Page 21

Chapter twenty-one

W e landed in a clearing in front of a crowd of light alfar waiting to witness our magnificent beasts. I didn’t know which they were more afraid of, our ragamors, or us. I thought back to the first time I had seen Eren and the dark court. I had felt so afraid, yet in awe. How strong and authoritative they had appeared. I wondered if the light alfar looked at me with the same entrancing perception. Especially since I had died and come back with the Dark Flame, our greatest weapon.

Eren dismounted Eeri without turning to look at me. He usually came to help me off Tarsyrth, but his mask was firmly in place. My heart felt heavy at what I had asked of him, but it would only be until we got them to agree on peaceful terms.

We walked towards Gaelin, Daealla, and Levos with our court following behind. I wore a black silk dress that held my body tightly. It exposed the fullness of my breasts and some of my abdomen. Two high slits traveled up my legs while the length of the dress fluttered in the wind behind me. My imprint was on display; even though I had to act like Eren wasn’t the love of my life, I wore it proudly.

I kept my eyes facing forward, not looking at any of the city alfar we passed on our way to the castle gate. My gold crown adorned my black curls that flowed loosely in the wind. Each step Eren took rippled with arrogance, his golden crown reflecting the sunlight. We appeared just as intimidating and dangerous as they feared. Even Lily looked fierce in a black and gold gown. The rest of our family wore black leather that revealed far more skin than customary in the light court.

Gaelin’s face lit up as we approached. I gave him a half-smile and nod before addressing them. “Queen Daealla, King Atros, we are honored to be welcomed into your palace,” I greeted evenly.

“Princess Genevieve, Prince Lyklor,” replied Daealla coldly, “we are humbled that you accepted our invitation. We look forward to working together to eliminate the threat that is sweeping through our lands.”

“Speaking of, when might we begin negotiations?” asked Eren smugly. “The less time I have to spend here, the better.”

Daealla smiled widely, her eyes twitching with annoyance.

“Tomorrow,” Gaelin intervened, “we will discuss plans and strategies. But tonight, my wife would like us all to dine together … in peace.” He gave Daealla a warning glance.

“Fantastic,” replied Eren. “I can’t wait to see what human entertainment you have waiting for us.”

Daealla narrowed her eyes as she looked behind us at our court. Her eyes locked on one individual … Lily. “Are our human servants not able enough for you? Is that why you brought your own?” asked Daealla.

“She isn’t a servant,” I said with bite.

Daealla peered at Lily again, approaching her. Zerrial stood close, unmoving.

“Right,” Daealla said with a grin. “This must be the little human girl that you fought so triumphantly for.” The light queen assessed Zerrial from head to two. “Looks like she’s found herself a bed to keep warm in. You will entertain us tonight with song. If I remember correctly, you have a lovely voice … for a human, that is.” Daealla turned away, walking into her castle without another word. We followed while I fought to keep from ripping out her perfect blonde hair.

The castle was just as I remembered. Human servants lined the halls, looking miserable and broken. The building itself was magnificent, with tall ceilings and archways that gleamed with gold details. Artwork and tapestries lined the halls. The light court members lounged lazily on couches in seating areas scattered throughout the great hall.

Daealla led us into a private meeting room where lunch had been served. She signaled to a servant girl to show our court to their rooms. Only Levos and Firel followed us into the room, along with Gaelin and Daealla. We sat around the table staring at each other while the servants prepared our plates and poured wine.

Gaelin hadn’t taken his eyes off me. Eren sat to my left, acting as if he didn’t notice. We all began eating, waiting for the other party to begin a conversation.

“How’s the heir making going, Daealla? Any news?” asked Eren arrogantly.

Daealla almost choked on her food, reaching for her wine. Eren sat back and smiled. “That is none of your business, Lyklor,” Daealla said, appalled by his inquiry.

Eren leaned forward, popping a grape into his mouth. “If Gaelin here is having problems, I’d be happy to show him how it’s done. That is, if you don’t mind me warming your wife’s bed, King Atros,” Eren said, turning his eyes to Gaelin.

Gaelin didn’t seem fazed, which wasn’t surprising, since he had no love for Daealla.

