Avalyn
“The people are very happy to have Nikolai back, Avalyn.” Eliyah reported. “They believe that it’s a miracle that he’s back from the land of dead. They believe that the Moon Goddess blessed him with a second chance at life.”
My mouth twisted. Moon Goddess’ miracle? More like her way to punish me again. First it was Emilio. Then she gave me hope by sending Nikolai my way but then took him away. It nearly broke me. But I’m stronger than that. Then she gave me Gabriel, who is a true gentleman. And just when I had started seeing a future with him, just when I had started truly loving him, she sent Nikolai back!
According to Nikolai’s story, he never really died, he was just stuck in some other dimension. But I didn’t really know if it was the truth. He had a penchant for lying.
Hell. I didn’t even know why I was being punished. But I sure as hell am not going to shatter anymore. Not because of a man. I’m a Queen. And I’m going to rule my Kingdom. He can’t just waltz in after seven years and pretend as if nothing happened.
“That will be all.” I said in a dismissive tone. Eliyah nodded and left.
I realised that it was time for lunch so I went to the dining hall. When I entered, I immediately saw the change in seating arrangements. At the head of the table- in my place, Nikolai was sitting and he was staring straight at me before he smiled. A feeling I didn’t like grew in my stomach. “We were waiting for you, Love. Come, let’s have lunch.”
I walked in further. All the arrangements were messed up. I had given instructions to Eliyah about the new seating arrangements to accommodate everyone but who cared what I said?
Nikolai’s word was final, as always.
To my right, were Gabriel sat, the chair was empty. To my left, where Dimitri was supposed to sit, Natalia was sitting. Next to the empty chair, Dimitri sat, then Andrei and then Mikhail and next to Natalia, sat Max and then Ratmir. And then the rest of Council on either side of the table, as per their importance.
No one bothered to ask me, to get my approval.
But of course, they all were his family after all and would always take his side. And people always bent over backwards to please him, always. And I had to try so hard, face so many problems and struggle to gain the kind of control over people that they freely gave to him.
“You’re in my seat.” I said and then relished when his smile dimmed a little. “You can’t just waltz back in here and think everything will go back to the way it was.”
“Of course it can’t.” He agreed with me and gave me a smile that brought back the weird feeling in my stomach that I hated. “It will be even better now. Come, have a seat, Moya Lyubov.”
My heart stuttered and my feet moved and I took the seat beside him before I even realised it. Damn him and his tendency to order me. And damn my body to obey it without my own brain’s permission.
The slaves had already served us food and everyone was waiting for Nikolai to have his first bite just like they used to wait for me. Not anymore though. Their King is back.
A spoon suddenly appeared in front of my mouth. Nikolai waited patiently for me to eat the first bit. There went my heart again… stuttering for no reason. My heart could betray me but my mind would never. And I knew Nikolai was not good for me. Gabriel was good for me. He was good to me. He always did as I asked and always did everything with me in his mind, he never did anything that he thought would displease me.
And I needed to show Nikolai that I was not his mate anymore, except the blasted mark on my neck that just wouldn’t go away, despite my many attempts. I picked up a spoonful of food from my own plate and ate it, blatantly disregarding his and in turn disrespecting him in front of everyone. I tipped my chin up at him as I chewed. What will he do now? Punish me? Shout at me in front of everyone? It would only make me hate him more.
The hope in his eyes was crushed and cruelly, I gave him a smile. It was about small victories after all. He retracted his hand and ate his own bite and then the rest followed.
I had a couple of bites before I stood up, “I’m done,” I announced and walked out. If he had the audacity to throw my own mate out of the dining room then I wasn’t going to sit and eat there, I was never going to eat there.
I found Gabriel in the gym, lifting weights. “Gabe.”
He quickly turned around and a smile lit up his face when he saw me. He was always optimistic, always positive. And I needed that in my life. “I’m sorry about lunch. From now on, we will eat together, I don’t want to sit with those people and disrespect you like that.” I neared him and kissed his cheek.
“I would have been fine, but thank you Avalyn, I appreciate it.” He pecked my lips. “Lunch with just you would be much better anyways.”
He always knew what to say to make me feel better. And he was hurt too, but he put my needs before his. “Let’s go, I need a shower anyways.”
I nodded and we walked upstairs into the west wing. He went to out bedroom to take a shower and I went to the kitchen to fix myself something. The slaves were there but I wanted to cook. It always managed calm me.
I decided to make a simple toast sandwich. I was hungry and I was not going to stop eating because of a man again. I needed to take care of my own self or no one else would.
“Ava.” Nikolai stood at the entrance and then entered. For some reason, the huge kitchen started feeling small to me. “Are you making a sandwich? Can I make it for you?”
“Don’t bother yourself with cooking when you never did in the past, King Nikolai.” I rolled my eyes.
“You’re right.” He spoke quietly. “I had made many mistakes in the past. And never cooking for you was one of them.” He leaned against the counter, only a feet away from where I was chopping vegetables. My heart felt constricted for some reason. “I know why you’re mad at me.”
I stopped mid-slice and looked up at him in confusion. “You do?”
He nodded. “You’re angry that I practically forced you to say the spell that day. The one after which I would die instead of you. You’re angry I left you.” He looked satisfied with his answer.
A laugh bubbled up my throat and he was looking at me in worry. “You think I’m angry because of that?”