Page 49 of Darkness Births the Stars #1
CHAPTER
THE GOLDEN DAYS OF LYRHEIM
Noctis
B rother!”
The cheerful call from behind made me grimace.
I forced an exaggeratedly jovial expression on my face and turned around.
Hadn’t I suffered enough during that endless Council meeting following our battle with the Kritak?
Listening to my brother and the others drone on endlessly about strategies for protecting their precious children reminded me why I usually avoided these meetings.
Immortality felt like a cruel punishment when one was bored out of one’s mind.
Baradaz sat silently beside Aramaz at the grand round table, her face emotionless.
Worried about our close call with my brother’s herald, no doubt.
I hadn’t dared to reach out to her mind, my thoughts filled with fantasies about taking her on top of that table throughout the entire meeting.
I was certain it wouldn’t shock her. But our earlier encounter had left me aroused and frustrated enough without giving her the opportunity to tease me again.
Unfortunately, I agreed with Baradaz that we had to be more careful.
Not that I regretted any of it. Kissing her against the wall of that burned-down building had been as glorious as I remembered.
All wet heat, her sweet mouth eagerly opening for the thrust of my tongue.
My cock twitched at the thought of how scorching hot the place between her legs would be when I thrust inside her once more, how she would writhe beneath me as I fucked her hard and deep.
A moon had passed since our passionate tryst in the Other, and as much as I hated to admit it, I burned with need for her.
The thought of all the depraved things I wanted to do to her, while the other Aurea remained oblivious, sent a giddy rush through my veins.
Maker, she looked so prim and proper at the head of the table, dressed in a flowing white dress trimmed with golden thread, revealing just a hint of her collarbone.
Every flyaway strand of her fiery hair was tugged back into a tight braid, wound around her head like a crown.
No one would have suspected the same woman had shredded my back in the throes of passion, had all but begged me to take her against the nearest wall with the heat of battle still in her blood.
That was a side of her only I got to see. Something that was only mine.
A spark of condescending amusement flashed through me as I watched Aramaz jog over from the King’s Hall now, the sun in his hair, a bright smile on his face. My brother was a damn fool. Preoccupied with boring duties while I tumbled his beautiful betrothed.
This was a thousand times better than simply getting rid of Baradaz.
The temptation to flaunt our affair in my brother’s face had only briefly crossed my mind.
I had decided to revel in my secret triumph instead.
I knew all too well that the blame for our transgression would fall on me.
Besides, Baradaz would be furious if I let anything slip, ending our thrilling game—a risk I was unwilling to take. I hadn’t had my fill of her yet .
Besides, there might be an opportunity here.
The little queen had a rebellious streak, even if she hid it quite well.
Baradaz’s power would make her a powerful asset if I was able to pull her to my side.
I brushed aside the warning whisper in my mind that reminded me I had been as overcome as she by the need flaming up between us.
Aramaz caught up with me, his blue eyes holding that guileless happiness that never failed to irritate me, yet also filled my heart with an odd warmth. He slung one muscular arm around my shoulder, his teeth gleaming in a wide smile.
“It was good, the both of us fighting side by side,” he exclaimed, crushing me against him. “I know these are dire circumstances, yet I am glad you chose to stand with us.”
It was rare for me to allow a touch like this, but today I indulged my brother’s good mood, restricting myself to a sarcastic smile. “It would ruin my reputation if I let a few spiders devour you.”
Aramaz laughed, then quickly sobered, leaning closer.
“As you know, we’ve discussed forming pairs responsible for certain areas of Aron-Lyr to better counter the Kritak’s attacks.
Since you joined our fight today, I was hoping…
” He trailed off, clearly uncertain of my reaction.
“I know you haven’t been all that fond of Baradaz in the past, so I wanted to ask you before pairing the two of you together. ”
I stared at him, disbelief and excitement warring within me. Could it really be this easy? Was my brother truly that blind? He was delivering his betrothed directly into my arms, giving us the perfect excuse to spend time together.
“It might make sense if you explore the Other once more,” Aramaz continued, blissfully ignorant of my raging thoughts. “Try to find the source of this threat.”
