Page 4

Chapter four

“W e have a surprise for you,” said Voz as he and Oz led me through the city of Doonak.

“New weapon?” I asked.

“Better,” replied Oz.

“What is better than a new weapon?” I asked.

“A group of beautiful naked females,” Oz and Voz both said, laughing at one another.

I smiled at the two idiots. “Alright, alright. I guess I see your point,” I replied, thinking of the only female I wanted.

They led me to a sealed-off section of the city that had been abandoned by the lower-class citizens decades ago. I followed closely, trying to figure out where they were heading.

They stopped at a dead end of the hall and turned back to me with devious grins. They placed their hands on the wall and traced a V with an L going through the center. Their hands circled the two intertwining letters as a doorway appeared, illuminated by dark magic.

“A V for Valor and an L for Lyklor,” explained Voz.

“Welcome to your new headquarters, Prince Erendrial Valor Lyklor,” said Oz, smiling as Voz pushed open the door.

I stepped inside to see the rest of my family waiting for me. There was a lounge area, a dining table and multiple tables for planning. Weapons lined the tables and walls. There was a large library in the back and a small lab off to the side. A massive fireplace warmed the room. On the ceiling, stars shot across the surface of constellations filling the dark, vacant space. Dark magic swarmed throughout. Voz closed the door behind us.

“So, what do you think?” asked Oz.

“The twins have outdone themselves this time, wouldn’t you say?” asked Evinee.

“This place is amazing, but what is it for?” I asked, still in shock.

“We thought, now that you are going to be king,” answered Oz, “we needed our own private space to scheme and plot the downfall of our enemies. No one can enter this room except the eight of us.”

“No one knows about these quarters,” explained Voz, “and we have runed the shit out of it just in case. Also, the dark magic that we released into the space will protect it from being discovered, even if someone comes looking for it.”.

“We thought you would like somewhere to go that you knew was safe,” added Leenia.

I dropped my head, realizing what they were trying to say. “How many want me dead?” I asked.

They all looked at each other, daring one another to speak.

Zerrial stepped forward. “Five houses that we know of,” he said. “Servi and Yositru, of course. There has been talk from Sollerum, Gyset, and as of this morning, Rytorm.”

I paused, thinking of how to handle the situation. I looked around the room at each of them. “I don’t want any of you involved in this. Do not do anything reckless or stupid. Let me handle the houses. I made the decision to enter the tournament without consulting our team. I am responsible for the fallout.”

Doria placed her hand on my arm. “You’re our family. We’re in this together. You would do the same for any of us.”

“Though I have to say, you are an absolute idiot,” added Leenia.

“Yeah,” Evinee piped in. “I’m going to have to agree with Leenia beans over here. Couldn’t you have simply fucked the princess and been done with it? I mean, do you really have to marry her? I thought being tied down to one female for the rest of your life was on your ‘no, no” list. Not to mention your obligation to have a child. How miserable.”

Doria dropped her eyes; her mouth fell open in shock. Pain fell over her expressions before she looked back up at me. The mention of a child … I watched as everything began to click into place for her.

“The demons. They said—” Doria stopped before she finished the sentence. I closed my eyes, begging her not to say another word, but she had already said enough.

“What? What did they say?” asked Firel.

Doria pulled away from me. “Nothing. They were lying bastards. We can’t believe anything they told us,” Doria said, trying to cover. I reached out and placed my hand on her shoulder and nodded with a small smile.

That day, I told my family everything. I told them about Narella, every detail of the plot Prince Rythlayn had concocted, and then I told them about my daughter. I told them what the king had shared with me and my true reason for entering the tournament.

None of them said a word. What could they say? I had risked not only my hard work, but theirs as well, so I could have a chance with the female I loved. I owed them the truth. Especially if they were about to go to war to protect me from the other high houses.

After I had finished my story, I waited. I waited for them to yell at me or cuss me out. I waited for them to attack me or abandon me, but they just sat silently. Zerrial stood first, looking me square in the eye. He walked over and knelt before me.

“I, Zerrial Lightburne, pledge my undying loyalty to Erendrial Valor Lyklor, the next King of Doonak,” said Zerrial.

I pulled myself forward from the back of the chair and looked down at my best friend. I pulled him to his feet and embraced him. “Thank you, my friend. Your loyalty and support mean more than you can ever imagine,” I whispered in his ear.

He nodded, pulling away from me. Then, one by one, each of my friends knelt and pledged their loyalty to me. I wasn’t expecting this show of support. I was truly touched by their declarations. Each one of them embraced me as I stood not knowing what to say for the first time.

Afterwards, we met around the table of our new sanctuary. We each claimed a seat and began to plan. Our first objective was to turn the houses to my favor. I couldn’t be killing high lords and ladies as my first act as the crowned prince. I would go about this in a more peaceful, diplomatic manner. Though, everything inside of me was yelling for me to kill them all. If I was going to be king, I had to change my way of thinking.

