Hellion's Reckoning
Chapter 26

Keira could have laid there all day if she wasn’t concerned her father would come looking. The last thing she needed was for her father to see her in bed with him. There would be a guard posted at her doors and beneath her windows to keep her in. Once he realized she hadn’t returned home, the entire guard would be on the lookout. His attention made leaving even more difficult. When he woke, she felt his nose brushing against her neck, sending shivers down her spine.

Staying would also mean talking about last night, their shared kiss, what it meant. “I can’t,” she muttered and pulled herself away from him. “Believe me, you don’t want him charging out here!” After a quick apple and a goodbye kiss, Keira left the cottage and made her way home.

The front lawn of the massive ruby manor sprawled out like a grand tapestry, dappled with hues of emerald and viridian. Lush grass carpeted the expanse, meticulously manicured to perfection, while colorful blooms danced in the gentle breeze, releasing a sweet fragrance that lingered in the air. Towering oak trees stood guard like ancient sentinels, their canopies providing a welcome respite from the summer sun. At one end of the lawn, a quaint stone fountain gurgled merrily, its waters cascading down in a mesmerizing display. Delicate marble statues adorned the garden, frozen in time in elegant poses that spoke of grace and beauty. Soft rays of sunlight filtered through the foliage, casting a warm, golden glow.

She could evade her father, the servants, but never Vestin, her brother. He sat outside on the front lawn of the manor, casting a knowing smile at her with a book in his hands. “Gonna tell me why I had to cover for you?” He asked her with a raised brow, his massive frame barely contained beneath the light shirt and trousers he wore. They both had the same inky black eyes and blue hair, but his hair lacked the purple shades and he had neatly cut it since his return.

“I spent the night out,” Keira answered with a shrug, taking the seat beside him. “What’s the big deal?”

Vestin hummed and returned to his book, a smirk creeping on his lips as he sniffed the air. “With Inias?” he asked, eyes gleaming with amusement as her cheeks reddened. “Did you two finally-.”

“It’s none of your business!” She interrupted him, growing frustrated with that grin on his face. Vestin chuckled, a glint in his eyes as he closed his book and leaned back against the chair, “Oh, but Keira, when it involves the prince, it becomes my business as well. He’s a friend, you know.”

Keira rolled her eyes and crossed her arms defiantly. “You don’t get to be nosy just because your friends,” she told him, giving him a shove to knock him off his chair. Vestin let out a hearty laugh as he toppled backward off his chair, landing ungracefully on the grass with a thud. “Ouch, sis, you’ve got a fierce shove for such a delicate flower,” he teased, brushing off the grass from his clothes with a grin. “Just tell me,” He went on, pulling his chair up to sit on it. “Should I give him the talk? You know, hurt my sister and I’ll rip out your spine?”

It was her turn to let out a laugh. “No need,” she said with a shake of her head. “I can dismember him on my own, but sweet of you, brother.”

“Dismembering who?” Varen stepped outside dressed in a light purple robe to meet his children. “Oh, just a few unfortunate souls,” she joked, leaving her seat to greet her father with a warm hug. His arm came around her, lightly stroking her hair. He raised an eyebrow and chuckled, “They have it coming?” Keira hummed and lightly tapped her chin. “Sometimes I wonder.”

Vestin shot a grin at Keira before turning his attention to their father. “Ah, father, you know how it is with these suitors, always pushing boundaries,” he quipped.

Varen’s chuckle rumbled through the air as he embraced his children. “I’ve trained you well. I know any suitor will think twice before crossing you,” he said as the servants began laying out their breakfast on the table.

As they laid out the breakfast feast, the table became a colorful array of delicacies fit for royalty. There were platters of freshly baked pastries, still warm and inviting with a golden hue. The sweet aroma of berries and cream lingered in the air. Bowls of ripe fruits shone like precious gems under the morning sunlight, their juices eagerly pooling at the base, as if vying for attention. The table groaned under the weight of culinary treasures, each dish a masterpiece.

Varen, Keira, and Vestin could only gaze in awe at the banquet spread before them. Vestin raised an eyebrow at the breakfast spread, gazing upon it with hungry eyes. “Looks like we’re in for a treat this morning,” he said, grabbing the first pastry. Keira chuckled, her gaze dancing over the fruits before her. “The chefs have outdone themselves today,” she remarked, eagerly snatching a few grapes.

“The angels come tonight,” Varen said as he picked at the sausage on his plate. “We have a long day ahead of us, a festival to prepare for.” He said as the servants came to fill their wine. Keira smiled to herself; she would get to see her first scarlet night. Tonight, she and Inias would stand together with their people. Only once every two centuries did the angels fly over, filling them with hope and strength. They needed it now more than ever.

“We can’t remain separated,” Vestin said, his voice more serious than it had been. “After the festival, we leave with Inias to fortify our southern wards.” That was why their father had allowed Inias and his troop to stay. It wasn’t much, but the Magistrate was waiting for any opportunity to strike them. With the king’s nephew between them, Ailog would hesitate to attack.

Varen set his fork down and cleaned his lips. “I’m not entrusting my children to that brat,” he said, looking between the two of them. “Your children can handle themselves,” Keira said, turning her chair to face her father. “How long are you going to make us hide behind these wards?” Her eyes burned with a fiery intensity as her arms crossed over her chest.

Vestin took his fork and pointed it at his father, “We need to fight, before he becomes too powerful and our people too few.” Varen looked to his son, his heir, as he spoke. All he had done, the sacrifices he made, were to keep them from suffering the same fate as so many hellions. They couldn’t have ever stood up to the king, he would have annihilated them. That’s what he told himself, every time the king and his followers shed his people’s blood. So long as he played the good hellion, unlike the savage breed, his children could live safe and free. His own naivety had led them down this path.

“We’re going,” Keira said, reaching out to take her father’s hand gently. “You always told us to follow our hearts and they’re leading us to battle. Mother’s blood cries for justice.” Her father’s eyes glistened with unshed tears and Vestin looked at her. “Well, I suppose…” Varen said, standing to his feet, “If it’s in your hearts, there’s nothing I can do.” He could lock them up, whisk them away to a faraway place where no one had had ever heard of hellions. If he did, they would never forgive him. They would look back with the same guilt he felt all these years as he stood by and watched. “We’ll be together,” Keira said, leaning over to take her brother’s hand and then her fathers, “With all our clan.”