Claimed By The King(s) Of Kings

Aina

”What aren’t you getting?!”

Molly’s voice vibrated through the quiet infirmary, sharp with a week’s worth of frustration. She sat perched on the edge of Aina’s small hospital bed, clutching a sheaf of parchment covered in messy scribbles and crossed-out equations.

The medical ward was nearly deserted in the afternoon. Only two other students remained in the far corner, both fast asleep behind thin linen curtains. The soft, rhythmic ticking of the wall clock only amplified the agonizing tension in the room.

”If x is equal to y,” Molly whispered fiercely, leaning in close so her voice wouldn’t carry, ”then z must be equal to that! Don’t you know your Pythagorean theorem or basic algebraic methods?!”

Please, someone save me, Aina begged the universe silently, her head throbbing as she stared at the terrifying mountain of numbers on the page. She squeezed her eyes shut for a second, slowly shaking her head.

”No,” Aina admitted, her voice tiny and pathetic. ”I don’t get it.”

Molly let out a sharp, dramatic gasp, throwing her hands in the air. ”Come on, Travis! We’ve been doing this for a whole week now! What aren’t you getting?!”

”Everything,” Aina replied flatly, staring blankly at her own cast-bound right arm resting uselessly on her lap.

With a loud, exaggerated huff, Molly threw herself backward onto the mattress, staring up at the stone ceiling in utter defeat. The enthusiasm she had brought on day one had completely vanished, burned away by seven straight days of absolute mathematical despair. Aina was a lost cause!

Aina shifted nervously, adjusting her titanium glasses with her free left hand. ”You know what? For the good of our friendship... I think we should just stop this.”

Molly sat up instantly, pointing a finger at her. ”Agreed. If I have to explain this one more equation to you, I will probably never talk to you again for the rest of my life.”

”I made it that frustrating?” Aina asked, wincing slightly. ”Yes!” Molly cried softly, wringing her hands. ”Because I tell you the exact same thing a hundred times, and you’re still not getting it!”

Aina scoffed gently, crossing her left arm over her chest. ”Molly, you can tell me the same thing a hundred times! It doesn’t matter if I fundamentally do not understand it!”

”You see?! We’re going back there again!” Molly huffed, gathering up her scattered papers in a frantic, messy pile. ”Let’s just stop right now and never speak of math ever again. I will find you another tutor in the school who is actually willing to do all of this... someone who is actually a good teacher.”

Aina sighed, shaking her head. ”No... I’ll just teach myself.”

”No!” Molly snapped back instantly, sliding her notebook into her leather bag. ”If you try to teach yourself, you will fail. That is an absolute guarantee.”

”That’s for sure,” Aina muttered under her breath, a wry smirk touching her lips. Molly stood up from the mattress, smoothing down her pleated academy skirt. She carefully slung her bag across her shoulder, then shot Aina a sly, lingering look.

”Oh... and um,” Molly began, her tone shifting slightly, ”Nurse Clara said you are healing much faster than expected. You should be able to continue attending classes by tomorrow morning.” She paused, pointing a stern finger at her. ”But she said she will keep checking on you regularly, so you must go to the medical ward throughout the day.”

Aina stared at her, her jaw dropping. ”Wow... that’s just great,” she said, her voice dripping with so much thick, heavy sarcasm that the room almost vibrated with it. ”I am just dying to get back to classes.” Molly couldn’t help the light giggle that escaped her lips. ”Yeah... everyone misses you back in class.”

”Oh, please,” Aina rolled her eyes dramatically, leaning her head back against the wall. ”No, they don’t. No one in this entire school likes me except you and your friends.”

Molly paused, pursing her lips. ”Yeah... that’s true. But for some reason... everyone is really excited for your return tomorrow. It feels like some massive joke that I’m just not a part of.” Aina’s smile instantly vanished. Her body went dead cold. She slowly turned her head, her eyes wide with sudden, sickening realization.

”Molly,” Aina said, her tone dropping into a dead, serious whisper. ”Register that statement for a single second. Everyone is excited for me to return. Now... this cannot possibly be good.”

Molly blinked, waving her hand dismissively. ”No, it is! I don’t see how this is possibly bad!”

”Think again, Molly!” Aina urged frantically, leaning forward despite the dull ache in her ribs. ”Think long and hard! Something is wrong. They have to be planning something! Your brothers have to be planning something! You did speak to them, right?! You did tell them to stop the bullying?!”

Molly’s eyes widened slightly, and she nodded quickly. ”Oh! Yes! Of course I did! I promise you, my brother gave me his word! Remember I told you? They said they won’t touch you again!”

Aina glared at her. ”That was if they found their fated mate in the woods, Molly! And they didn’t find her!”

”Oh...” Molly’s face fell, her mouth forming a tiny ’o’ as she grasped the situation. ”Yeah...”