I kept my expression disinterested, as if the topic were of little importance to me. “If you believe it will be helpful, I have no objections. After all, I have traveled to the Other with her before.”
Aramaz nodded and grasped my shoulder, his gaze taking on that single-minded intensity that always made me feel on edge. As if those bright blue eyes could look directly into my soul and see all the terrible, dark secrets I was hiding from him.
“You will take care of her, won’t you?” he implored me. “Ensure her safety?”
“Of course.” My answer came without hesitation, and to my surprise, it was true. Just a short while ago I had been scheming to get rid of Baradaz forever.
“Good.” Another radiant smile. Then Aramaz launched into a detailed explanation of his plans. I found no fault with them, nodding along.
My brother was not a fool in all things, I realized after he said his goodbyes. It was only that he trusted me. Even with the one closest to his heart. The thought filled me with unease as I watched him walk back to the King’s Hall.
Shaking myself, I continued over the green grass to M’tar’s forge. Too many distractions—first from my alluring queen, then those pesky spider creatures. A faint smile graced my lips as I entered the forge. This time, I would not be deterred from my goals.
M’tar’s presence was evident in every neat, well-kept surface, countless windows allowing enough light to work on the most delicate jewelry.
The building consisted of one grand space, half a dozen fireplaces lining the walls, each workplace equipped with its own anvil.
The Anima serving the Aurea of Earth shared his passion for metalcraft, creating the most impressive objects or teaching his children, the Dwarves, the secrets of the art.
In Lyrheim’s early days, I had come here often, drawn by the opportunity to exchange thoughts on blacksmithing.
Creating something with my own hands, something beautiful that lasted over the ages, had always fascinated me.
All too soon, my fellow Aurea had made it clear I was not welcome.
M’tar considered my suggestions an attempt to corrupt his servants, as I had heard him complain to Aramaz.
Here, only one opinion was accepted—M’tar the Allfather’s worthy son in many ways.
Luckily, I knew others were as tired of that as I was.
With only one workplace occupied, the sweltering heat of the forge was bearable; most of the Anima had been called away by today’s fight, as I had hoped.
The air was thick with the scent of molten metal and the rhythmic clang of hammer on anvil.
A tall figure worked on an arm-length piece of metal destined to become a blade.
Dressed in a sleeveless leather apron that revealed muscular arms, his auburn hair tied in a knot to keep it out of the way, Masir, M’tar’s second-in-command and overseer of the forge, was an impressive sight.
He paused his work, golden-green eyes fixing on me as he set down his tools and gave me a quick bow. I hadn’t bothered to dim my powers, shadows licking at the corners of the room, announcing my presence.
“The Master is not back yet, my lord,” Masir said in a smooth baritone, curiosity peeking through his politeness. “If you want to wait for him—”
“Actually, I wanted to talk to you,” I interrupted, the dagger I had taken from Baradaz earlier appearing in my hand with a swift gesture.
The pale stone in its hilt shimmered, a pulse stirring the air.
“You made this, didn’t you?” I had instantly recognized the small symbol etched into the hilt as his.
Masir tilted his head, the golden specks in his eyes sparkling. “I was beginning to wonder where that one had disappeared to. ”
Granting him my most innocent smile, I twirled the dagger and offered it back to him. “I was only borrowing it for a closer look.”
He laughed, the sound rich and warm. “Of course.”
Among all of M’tar’s Anima, I had always liked Masir the most. He had spirit. And ambition. “What exactly is this stone?” I asked.
The Anima hesitated, then shook his head and murmured something to himself. “Come with me.”
He gestured for me to follow him to the back of the forge. After pulling a small chest from one of the shelves, he opened it with an expectant look at me.
“I call it lyr -stone,” he explained, revealing a handful of pale stones similar to the one in the dagger, all pulsing with the same strange awareness.
“We discovered its properties by accident during a gold mining expedition in the Obsidian Mountains. We used Light magic to illuminate the tunnels, and the stones absorbed it.” A wry smile lifted his lip. “They later exploded like small suns.”