Ryan was always the strong one between the two of us. Now I'm not sure what I am to do. But I knew, I would avenge her death, one way or another.

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"I have invited the Lightning's to dinner." Ryan says as he walks past me casually. I stopped him bewildered.

"They are? Are you sure about that? I mean you did put their SON in the dungeons-"

"That's why I want to clear the air, fresh start. Drake is coming too. Dress nice alright" He smiles, pats me on the shoulder and walks off attending to other kingly duties. I'm glad to see his spirits up but he is worrying about the wrong things. I don't want to wreck his mood. So I guess I can become to his wishes. Just this once. But my gut is telling me that This dinner is not going to be good.

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"Sorry I'm late," Drake bows to the Lightnings as he enters the hall. He takes a seat next to me bowing to Ryan as he sits. My father gives him a warm smile and nods to him. Ryan sat at the front of our grand table. The entire room lit up with black flames. The glass roof featuring the full moon accompanied by the lights of a thousand stars. The fireplace alive crackling wildly as it burns the coal. The portraits on the wall staring down at us observing us. This room was so familiar but was filled with strangers. Me, Drake, Isla and Ryan ate in here everyday. Father was always too busy to come to eat with us. I sit in my normal chair with Drake and Father on either side. The Lightning's across from us. It was funny as we were divided by an imaginary line. I was suffocated. I didn't like it. Damien should be here.

"Karina you look lovely darling." The queen smiled. I didn't know how to respond to that. She started laughing. And so did King Lucent. Drake looked at me and I at him. We both were not amused. He took a swig of his drink and glared at Ryan. I guess Ryan forced him to be here. Drake wasn't too fancy, he was very informal. He raises his eyebrow with a heavy look of sarcasm at the queen's ' joke.'

"I'm kidding Darling, I cannot see you. Just little humour to break the tension." Her smile and fresh dimples putting on the famous act of vulnerable and innocent woman. Such people made me gag.

"Very funny your majesty. I see that Damien gets his sense of humour from you then." I mocked. Ryan kicked me under the table and I squirmed at the pain. Drake rubbed his chin and laughed under his breath.

"Please enough with the formalities," king Lucent said. "We heard what happened at Damiens Trial." I slightly blushed knowing what he was referencing too. "Now you are practically family. So You can call me 'Floyd', and my wife 'Alice'." I look to the queen to see her nod in agreement. It was weird calling them by their first names. I mean, what? What game are they playing? Damien told me they wanted me dead. They hate me. Right? I smile in response and dip my bread into my soup but I had suddenly lost my appetite. Ryan inhales. "So Floyd, how did you and Alice meet." He asks. They both smile and take each others hand.

"Aha well That is a story not even Damien knows. But Let's just say it was love at first sight." The king says. His response was clearly rehearsed. The Queens smile was excentric. Her dimples creeping out. "You see Karina, A woman's heart is deep like the ocean. We don't tell our secrets." She winked at me referencing to my secret romance with Damien. Drake was clearly not amused nor were my father and Ryan. Ryan cleared his throat. "So father, why don't you please tell us some NICE stories with you and Floyd here. I'm sure we would all like that." Me and Drake snort with laughter slightly as we would most definitely not enjoy that.

"Of course." Father sets down his spoon and readies himself to tell a story. He ponders in thought before finding the right story to tell. "Before, the banishment. Me and Floyd were sent to apprehend a DANGEROUS sorceress named 'Andreya." Floyd looks suprisingly worried to hear this story as he sits up listening intently. "Now Andreya was a very powerful sorceress of Dark, so they needed a Nightslayer to assist. Andreya is an witch of old. She was abandoned by the Nightslayers due to her evil thoughts and intentions. She told my Father that she wanted to destroy the Nightslayers for the 'under-use' of dark magic. We were baffled but she was serious. That scared my father. When I was older, we had reports of her movement. I was sent with the Knights of Blaze to apprehend this woman...It was said that Andreya was as beautiful as she was deadly. It was also rumoured that With a flutter of her eyelashes, she could snap a mountain in half...We had tracked her to a cave and Floyd led the Knights of the Blaze. Now his men were too afraid to enter this cave as they knew the extent of her powers. But not him. He charged right in there and killed the bitch where she stood. I was outside rejoicing in her screams. Floyd had burned the body. And came out Victorious!" Father slammed the table with joy retelling this story. Me and Drake smiled. Everyone seemed happy especially Ryan to see us getting along. Yet I could feel his hate for them stirring. Yet his face so cool you wouldn't even know.

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After an evening of talking nonsense, the lightning's finally retire to their rooms and so does my father leaving me, Drake and Ryan at the table.

"I think I'm going to go too." I say getting up to leave.

"No...I need to speak with you-both of you." Me and Drake look at eachother confusion blinding us to Ryans expression. We sit awaiting what he has to say.

"Isla's unfortunate departure has left me Queenless. I will need to take a queen soon or I will have to forfeit my throne. " Drake and me didn't utter a word. He was waiting for us to say something but we knew there was a catch coming.

"Soo...Kion is coming with Fosha." The Catch, there is always a bloody Catch.

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"Disgusting perverted beastly COUSIN KION! And that BITCH HE CALLS A SISTER FOSHA COMING! HERE! WHEN!?" I scream.

"Keep your voice down Karina!" Ryan whispers through his teeth.

"This is a bad idea Ryan." Drake says slightly drunk. "I'm not sure you marrying Fosha is a good idea. Do you really want Kion to be an Active member of your family. And you know his interest in Karina. He wants her to be his whore." He takes another swig of his drink.

"Drake that's enough." Ryan says politely.

"I'm just saying-"

"No no, I meant your drink." Says Ryan. I giggle slightly and take the drink away from Drake. "Look Karina, it's my only option. Father agreed and to be honest she is not that bad."

"She had one of her servants fired because he didn't put mint on her plate as decoration...Ryan you deserve so much better."

"Karina, I had better. Isla was the best thing to ever happen to me. And I didn't appreciate her enough when I had her. So I'm going to appreciate everything I have. And now I have this proposal. It's the best thing for the kingdom."

"But what Karina is saying Ryan, is that it's not the best thing for you." Silence filled the room and I saw a year in Ryan's eye.

"I'm sorry everyone. But it's my decision." He gets up and leaves without another word.

"We gotta do something." Drake says.

"I know... And we will." I say as I put my hand on his shoulder and We share a mutual worried smile. "Drake I need your help." He looks at me intently. "Of course, anything." He says as he faces me.

"Damien is innocent." Drake gets up to leave he doesn't want to hear this.

"Please Drake hear me out!" He stops but doesn't face me. "Someone is framing him. Even if you don't trust him trust me. He didn't do it. And whilst we have been sitting here he has been getting whipped in the courtyard...I love him Drake..he is my soulmate." He doesn't move.

"What do you need from me?" He asks in a husky voice.

"I need you to help me break him out."