Chapter 16

~Kamari~

In the middle of the night, I wake up to crackling flames. Next to me, Koa is fast asleep. I slip out of the fur blankets and scope out the noise.

When I see Aneth and Nye sitting together, with a fire lit, and Aneth lightly stabbing Nye with a black-tipped spike of a needle, my face contorts in confusion.

"What are you two doing?" I raise my eyebrows. I notice the black emblems Aneth draws down Nye's back and arms. 

"Their markings," Nye says. I sit at the fire with them, watching Aneth work with a fierce focus. 

"What type of needle is that?" I lean forward.

"It's mine," Nye says, his head leaned down as Aneth worked the needle up the back of his neck. 

"Nye's Spike." Aneth's voice is smooth and smokey, like the fire before me. 

"Is there a reason behind it?" I tilt my head. Nye says nothing. I wasn't used to his lack of words. 

"Nye took my pain and sickness," Aneth says as he takes Nye's pointed scale and hovers it over the fire, "I am thankful." 

"So this is like a gesture?" My voice softens.

"Is there a reason you're awake?" Nye asks as if I interrupted. 

"I just smelled the fire," I wrap the blanket around myself, "I'm surprised Koa didn't–"

"He did; he just ignored it." The tone in Nye's voice was starting to get to me. He couldn't expect me not to enjoy each of them. They are all my spouses.

I sigh heavily, "Nye, if you're angry with me, just say it. It won't hurt my feelings." 

He chuckles darkly, "Angry? I'm quite calm." He finally looks at me, and warmth envelopes my chest. Nye half-smiles, "Darling, you act like this is new to us. It's not. It's new for you. Koa knows I'm coming for him. So he can enjoy you however he pleases, for now." 

Damn it, Nye. I couldn't hide the flush from my face. This might be more of a challenge for me than them. After all, I had to respect their hierarchy, too. I didn't want to throw it off and ruin their structure.

"So it's taboo if I lay with anyone but the leader?" The temptation was so strong in my voice that it probably told Nye what I was thinking. 

Nye's voice lowers, and he gazes at me through lowered lashes, "Kamari, go back to Koa."

"I thought you said you weren't angry." I taunt with a smile.

"Walk away, or I'll make you go away." The sound of his voice brings a shiver of pleasure up my spine. How this man could be threatening and honorable with not taking me for himself makes my heart throb. I roll my eyes playfully.

"Fine." Before I go, I lean into him slightly, "I hope you enjoyed my screams," I whisper in his ear.

Nye's deep rumble in his throat makes me want to hear more. But I turn tail and leave. Having three husbands is going to be interesting.

***

 "You may not like what they said about you," Calea sighs, her brows slightly furrowed. Early this morning, I decided to seek her out. When she told me she had taken a stroll down to the city, she invited me to have breakfast with her to talk about what they said.

I press my lips together, "I don't want to know, but I need to know how to fix things." My heart pounds. 

Calea leans forward with her hands folded. "A man said that you could never be the true ruler of Nivillia. Another doubted that your rule would be any better than your fathers'. A woman called you a cooped-up child who knew nothing about her people or the land that they lived upon."

I sink into my seat. I didn't expect anything good, but it was all bad. "Nothing uplifting?" I ask out of the slightest of hope.

"No, Kamari. I fear the people have lost any kind of hope. Their land is barren, and there's a barren seat upon the throne, as far as they are concerned. They don't take you seriously." 

I place my head in my hands, "They saw me get chosen in the Arena. Do they think nothing good could come out of it?"

"They haven't seen them. Koa, Nye, Aneth. What are they supposed to believe if they can't see you with them, amongst them." Calea leans forward. "Go out there, maybe with just Nye; he knows how to speak with humans."

I groan, "That might be a problem…"

Calea brows furrow, "Why?"

I sit back in my chair, "Because Nye isn't the "Alpha" per-say. It's Koa now." I watch as Calea frowns. I groan, "It's a system Dragons have that works around the males. I'm just going with it."

Calea ponders, her eyes shifting back and forth, her chin resting in her hand, "I'm guessing Koa will feel some sort of betrayal if you ask Nye."

"Most likely. To them, it's taboo." I pick at my food, suddenly not interested in the once delectable pastry I would crave.

Silence weighs on us for a moment. "I suppose I could take Koa instead."

"Is he ready for that? He doesn't know the etiquette of how things are done with humans. Nye does. I've seen it."

"I know," I say, rising from my chair, ready to pull my hair out. Why did this have to be so complicated? 

"Dragons aren't like us, but I didn't expect them to live this way…" Calea says, staring out into the forests and mountains from our balcony. I bite my lip, trying to figure out another option. If I took Koa with me, he might hurt someone who did not know their intentions, yet it was the only option.

"I'll have to teach him." I sigh heavily.

"How long will that take?" 

"I don't know. He's halfway to Nye's level." I held myself with my arms, unsure what the outcome of this would be, but I was willing to try. After my discussion with Calea, I head back towards the under dwelling. My chest aches, knowing how my people feel towards me. I had to get their trust back. My father did a good job screwing me over, but I'm not giving up.

As I head down the hall, I hear multiple thuds and glass breaking. A crack in the door lets me peek through. I see a man dressed in a cloak in the chart room. I open the door, startling him, and he drops notes and books. "Oh! I'm sorry," I say as I help him pick up letters and notes.

I gave them to him: "Are you okay in here? I heard a lot of banging." The man's shifty eyes gave me a fluttery feeling in my gut, as if I knew him from somewhere. He stared at me momentarily, then shaken his head: "Uh-Yeah, sorry. I was just trying to look for something." His wavy black hair and five-o'clock shadow made him look edgy.

"Can I help? I know this room like the back of my hand." I rock on my heels. The man smiles, which brightens his eyes, "Yeah, if you don't mind."

"I don't think I've seen you around the Castle. Are you new?" I ask, looking him over. A man well-dressed, with a black cloak? Didn't make sense considering he didn't dress badly.

He briefly glances down and then up at me, "Yeah actually, my name is Javall Arkenstone."

Upon hearing that name, the blood drains from my face. Arkenstone. The last name of my ex-fiance. I tried not to show the shock on my face but held my hands tight in front of me. "Are you in charge of the Chartroom?" He asks. 

I double-blink bringing myself out of my thoughts, I clear my throat, "Uh-no, I just know where everything is, what are you looking for?"

"My brother left something here. It's a family jewel, a ring. I think it was the one he gave his late wife, Kamari."

My gut clenches and I suddenly feel nauseous. "Is she around here by chance?"

I purse my lips together. "Uh, yeah. You're looking at her…"