Next, we discussed what my table would look like when I took the throne. I appointed Firel as the next ambassador of the dark court. He still had a lot to learn, but there was time. Zerrial would take charge of the military and training programs. Voz and Oz would take over the science and engineering departments. Doria would remain as the head of interrogation. Evinee would be our master spy, and Leenia would be welcomed back to court. Her name would be cleared of her parents’ past sins, and she would be reinstated. I would place her over the high houses.

After hours of strategizing, I finally made my way back up to the castle. I had to get ready for the night of silence before my wedding tomorrow. This tradition was to allow the new couple to explore and discover each other without distractions. We would spend the night in an enchanted cottage below the mountain, unable to speak to one another the entire evening. Most couples used this time to explore each other physically.

I got dressed and headed down to the base of the mountain. Evinee caught up with me before I could leave the castle. She handed me a bouquet of lavender and a bottle of whiskey.

“You got this,” she said with a bright smile. “You can charm the pants off any female, regardless of their race. One small half-breed shouldn’t be too much trouble.”

Evinee was truly a beauty. She had black hair with streaks of purple flowing throughout. Her eyes were an entrancing shade of lavender. Thick lashes adorned each eyelid. She had large, curving lips and her smile could light up a room. Her skin was the color of porcelain. Her figure was desirable with curves in all the right places and a full chest.

“Thank you, but you obviously don’t know Gen very well. I don’t see this night going as I am hoping it will. Especially after how last night ended,” I said.

She placed her hand on my arm and gave me a small smile. “If she can’t see how wonderful you are, then she doesn’t deserve you. Just so you know, my door is always open. So is my bed,” she said with a playful smile.

I laughed, pulling her into a hug. “Thank you. I’m truly honored,” I said, kissing her on the head before I made my way to Gen.

She was already in the small cabin when I arrived. The place was enchanted to appear furnished in the style we both preferred. Two red couches sat in front of the fireplace. Books adorned the walls along with artwork. Music played softly in the background. A table with a white cloth was lined with food and wine. A small bed, meant for two, was on the back wall. White satin sheets fitted the mattress, complemented by a thick cream comforter and two pillows.

As soon as I passed the threshold, I felt the enchantment take effect. I was now unable to utter a word. Gen sat in one of the chairs, looking into the fire. She didn’t bring her eyes to mine. She didn’t even turn towards me. Her hair was pinned away from her neck. She wore a loose white gown with a long black jacket that covered her shoulders. The same shoulders that would bear my imprint tomorrow.

I had never considered what my imprint would look like on a female, nor the significance of the meaning. The mark joined us in a way that was eternal. No two designs were alike, and the imprint only transferred to the female of your first marriage. It would be permanent … everlasting. Something I had never experienced.

I went over to the seating area and handed her the bouquet of lavender. She took it, still refusing to make eye contact. I sat in the chair and poured us both a glass of whiskey. She shot hers back and reached for the bottle. Nothing more uncomfortable than being stuck in a room with a female who wanted nothing to do with you.

I stood up and offered her my hand. The music in the background was light, but it was enough to dance. I made a dancing gesture and smirked, trying to get any emotion to appear on her lovely face. She stood hesitantly and took my hand. I exhaled in relief and pulled her into me. Not as close as I once had, before her incident. I didn’t want to frighten her, but I needed this. I needed to be close to her.

I started off slow, aware of my hands and distance to her the entire time. She looked at the floor as I moved us throughout the room. I pushed her out and twirled her back. She landed against my chest and froze, looking up at me with her big, gorgeous, green eyes. I took her in as I smiled down at her. She pulled away instantly, nervously fidgeting with her hands.

I took a step towards her, trying to make sure she was okay, but she reared back, putting distance between us. I froze, realizing I had pushed too hard, too fast. I stepped away, returning to my chair. She rustled through the room before making her way over to me with a quill, ink, and paper. She began to write on the paper, anger flaring behind her eyes. As soon as the words hit the page they disappeared, leaving no trace of what she was trying to communicate.

The cottage was enchanted. No communication in that manner whatsoever. She threw the ink and paper into the fireplace. She opened her mouth to yell, but nothing came out. Her mouth was moving, but I couldn’t make out a word she was trying to say. I shook my head and shrugged to let her know I didn’t understand. She gave a silent yell again before she charged towards me.

Tears filled her eyes while she beat her hands against my chest in a fit of rage. I held her close, taking the aggression she needed to release. After a few minutes of her fists landing in my chest and stomach, she finally calmed, pulling back to look at me. I was sore and most likely bruised, but I didn’t care.

I nodded, letting her know it was okay. I reached for her face but stopped as she flinched. I continued to move my hand forward while I filled the air with my pheromones: oranges and whiskey. She inhaled, shaking her head no as her eyes filled with fear, but I continued. I knew she wouldn’t be able to sleep on her own tonight, so I would just give her a little push.