“Not at all, Erendrial,” Gaelin said without flinching. “As long as I get the same opportunity with your wife. It’s only fair, don’t you think?”

Eren remained stoic, except for the small clench in his jaw that I had learned was his tell. He sat back, looking at Daealla once more. “Looks like this visit to the light court is going to be one for the books. Don’t you think, wife ?” Eren said, not looking at me.

“How are your lands?” I asked, trying to defuse the situation. “Have the creatures attacked any other races who occupy Urial?”

“The nymphs have reported seeing a few creatures on their land, but they haven’t had any interactions with them,” answered Gaelin. “The dryads who live deep in the woods have reported members of their race missing. So have the mermaids. They have decided that to remain safe, it’s best for their race to stay deep beneath the water until the threat has passed. We haven’t had contact from them since.”

“Have the creatures only attacked when the mermaids are in their human form?” asked Firel.

“Yes,” answered Levos, “but that doesn’t mean they are opposed to water. I believe they are harder to find for the creatures who aren’t adept at hunting in water.”

“We’re hoping that your Dark Flame will act as a deterrent for the creatures, now that you are here,” said Daealla.

“They know I have the gift, and yet Alaric still sends them through the rifts,” I pointed out.

“Well, from what I hear, it is quite the gift,” Daealla said in a taunting voice as she bit into a piece of fruit. “I suppose dying was the best thing that could have happened to you, if you came back with that little souvenir. Makes everything you had to go through worth it, don’t you think?”

I plastered on a smile, refraining from showing her exactly what my power could do to her pretty little face. Gods, I prayed for the day when I would kill her.

“My gift is a blessing from Azeer that I am humbled to wield,” I replied, standing. “Excuse me, I need some fresh air.” I made my way to the balcony, cursing under my breath the entire way. A few moments passed before Gaelin appeared next to me. I looked back at the table to see Eren and Daealla flirting next to one another. Oh, I would kill her for sure.

“Are you okay?” he asked in his deep, tenor voice.

“How do you put up with her? She is a disgusting and foul creature,” I said, turning away from them.

“I could ask you the same thing about Lyklor,” he said with a smirk.

My stomach turned.

“Is he … is he kind to you?”

“Does he force himself on me, you mean?”

Gaelin stood in silence, waiting for me to respond.

“No, he doesn’t,” I answered softly. “He’s useful, when he wants to be.”

“I’ve wanted to visit you so many times since the last time I saw you. How are you after everything?”

“I’ve learned to adapt, just like before. There were a few rough patches, but I made it through. And, as your wife so graciously pointed out, I didn’t return empty-handed. I’ve learned to control my power, and I continue to train which only makes me stronger.”

“That’s good. I am glad to hear it. I’m just sorry you got stuck with that lowborn after everything. I still can’t believe your father allowed him to enter the tournament. What was he thinking?”

I laughed to myself. My father was thinking that Eren was the only male that would lay his life down for me. Because he truly loved me. My father knew it, and he wanted me to be happy. Thinking back on how fiercely Eren fought for me in the tournament just made me love him more.

“Rules are rules,” I said without a flicker of emotion.

I felt Gaelin’s hand stroke the side of my face. His eyes scanned my body with desire. “You make a beautiful royal,” he said endearingly.

I gave him a small grin. “It’s just a dress, Gaelin.”

He shook his head. “No. It’s your power. The authority you demand when you enter a room. I should have known who you were the first time I laid eyes on you. It’s always been there, but now, you wear it with elegance and pride,” he said, taking a step closer to me, his other hand moving to my waist. “For what it’s worth, I am so proud of you.” He went to lean his head into mine, when a hand appeared out of nowhere, pushing Gaelin back.

“Now,” said Eren, moving next to me, “I know my wife outshines yours on all fronts, but really Gaelin? You could only refrain from touching her for ten minutes? And you call us wild animals.”

“Can I help you with something, Lyklor?” asked Gaelin, his pale face reddening as his temper flared.

“Yes, you can,” Eren replied, pulling me into him from behind territorially. “You can refrain from touching what is mine.”

“She isn’t yours,” growled Gaelin.

“Oh, but she is,” Eren replied with a cocky grin. “See this?” He said, tracing my imprint with his fingers. My body lit up at his touch. “This marks her as mine. She is the only female that will ever have it, because she is mine. My imprint, my female.”