”Oh, come on!” Aina groaned softly, rubbing her temple with her left hand. ”I need you to find out what these people are doing! What are they planning?! Have your brothers put an official hit on me?! Am I going to die the moment I step foot out of this room tomorrow?!”

”Relax, Travis!” Molly insisted, placing a comforting hand on Aina’s blanket. ”My brothers won’t do anything to you, I’m sure of it! The school is just being nice, you know? They are all such nice people at this academy! Plus... my brothers have been so impossibly busy searching in and outside the academy for their mate that I’m sure they didn’t even have the time to plan anything.”

Oh, please, Aina raged internally as Molly offered her a warm smile and bade her goodnight.

As the heavy wooden doors clicked shut behind her friend, Aina slumped deep into the pillows, her heart hammering wildly against her ribs.

This damn, lovable, completely oblivious fake girlfriend of mine, Aina thought bitterly, staring up at the shadowy ceiling. Those terrifying brothers of hers are definitely planning something horrifying. I know I am smart enough to see that! I may be absolute garbage at math... but when it comes to reading the dark, twisted intentions of terrible people, I know how to do that extremely well.

She pulled the white sheets up to her chin, clutching her cast-bound hand to her chest. She was stressed beyond belief. She had no idea what tomorrow’s sunrise would bring, but she knew with absolute certainty that it would not be good.

Aina closed her eyes tightly, tears of pure anxiety pricking her lashes.

Please... she prayed into the silent, cold night, her soul reaching out across the miles. Please, Headmaster Roiner... come back before tomorrow. Please... at least then I’ll have some sort of protection...

Roiner

”We’re going to need you to stay for another month, Roiner.”

The deep, commanding voice of King Alaric Ironfang echoed across the grand dining hall.

The room was vast and ostentatious, illuminated by towering iron chandeliers overflowing with flickering beeswax candles. High stone arches stretched up into the shadows, while velvet banners hung heavy against the cold granite walls.

Down the center of the hall stretched a massive dark oak table, laden with roasted meats, golden goblets, and silver platters. A line of silent, head-bowed maids stood against the stone pillars, holding heavy silver serving trays.

Good heavens, Roiner screamed internally, his ancient crimson eyes narrowing as he held a crystal glass of blood-red wine halfway to his lips. I have been trapped here for what feels like a decade! When will these insufferable people finally let me go?!

Roiner tilted his head back slowly, his cold, flawless face a mask of polite, aristocratic calm.

”Why... if I may ask,” Roiner spoke, his voice echoing smoothly through the hall, ”do you require me to continue staying here? The rogue initiative has been fully finalized. I must return to my academy now. A month feels... a bit ridiculous for me to be absent.”

King Theron Bloodfang set his silver goblet down with a heavy clatter, his scarred face darkening. ”That is because we need your unique skills... to root out the spies we have embedded within our high kingdom, and to handle the opposing factions uprising against us.”

King Kaelen Stormfang leaned forward, resting his elbows on the oak table. ”I have received reports from the High Council that several noble houses and border packs are in a complete uproar over our new Nobles-in-Waiting plan. They refuse to accept rogue integration. In fact... they are actively planning a coup.” Alaric’s eyes burned with ruthless authority. ”I want you to deal with them before this coup ever hits my streets.”

Roiner lowered his glass, his dark crimson eyes locking onto the King. ”You want me to kill them? Can’t your Imperial Guard handle such matters?”

”No,” King Alaric replied without a second’s hesitation. ”I can only trust you to get the job done properly. You are fast and effective. Most importantly... no one can ever know that this command came from the Crown.”

Always the Crown, Roiner sneered violently inside his head, his ancient heart burning with bitter, dark fury. The Crown always finds a way to use me as their bloody blade.

On the outside, however, Roiner merely offered a faint, graceful bow of his head, a smooth, terrifyingly pleasant smile gracing his pale lips.

”Of course, my King,” Roiner murmured smoothly. ”I shall root out your enemies... just as I did for your father... and your father’s father... and your father’s father’s father. It is absolutely no big deal.”

Behind his calm facade, however, Roiner was raging. He hated every single person sitting at this table. He hated the palace, he hated the politics, and he hated the cold, lonely air of the capital.

He just wanted to be back at Moonside Academy. He wanted to be near Aina. He missed her scent, that sweet, intoxicating aroma that called directly to his vampire soul.

I hope everything is going well back at the academy, Roiner thought, his crimson eyes flashing with a sudden, dark warning. I hope those arrogant young princes are actually listening to my warnings and haven’t done anything reckless.

A cold, deadly aura flared briefly beneath his skin, so subtle the Kings didn’t even notice.

Because it would be such a horrific tragedy,if I had to execute those princes right after slaughtering their father’s enemies.