Page 23 of Kingdoms of Tides and Twilight (A World of Sun and Shadow #2)

C ressida's ruby red heels clacked against the dark marble floors, each step a percussion of power and frustration. She paced back and forth in the throne room, her indigo eyes narrowed to dangerous slits, casting terrifying glances at anyone unfortunate enough to cross her path. The air around her crackled with tension, thick and oppressive like the moments before a devastating storm.

Ever since her return from the cave-in at the Tidal Kingdom, the Shadow Realm court had been walking on eggshells. Servants scurried out of her way, and even Sion had been conspicuously absent despite her repeated summons. The thought of his disobedience only served to fuel her already simmering rage.

Her gaze flicked to the ornate clock suspended between two ivory columns, its intricate hands moving with agonizing slowness. A sharp breeze whistled through the open-air room, a reminder of their lofty perch atop an unscalable cliff. The throne room, suspended high above the land below, was a testament to her power and ambition. Jagged ridges jutted out from the cliff face, a natural defense that, combined with her magic, made her domain impenetrable.

Finally, the sound of footsteps on the delicate sky bridge caught her attention. Brandle entered, crossing the glass walkway that hung precariously above the valley floor. Cressida felt a flicker of satisfaction at the barely concealed fear in his eyes as he approached.

“Is that idiot here?” she sneered, fury radiating from her very core. The air around her vibrated with unchecked magical energy, and she saw Brandle flinch almost imperceptibly. With great effort, she reined in her power, forcing it back beneath her skin. She wouldn't allow anyone, not even Brandle, to see her lose control.

“My queen...” Brandle began, his eyes darting nervously to her still-tingling fingertips.

“It's nothing,” she snapped, cutting him off. “Where is Geralt? I was told he was on his way.”

“Sion's magic was too weak to bring him up to the tower. They took the spiraling passage.”

Cressida's frown deepened, a new thread of suspicion weaving through her thoughts. She had given Sion enough magic to carry out her bidding. If he was using it elsewhere...Her fingers twitched, itching to wrap around his throat and squeeze the truth from him.

As the clock chimed, its musical sound echoing through the vast chamber, Cressida glided to her throne. The spindly structure of twisted black marble looked more like solidified smoke than a seat of power, but as she settled onto it, crossing her legs regally, there was no doubt about who was in control.

The sound of approaching footsteps drew her attention. Geralt's heavy tread contrasted sharply with Sion's quick, graceful gait. As they entered, both men bowed deeply before her. With a lazy flick of her wrist, she motioned for Sion to stand slightly behind her, a silent reminder of his place.

“Rise and tell me what you've learned,” she commanded, her voice cold and imperious.

Geralt stood, his eyes carefully avoiding her piercing gaze. “Just as you suspected, the girl is with Snowden. The older brother is mostly healed from the dragon wound, and the younger Snowden seems unharmed. The girl seems fine as well. They were all up at their winter encampment in the mountains.”

Cressida leaned forward slightly, her interest piqued. “The girl too? Snowden brought her with him to the mountains?”

“Yes,” Geralt confirmed, a hint of hesitation in his voice. “Rumor has it among the camp that they are fate-bound.”

The words hit Cressida like a physical blow. For a moment, her control slipped entirely, and thick, inky mist poured from her fingertips, plunging the room into shadow. The air crackled with raw power, a manifestation of the rage and...something else...that boiled within her. With monumental effort, she pulled the magic back, leaving the room in tense silence save for the whistle of mountain wind.

When she finally spoke, her voice was unnaturally calm, each word carefully measured. struggling to keep control. “I think it’s time we pay them a little visit. How well-armed is their encampment?”

“It’s actually fairly well held. With mountains all around, the base itself is protected by the natural terrain. Also, it’s so high up that I don’t think our dragons would be able to fly or make it up there. With our forces alone, it would be hard to invade. But, I do have another idea—”

“Then do share it. And quickly before I lose my patience.”