Her eyes fluttered back before her body went limp. I caught her in my arms and carried her to the bed. Gently, I pulled the pins from her hair and removed her shoes before tucking her into the satin sheets. I ran my fingers over her soft face and long neck, then returned to the chair in front of the fireplace. After finishing off the bottle of whiskey, I laid down on top of the sheets next to her.

I didn’t know if she’d ever willingly let me lie next to her again, so I was going to take advantage of this moment. I ran my hands through her hair, watching her inhale deeply. Her eyes fluttered behind her lids. She was dreaming. I wanted so much to take her into my arms and hold her, but I wasn’t going to push myself onto her. Not any more than I had. Exhaustion finally took over, even though I fought to keep my eyes on her.

Crack ! Pain burst through my face, jarring me awake. I opened my eyes to see Gen hovering over me as my jaw swelled. I brought my hand to my face just as Gen reeled back to land a second blow. I caught her arms and rolled her underneath me onto the bed. She fought and yelled, the sound of her voice filling the room. It was morning and the enchantment had worn off.

“Get off me! Don’t you touch me, you sadistic son of a bitch!” She yelled, flailing underneath me.

“Gen, calm down. I am not going to hurt you. Calm down and I will let you go,” I said.

“I’ll calm down when you get your hands off me! Otar! Otar!” She yelled.

Otar appeared at the head of the bed in an instant.

“Get him off of me!”

“With pleasure, wicked one,” Otar answered, smiling. The creature slammed into me with the force of ten men. I went flying back into the nearest wall . Otar appeared in front of me. His talons elongated as he brought his hand up to strike me.

“That is enough. I’ve got it from here. Thank you,” she said, standing to her feet.

Otar frowned. “Can’t I just cut him once, wicked one? Just so he remembers not to touch what isn’t his,” Otar growled. “If I kill him now, you won’t have to marry him. This is a win-win situation for both of us.”

“Otar, I said I have it. Now, please wait for me in my room,” she said.

Otar yelled in anger and disappeared.

I stood up, feeling dizzy as my head throbbed in pain.

She walked in front of me and glared into my eyes. “Don’t ever use your gifts on me again. Am I clear?”

“I was just trying to give you some peace. You were so worked up last night,” I replied.

“And I have every right to be. I am about to tie myself to the ambassador of lies and manipulations. I will never have a good night’s sleep again, when you and your evil mind are scheming how to take my crown only a few doors down from me each night.”

I shook my head, aggravated and annoyed. “What can I do? Tell me what I can do so I can prove to you that I am not a threat. That I don’t want your power and that this isn’t a game.”

“Go to my father and refuse me as your wife. Tell him you cheated in the tournament. Tell him you made a mistake. Then leave the dark court and never come back,” she said with more hatred in her voice than I had ever heard.

Another piece of me died at her admission that she wanted to never see me again. No, she was hurt. Don’t listen to her , I thought. She was hurt and afraid, but I could fix this.

“I can’t do that,” I replied softly.

“Why? You asked me what I wanted, and that is what I want. Please, Erendrial. Just leave!” She yelled.

I dropped my head, unable to watch the pain and hate flicker around in her eyes.

She took a step back and gathered herself. “I’ll see you at the ceremony,” she said, then left.

I spent a few more minutes in the cabin trying to collect myself before I headed back to court. My mind was racing, and my nerves were shot. I knew she was hurting from everything she had gone through, but I had nothing to do with it. I wasn’t the one that had tortured her. But I wasn’t the one that saved her either. I had failed. She did have a reason to hate me.

I had started on the path back up to the castle when four hooded humanoids in black attacked. Their swords came slashing down towards me as they spun and surrounded me, preventing escape. I held my hand out causing two of them to drop to their knees in pain. I dodged a sword aiming for my head as the fourth member knocked my feet out from underneath me, sending my body crashing to the ground. Two of them held me down as another raised his sword to cut off my head.

A massive beast came tumbling through the air, slamming into the one who was about to take my head. The two that held me to the ground went flying back into the air. The fourth shot ice shards from his hands aimed for my heart. Evinee dropped in front of me, her impenetrable skin taking the hit.

She stood to her feet and sent shards of bone spiraling , burying them into my attacker. He fell to the floor, dead. Leenia walked up next to us, dragging two of the attackers before snapping their necks. Zerrial, in his beast form, tore through the last assailant before returning to his alfar form.

“You okay?” asked Evinee, helping me to my feet.

“Yes, thanks to you three,” I said, brushing myself off.

Zerrial walked towards us with a pendant in his hand. “House Servi has made their move,” he hissed, tossing me the sigil.

“What do we do now?” asked Leenia.

“Leave that to me,” I said, walking towards the dead bodies.