(Amaia)

Even though I try to remain composed, my heartbeat rises seeing Alnilam enter the dining hall. He is still in his Enforcer uniform, all handsome and muscled up with his cape flying behind him. But he appears tired, the circles under his gorgeous eyes show he hasn’t been sleeping that well.

He throws a casual glance my way, and it no longer holds contempt but hints of curiosity. I offer a small smile, and he nods stiffly.

I sense a little tension between Alnilam and his father. The king doesn’t stand up and hug him like he had done with his other sons, nor does he appear enthusiastic on seeing him.

"How was your mission?" Queen Esmelda questions Alnilam while elegantly placing a spoonful of rice in her mouth. 𝒇𝓻𝓮𝓮𝙬𝙚𝒃𝒏𝓸𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝓬𝓸𝒎

"The usual, had to deal with the Dread Army. You know how that goes." Alnilam’s concern-filled eyes drift to me for some reason as he speaks the next words. "They were pissed off. Believing we are not doing our job properly here."

It clicked for me. That unregistered use of magic, which brought Alnilam to me, must have been detected by them. Since Alnilam handled it and didn’t report or file, someone must have been breathing down his neck.

"They are always pissed. I don’t understand why we even allow them on our lands," Alnitak speaks from beside me. He hates them as much as I do.

King Orion places his goblet of wine down and faces us with a grim look.

"We don’t have a choice. They are the strongest army with advanced weapons and magic systems. We can’t go against them so we have to grant them permission to come and investigate cases of unregistered magic users."

Alnilam lets out a slow ironic snort. Slowly he shakes his head, staring at the untouched food on his plate.

"That decision cost thousands of lives of Fae Folks. We helped them cause a genocide. We could have done better." The resentment he carries in his words seeps into my heart, making it restless. I am reminded of how I have lost people I cared about, people I loved.

King Orion turns his head and watches his son. Both men have the same hair colour. "We didn’t have a choice," he emphasises trying to hold his anger back. The veins in his neck seem to have stretched.

The atmosphere in the room tenses as silence falls over. I can’t stop staring at the father and son.

"We always have a choice. Too bad we keep on making the wrong ones. We can’t even protect our people. We failed the Fae Kind and they were wiped out before I could grow up and do something about it." Alnilam stares directly at his father and I understand this topic has to be the bone of contention between the two.

Alnitak’s hands squeeze my thigh, telling me to hold on.

"Seems like you forgot what Faes did to your brothers or did you forget?" King Orion’s contained but blazing words hold anger and resentment.

What is King Orion talking about?

Did something happen to the twins?

Was Fae magic involved?

Queen Esmelda reaches out and places her hand on her husband’s. "Let’s discuss it some other time, we have guests over," she gently says but there is a detectable sadness in her words.

"If you will excuse me. I am not hungry anymore. I would like to change." Alnilam picks up the napkin from his lap and throws it on the table, before pushing the chair back and getting up.

He hasn’t even eaten and now he is walking away. The bond between him and me is filled with his regrets and rage. It calls me to him and his agitated heart. A part of him cares about me because of who I am, and he feels responsible for the merciless killing of our kind.

We all watch him leave, especially his father. His face has hardened like stone but there is so much resemblance between the two men. I do wonder if their egos match as well.

"Family drama, sorry you have to witness that," Alnitak gently says in a remorseful tone. Softly I smile at him, ensuring it’s not a big deal.

"Same story every dinner," Mintaka drags in a painful breath and leans back in his chair, seeming utterly frustrated.

Rahria and Kacir pass glances, and I know this is not the first time this has happened.

"We should have some dessert," Queen Esmelda gestures to the helpers dressed in white and gold uniforms. They begin to ask and remove the empty plates before serving dessert.

The queen offers us all a regretful smile as if apologising for the incident. King Orion has gotten quiet and seems lost deep in thought.

"The food is delicious and your palace is breathtakingly beautiful," I try to break the awkward silence.

"Thank you!" She offers me a warm smile. "Boys, why don’t you show Amaia around after dessert, and later we can gather in the tea room and have some tea," she asks her sons, and they give her a nod.

We have an awkward dessert where the queen makes small talk with us, especially me. Trying to learn about my likes and dislikes. She definitely knows that her son has been showing interest in me.

After eating dessert we leave our chairs.

King Orion excuses himself with the promise of meeting us for tea.

"We will take a stroll in the front garden," Kacir respectfully says to Queen Esmelda and she wholeheartedly smiles at him. He leads Rahria away.

"Seems like they are getting along now," she says to Alnitak once both of them are gone.

I stand between Alnitak and Mintaka with their mother facing us. Saiph stands at a distance but he is alert like a hawk, even when we are inside the palace.

"They are work in progress but yes."

"I am happy for Kacir. That boy deserves happiness." All of us agree with her point of view and I like how she doesn’t shame her son.

"Why don’t you guys go show Amaia around?" She says again, and Alnitak turns to face his brother with urgency.

"Actually, Min, can you take Amaia? I wish to speak to Mama and father."

"Sure, let’s go Amaia." Mintaka gestures to me with his head.

Offering a polite nod towards the queen, Mintaka and I leave the dining hall with Alnitak’s irritated words follow us.

"Saiph, nothing will happen to Mama while she is with me...." before we can’t hear them anymore.