“One of the men said he overheard that the younger Lord Snowden and the girl are going to be heading to the Twilight Kingdom within the next few days. That would be a much easier victory.”

Cressida drummed her nails along the spidery throne. “The idea does have merit. Sion, tell the troops to be ready to travel within the next week.”

“Yes, my queen,” he said, slinking away towards the sky bridge.

“Oh, and Sion?” Cressida said, staring at him harshly. “I expect you to be in my bed tonight. And if you give me another excuse, I’ll have your head on a spike.”

Without waiting for a response, Cressida rose and swept from the throne room. Bringing forth her magic, she transported herself far beneath the high tower into the sublevels of her lands. She approached a thick door, reinforced by magic. With a flick of her fingers, the door disappeared only to reappear behind her.

The deeper she descended into the enormous cavern system, the temperature cooled significantly. Yet Cressida didn’t feel the cold. Her own ambition rested on her shoulders like a cloak, protecting her from the elements and sealing in her determination. She moved quickly through the damp space, ignoring the moist walls and the occasional rat scurrying along the uneven stone pathway. It had taken her all of two seconds to use her magic to transport her to the sublevels, but the entrance into the cavern was protected from any magical activity. While it was the most secure place in the entire Shadow Realm, the journey to the bottom of the caverns annoyed her. She moved past a set of guards, one of six pairs set up along the passage. Both men, clad in full armor, tipped their heads when they noticed their queen passing. She ignored them, absorbed in her own thoughts.

Fate-bound. Of course. How had she missed it? She thought of Snowden’s desperation to save her and his act of selflessness during their bargaining in the Sunset Land. It all made sense now. To think she lusted after the fool, when all along he was bound to that pathetic girl. She was disgusted at the implications of it all.

The path continued downward and she picked up the pace. Her foot landed in a wet puddle and she looked up, seeing moisture drip from a stalactite in the cave ceiling. The satin covering her shoe absorbed the murky water and the wet sensation against her foot made her mood even fouler.

She was irritated that Sion hadn’t been obeying her commands. She was furious that her idiot servants had managed to let the girl escape again. She was enraged that Snowden and the girl were fated. It complicated her plans even more than her escape had. And even more infuriating was the injury on her thigh. She managed to hide it from everyone, but the large gash on her thigh wasn’t healing despite using her magic and a variety of ointments. It worried her more than she even admitted to herself. At least her seamstress hadn’t asked questions when she requested the slits on her dresses sewn up. Cressida cringed when she realized she’d have to glamour it from Sion when he was between her legs tonight. It was easy enough, but during the height of passion it was hard to keep control of her magic, especially when rage boiled inside her.

After what seemed like forever, she was getting close. The smell of rotten flesh hit her nostrils, and she could just hear the sounds of their roars from behind the heavy iron doors. Cressida quickened her pace, seeing the well-lit space ahead. She emerged from the tunnel passageway into a large antechamber, with four guards flanking the edges of the cave walls. Another two stood at the doors, their eyes unmoving as they bowed their heads in reverence. As if they were completely below her notice, she didn't even acknowledge them as they opened the heavy doors, both men straining under the significant weight.

She entered as soon as a sliver small enough for her to pass through emerged. Clear glass made up a large dome in the majestic cavern, pushing out towards the walls and containing her precious pets.

The largest dragon snorted the second it saw her coming over. His maroon body was covered in thick plates of scales and he sat regally on his hind legs. His leathery wings rested at his side and blood-red talons perched against the dirt of the dome floor. The dragon moved his neck slowly down to the ground, and Cressida peered into its orange eye.

“Hello Brutus,” she cooed, eyeing the dragon. He had grown even larger since she had last been down here. His belly bore scars from his last battle, but Cressida was pleased to see they faded from his tough skin, leaving behind leathery tracks.