I looked back into the room to see if Levos or Firel could help, but they were all gone.

“We have an entire castle of warm bodies you can have. Just leave her alone,” demanded Gaelin, taking a step towards us.

“Well, thank you for the offer. Why don’t you have a colorful buffet sent to my room after dinner? But for now, I think my wife will do just fine,” Eren said, matching Gaelin’s dominating stance.

I moved in between them, placing a hand on Gaelin’s chest. He took a deep breath at the contact. “Gaelin, I am fine, really,” I assured him.

He looked down at me, his face softening. “If you need anything, I am here,” Gaelin said. I nodded, trying to hold back the shame on my face. He signaled for the servant in the corner. “Show Princess Genevieve and Lyklor to their separate rooms.” Gaelin left as the servant bowed.

I looked at Eren, but he refused to meet my gaze. I knew this was eating him alive, but we had to remain strong.

We followed the servant to my room first, where my trunk was waiting for me. The servant took Eren down the hall and he disappeared into his separate room. I sat on the bed, trying to gather my thoughts when Eren came bursting through the door without warning. He slammed it shut and rushed towards me, taking me into his arm as we toppled onto the bed. He kissed me with such passion and possessiveness I fought to breathe.

“Say it,” he demanded, pulling away from me only for a moment.

“I’m yours. Only yours,” I said in between his kisses. I tore at his shirt as he lifted the length of my dress. I reached for his pants, needing to assure him of my love. Our fingers laced with one another as a knock sounded at the door. Levos stepped in, immediately looking away while we straightened ourselves out.

“I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to interrupt,” said Levos, waiting until it was safe to turn around.

“Well, you did,” snapped Eren, tying his pants closed. He turned back towards me. “Have I told you how much I hate this court today?”

I laughed at him, pulling the straps of my dress back onto my shoulders. “Be nice,” I replied.

He rolled his eyes as Levos turned back towards us and smiled.

“Fine, I’ll give you two a minute,” Eren said, turning me to face him. “But this means you owe me double later.” He leaned down and kissed me gently on my lips before leaving the room.

After the door shut, Levos came towards me, a curious expression on his face. “Did I just rescue you from Lyklor or was I truly interrupting?” he asked. I couldn’t help but blush as I sat on the edge of the bed and fell backward. He joined me.

“I’ll leave you to interpret what you saw on your own,” I turned, smiling at him.

He laughed, cradling his head on his elbow. “It’s been a few weeks since we last spoke. What in Odin’s name have I missed?”

I walked over to my chest, pulling a piece of paper from one of the side pockets. I handed it to Levos before I lay back on the bed. He looked at the picture carefully, not saying a word for a few moments.

“Is this … is this your daughter?” he finally asked.

“Eren saw the image I had of her in my head during the tournament. He’s drawn dozens of portraits of her,” I said with a heavy heart. Besides Lily and Vena, Levos was the only other person I had willingly told about the baby. I had broken down the night before the wedding and divulged everything.

“Who knew Lyklor was so talented? She’s beautiful Gen, truly beautiful.” He reached over and embraced me while I held back the tears at the thought of the little girl I’d never know. “Now, about Lyklor … ”

I laughed, rubbing my hands down my face. “After the night I presented the contract, he wouldn’t speak to me. I was too prideful to see his silence as anything more than another manipulation. The next month when he was supposed to visit my chambers for, you know, he didn’t show up. I was speaking with Lily about him when she completely lost it on me. She even punched me!”

He laughed hysterically. “I think your human sister has spent too much time in the dark court for her own good.”

“She told me how much Eren was suffering, all he did for me, and how after he learned about the baby, he was wrecked and ended up crying in her arms. She used the projection sphere to show me memories of him when I was dead. I realized I was being completely unfair to him. So, I began to work to fix it. It took a while, but eventually, he caved and now things are great. They’re wonderful, in fact,” I said, warmth spreading in my chest.

“So, all that back at lunch was a show?” asked Levos.

“I thought it best that we don’t flaunt our happiness in Gaelin’s face before negotiations begin.”

