Page 35

Chapter Thirty-five

Asteria

I swung my sword at his head, and Titan brought his up to block my swing. We’d been at this for a while, but I had yet to land a single hit on him.

I stepped back, panting, as Titan looked me over.

“You need to be ready,” he said sternly.

“I know.” I sighed, “Cyrus?—”

“Forget Cyrus,” he insisted, and my head reared back in shock.

“Forget Cyrus?” I hissed, my blade swinging at him before I’d even had the thought to do it.

He met my blade and leaned toward me as our blades crossed before our faces. “Aelius will be coming after you, Asteria.”

“I know, but?—”

“No buts! You don’t understand the Earendel’s, Asteria. He will do anything to take you out.” He stressed, looking so genuinely concerned that I stepped back and examined him.

“Titan? What is this?” I asked softly, gentling my stance and letting my blade fall.

He grunted, running a hand through his hair. He turned his head to look at me, and I couldn’t read the look on his face. It wasn’t sad or happy. Maybe a bit wistful, a bit resentful. It was complex, to say the least.

“There’s something I haven’t told anyone,” he admitted, turning to me fully. “Not Calix, not even his father. Only his grandfather knew.”

My brows rose as I tried to understand what was happening here.

“I won’t say anything, if you don’t want me to,” I promised, and his eyes softened, a small smile growing on his face.

“It’s not that it’s a secret, necessarily,” he said, as he moved to sit on a bench nearby, waving me over to join him. I took a seat, straddling the bench so I could face him fully. “It doesn’t really need to be anymore. I just haven’t been able to talk about it. The wound felt too raw, still. But you, of all people, should know.”

“Okay,” I said slowly, nodding. “Well, I’m all ears.” I pointed to my pointed ears with a smile, making him shake his head with a small laugh.

“I’m not from Night, not originally,” he said. “I’m from Day Kingdom, actually.”

“You are?” I asked, surprised. He fit so well into Night, I never would have questioned it.

He nodded solemnly. “I had always felt like the odd out around my family. I never fit, not with them, not with anyone. I thought I would live my life that way. But the gods, they other ideas. The day I found my mate, everything changed.”

He smiled warmly, and I could see that wistfulness return to his eyes, only this time it was underlined by devastating sorrow. I had never heard of Titan having a mate, and the thought of what could have happened had my heart clenching in sympathy. Still, I listened eagerly, interested in where this was going. I was so new to this Fae thing; every new aspect was still incredible to me. And the mate bond I shared with Calix was the most beautiful of all. I wanted to know more about mate bonds and other mated pairs.

“My mate was wonderful. Beautiful and bright.” He reminisced, closing his eyes and letting the sun hit his face as he smiled. “He brought a joy to my life that I had never experienced before. The two of us were inseparable, and I felt as if I’d finally found a piece of myself that had always been missing.”

He opened his eyes to look at me. “I imagine you know what I mean.”

I nodded. Calix felt like a piece of my soul that had finally clicked into place. My life now felt more right than ever before. Calix had helped me find myself, and made me realize there was no complete version of me without him.

“We were so happy, for a time. I imagined my life stretching out into the centuries with him beside me, always. But my family—my brother —” he scoffed with derision. “He insisted that the line must continue.”

“The line?” I raised a brow, not sure what he meant.

“The royal line.” He clarified, making me gasp in surprise. “My brother was king of Day then. Your great-grandfather.”

My mouth fell open. Shock on a level I hadn’t felt since my transition radiating through me. That meant… Titan was my great-great-uncle?!

“He insisted that I had to marry a noble woman so we could produce children that would keep the line plentiful. It was my duty, according to him. Despite the fact that soulmates are supposed to be sacred, preordained by the gods—not something a mere Fae can overrule. Not even a king,” he explained, shaking his head mournfully. Pain was written all over his face in sharp relief as he continued. His large body slumped slightly from the regular, upright soldier’s posture he usually maintained.

“The very thought disgusted me. I wouldn’t marry some noble woman when my soulmate was right there. So, I refused to marry anyone but him. My brother was of course enraged that I would dare to defy him. He said that if I wouldn’t contribute to the family, then I was no Earendel. I told him I was perfectly fine with that, that I would leave, and he’d never have to see me again.” His voice stuttered, and he closed his eyes. I put my hand on his shoulder as this huge warrior Fae, the oldest Fae alive, whom I had believed impenetrable, fought back tears. He clutched at my hand, forcing his eyes back open.

