Selene paced back and forth in Khael's chamber.
She felt utterly stuck and imprisoned, which was exactly what Khael was doing. The thought of being holed up in his chamber forever sent shivers down her spine and made her almost insane.
Selene needed to get out of here.
She was trapped.
Lyra was still captured and she did not know anything about her sister. She was meant to protect her, but now that she was caged, how would she be able to accomplish that?
The door swung open forcefully and King Khael walked in with powerful and beastly strides.
"I want to get out of here," Selene demanded.
He smiled thinly, his gazed fixed on her.
She could see the glaring lustfulness in his gaze, and Serene's body betrayed her by reacting to the intensity which with he stared at her.
"You are not leaving here," Khael said. "You are mine now. That rule has been established, and there is no revoking it," he declared firmly.
It dawned on Selene that she might not get what she wanted by being defiant, and so she decided to try on a different approach.
"Please," Selene pleaded calmly, the single word escaping from her lips in a low whisper.
He stare at her lips, captivated by how slowly they had moved to release the word, and Selene thought that he might take possession of her and kiss her.
The thought of that alone made her entire body to react and she looked away quickly.
"Ah, she pleads," Khael said.
He wasn't exactly teasing, but he didn't sound strict either, so Selene thought that she might push her luck.
"Let me just set my eyes on Lyra," Selene pleaded.
She would grovel if she had to as long as it would get her to see Lyra one more time.
Khael didn't get the chance to respond to her to know if he was going to grant her plea or not as they both heard the sound of his chamber bell; an indication that someone was right out of the door, seeking to see him.
He groaned audibly.
Selene couldn't tell if he was frustrated that they were interrupted.
He turned around, matched towards the door and flung it open. Stood right by the door was one of the Xyiom warriors.
"What is it?" Khael asked impatiently.
Selene's ears became instantly alert. She wanted to catch every single word that was being passed across between the two men.
"She is here and she demands an urgent meeting with you," the warrior informed Khael.
Who arrived?
Selene was curious but she couldn't ask who it was and to make matters worse, Khael simply strode out of the chamber without turning back or speaking another word. Perhaps, if they had conversed some more, Selene might have gotten a clue of Khael's guest.
The warrior sent Selene a cold stare before he closed the door, almost banging it.
She expected the hostility, so it didn't faze her.
As soon as he shut the door, Selene hurried to the door and glued her ears to it.
It was a thick and well-framed door and she doubted that she would hear a single word from outside the chamber, but she was lucky. The universe was being fair to her, and Selene listened with the most deafening silence.
"I didn't know that we were supposed to be meeting today, and with company," Khael said.
Selene could hear his voice loud and clear and he didn't sound pleased.
She thought her ear was going to be sore by the time she was done eavesdropping, judging by how much she pressed it against the wall.
However, as if by some sheer luck, Selene noticed a peephole on the door. She hadn't noticed it before, but she did now.
A minuscule hole.
She was desperate. She wanted to know what was going on.
Selene couldn't trust in the deep gazes of King Khael's eyes. He might look at her differently, but she was just another human in the land of Xyiom.
He had always been known as a dominant king and it would not change simply because he had decided to take Selene as his. Therefore, she simply couldn't just fold her arms and not do anything about the situation of things, especially when it had been brought before her.
Through the hole, Selene could see mysterious figure.
At first, Selene was confused. Then she was scared, but that was for only a minute. And after that, she became curious.
The figure was nothing that Selene had ever seen before, but as she watched closely, she concluded that it was a female, especially when she spoke and Selene beheld her voice.
"Better now than later," she said.
In Khael's inner court were also Lord Dain, General Veyron, and Captain Rhoan.
It was indeed a full and inner-court conversation, and it made Selene worried and slightly afraid.
The power that exuded from their presence seeped into her skin even though there was a strong barricade between them.
"You interrupted what I was handling, Seraphine," King Khael said.
Finally!
Selene had heard about the High Priestess once or twice since she arrived at Xyiom, but she never got to see her.
She was intrigued.
The High Priestess was a spiritual being, causing Selene to understand why she had the mysterious figure which was quite nothing like what Selene had ever set her eyes on.
"Surely, the matters of this kingdom are more important to you than that human, King Khael," General Veyron stated.
Khael's back was to Selene, so she couldn't exactly tell what his reaction to the general's reaction was, and even when he spoke, she could not read his emotions.
"What is so urgent?" He asked instead.
"The High Priestess never calls unannounced, and we all know this," Lord Dain stated.
"Then let her state her purpose, wise Seraphine," Khael demanded.
It was obvious that her reign had authority and Khael trusted her. Nevertheless, Selene still hadn't completely understood how the world of the Xyioms worked.
"The cloud is gathering, your majesty," she said dreadfully.
Just a few words and nothing more, but from Selene's snooping spot, she could fe
el the dread that filled the room and enveloped everyone.