His mate, Belinia came towards the edge of the dome and she flapped her wings and she moved quickly to Brutus’s side. Her purple scales were iridescent and shimmered underneath the torches in the room. She was much larger than Brutus, and she sneered her teeth at Cressida, hot breath fogging up the glass as her crimson eyes narrowed. Unlike Brutus, her middle was unscathed.

A deep chuckle nearly made Cressida jump. Travers ambled towards her, his white hair oily and stringy across his face. At nearly one-hundred and thirty years old, he stopped caring about his appearance long ago. Cressida hated the old coot, but there was no one who knew dragons better, and it was Travers who helped bring them to this world and cared for them.

“She still hates you,” Travers commented, looking Belinia straight in the eye. The dragon flapped her wings again in annoyance and bore her teeth at Cressida.

“She resents you for the loyalty and favor Brutus has shown you.” He patted a bit of dust off of his leather tunic, and it landed too near Cressida’s hem. She grasped the hem out of the way, repulsed by the torn and filthy garments Travers wore. He refused to wear the clothes of her realm and instead wore the same leather garb he traveled with from his own world. His leggings were made up of some kind of rough animal hide, and his worn leather boots were permanently stained with ebony dragon dung. He whistled absentmindedly as he moved closer to the dome’s edge, and Belinia turned her attention to him. The large ivory spikes on her back lie flat at once, like a dog lowering its heckles for their owner. A deep contented growl entered her throat as the weathered old man peered at her affectionately.

The smallest of the dragons, a teal male, hung back on the outskirts, farthest away from the pair. The color of his scales transitioned in the light, like a slick oil spill in the sunlight.

“Berline,” Travers called, trying to rouse him. The slumbering dragon just snorted and kept his head down. The only movement he made was a tantalizingly slow swish of his spiked tail.

“He’s the stubborn one of the lot,” Travers said to Cressida, flicking his dirty thumb towards the drowsy juvenile. “I keep telling you, you can’t keep them confined here all day. They will turn on you, especially Belinia.”

At the mention of her name, Belinia roared. The sound was so intense and guttural that Cressida almost covered her ears as the vibrations bounced throughout the cave.

“I know this tunnel system leads out to the fallen Sun Realm. It would be easy enough to let them stretch their wings and legs there.” He motioned to the other iron door on the far side of the enclosure. “Plus there’s plenty of prey in the valley between our lands for them to hunt.”

“Are you an idiot? Do you think I’d ever take a chance of letting them roam free? They belong to me.”

“They belong to no one. The sooner you realize that, the better chance you have of Belinia and Berline warming up to you.”

“I don't need them to be loyal,” she spat, glaring into the old man’s dark eyes. “I just need them to do their job. Besides, their glass cage is the only thing protecting the climate. If they are free for too long, they’ll disrupt the balances even further than they already have. I still want this world to be livable, even after I’d taken all the magic.”

Travers shook his head. “They don’t belong here. I’ve told you that before.”

“You seemed fine with it when I offered to trade you some of my magic for your assistance.”

Travers looked at her long and hard before moving on. “Well, you better find a way to make peace with her. Belinia will have even more reason to be possessive of her family. Berline will have a sibling soon enough.”

Cressida’s eyes flashed with delight. She frantically looked around the dome, and sure enough, there it was. The nest was dug deep into the dirt, and just a shallow wall rose up around the egg. It was deep purple and scaled, the twin of Belinia’s skin. Cressida longed to go into the dome and cradle it, but she knew it was unwise when Belinia still detested her. Plus, based on the size, she guessed she would be unable to lift it.

“Why didn’t you summon me immediately?” she asked, the irritation evident in her tone.

“I just saw it a couple of hours ago. Hasn’t been here long, I’m guessing she laid it in the middle of the night. Should hatch within the next fortnight.”

“Wonderful.” Cressida’s eyes glowed as she stared at the dragons, their scales reflecting in her pupils. Four dragons. She would have the fiercest army and was already the most powerful force within this world. Even without the girl’s powers, the entire fae population would kneel before her, and soon.