Levos ran his hands through his shining white hair. “I’m still worried about you. I don’t want to see you get hurt again, and he’s … he isn’t known for his self-control, if you know what I mean.”

“It’s different with us, really,” I said, still smiling at the thought of Eren.

Levos looked at me for a long moment, tilting his head to the side. “You’re in love with him, aren’t you?”

“And if I said yes, would that be so awful?”

“I just … I don’t see him being the one to give you what you want, or need. Unless your moral system has completely changed and you’re okay with sharing your husband with half the court.”

“We’re in a monogamous relationship. He hasn’t been with anyone but me since the sacrifice to Azeer, and he promises I’m all he wants.”

“Erendrial Lyklor is in a monogamous relationship? Loki must be playing a trick.”

I felt a little stupid trying to defend myself to Levos. It was still hard for me to wrap my mind around too, but last night, Eren seemed to be telling the truth. He had never lied to me before. Why would he start now?

“Is it so hard to believe that I would be enough for him?” I asked, feeling my cheeks heat.

“No, that’s not what I am saying. I just … I knew he loved you months ago, but it seems that you’ve completed changed him.”

“What do you mean you knew months ago?”

Levos exhaled heavily. “The night we found your body. He was leading the party. When Gaelin tried to step near you, he snapped. He wouldn’t let anyone touch you. He covered your mutilated body and held you for minutes. It was evident he loved you. Then, back at your court, he wasn’t himself. He was a complete mess. In all my years of knowing Erendrial Lyklor, I had never experienced a falter in his facade, until your incident.”

“Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked him.

“I wanted to, but you had made up your mind about him at that point. I wasn’t going to belittle your experiences with the demons. If he reminded you of what they had done, I thought it best to just ignore him. I figured he would move on eventually, but I was sorely wrong. I about lost it when he volunteered for the tournament that night. He hasn’t told you any of this?”

“We avoid that topic as best as we can,” I said.

“Well, if you are truly happy, then I am happy for you. You deserve it more than anyone I know.” He smiled at me, running his hand down the side of my face.

“I am, I really am,” I whispered, still reeling with happiness.

“Gaelin is not going to take this well,” Levos said, falling back on the bed.

“I know, but he is going to have to accept it.” Just as I fell back next to Levos, a sharp bolt of lightning sprung up my back to the base of my skull. I saw Narella leaning forward, whispering to me by the large spring where I had first seen the kelpie with Gaelin. The vision ended as I sprung forward, panting for breath.

“What is it? Are you okay?” Levos asked.

I sat up, feeling a bit lightheaded. “I’m fine. I um, I need to handle something. Will you relay a message to Eren for me? Tell him I went out, but not to worry because I brought backup.”

Levos looked at me curiously. “Keeping secrets from me, sweet Gen? After all we’ve been through this past year?”

“Please, Levos.”

“Alright, alright, but you owe me.”

“I did bring Vena to court just for you.”

Levos smiled and headed to the door. “I noticed. Though, it’s not the same here as it is in your court. If they found out I was with her, they’d excommunicate me from court.”

“That’s ridiculous. You should be able to be with whomever you choose.”

“A conversation for another time. Whatever you’re up to, just promise me you’ll be careful.”

“Aren’t I always?” He looked at me with a stern expression. “Alright, I promise.”

I called Otar as soon as Levos left. He appeared next to me, mouth and teeth full of blood. “Yes, my wicked one?”

“Where in the hell did you just come from?”

“Dismembering a creature I came across in your lands. I left its dead body at your gates.” Otar looked around the room and then spat over and over again. “Why in the fuck are you back here in this filthy prison? Are we here to kill the stupid queen?”

I laughed. “No, not yet, but when that day comes, you can have her.”

“Always generous you are, wicked one.”

“I need to meet with Narella again. She called for me through a vision. Will you come with me?”

“Will it be just me and you?” he asked with a smile.

“Yes. Eren has to stay behind. It will look too suspicious if we both disappear.”

“Excellent, let’s leave now,” said Otar, rushing to the balcony.

“Does that mean you’ll finally ride Tarsyrth with me?”

“Fucks no! They are ugly, monstrous beasts. I will never touch one, never.”

“Fine, just follow us then. Don’t stop until you reach me.”

“As you wish.”