He cleared his throat, gathering himself before he continued. “So Zephyr and I planned to leave. He didn’t care about me being royal. He loved me for who I was, not what my name or blood brought with it.” Titan smiled softly, closing his eyes at the fond memory. “Zephyr was willing to leave his whole life behind if it meant we could be together. We knew that we could build a good life for ourselves somewhere else.”

His expression darkened as he opened his eyes, “But my brother viewed my refusal of a royal match and decision to leave as a direct insult to him. Everything was always about him, you see. I was out in the city, finalizing our travel plans, when I felt something strange through the mate bond. I ran home as fast as I could.”

A sinking feeling in my gut told me I knew what was coming next.

“I got there and found my brother standing over Zephyr. He waited until I walked in the door, smiled at me, and then drove his sword straight through his heart, killing him instantly.” Titan choked out, tears beginning to fall down his face as the pain finally overwhelmed him.

“He made sure I would be there to see it, but not close enough to do anything to stop it. That I’d be able to see the heartbreaking fear in Zephyr’s eyes. See the sword piercing his heart as I felt my own shatter in my chest. That as the bond went dead, I’d have a front-row seat to my brother’s glee as he killed the only person I would ever love. As he doomed me to an existence as empty as his.” Titan’s voice shook as he recounted the tragedy.

His head bowed as he struggled to rein his tears in. I sat back in shock, my hand covering my mouth as I processed the horror his brother had put him through. I couldn’t imagine the pain he must have experienced, that he still clearly felt. The idea of walking into a room to find Arien standing over Calix, unable to do anything in time…

It would haunt me for lifetimes.

Just as it had clearly haunted Titan.

“I swore,” he continued, his voice raspy from crying, “that I would get revenge one day. My brother thought killing Zephyr would bring me back and make me yield to his demands. Instead, I escaped at the first opportunity. I went across the border, disappearing into Night before my brother could stop me. Calix’s grandfather, Nadir, helped hide me from my brother. He took me in and made me part of his family, in a way I was never part of my own. He became the brother I never had.”

Titan smiled sadly, looking at me. “I promised I would look after his family for him, while I kept myself alive through the centuries with the promise of one day getting my revenge on my brother. Even after his death, I knew his son, and his grandson, were no different. I wouldn’t let that line continue forever. I promised I would find a way to end them all.”

He grabbed my hands, and I was so speechless I just blinked at him. I vaguely felt like I should apologize, even though this was all many, many years before I was born. “You are the promise of a new era, Asteria.”

I tilted my head to the side, uncertain what he meant.

“You will dismantle the horrid rule my brother set up. The system they have in Day is horrendous because of him. All the worst parts of my brother’s corruption. But my revenge? It was hard to admit that my chance for it truly disappeared centuries ago. Now, the best revenge I can hope for is seeing my brother’s legacy dismantled. And you will be the one to do that. You will make a new Earendel line. One that my ancestors and I can be proud of. And you’ll be ruling side by side with the Erebus line, the one I’ve spent centuries loving as I should have been able to love my own.”

“You don’t hate me for being an Earendel?” I asked quietly, dipping my head down. It was all a lot, and I was struggling to understand.

He lifted my chin, our sky-blue eyes meeting, and I suddenly didn’t know how I missed the resemblance before. Even his blonde hair, cropped short, was the same color as my father’s.

“Not any more than I could hate myself.” He smiled gently. “We didn’t choose the family we were born into. But we can stand against the ones within it who perpetuate such evil. We can put a stop to it.”

“That’s why you’ve been training me so hard since I came back Fae.” I realized, “You knew I’d be able to help you accomplish this.”

“Partly, yes.” He conceded with a nod, before his eyes gleamed brightly. “But more than that, I finally saw an Earendel worthy of the name and the crown.”

I sucked in a breath, holding back tears. The idea that I was worthy of either…

I threw my arms around his wide shoulders, and his arms came around me in turn. I hugged my newly found great-great-uncle, another piece of family I didn’t think I’d ever have, and mourned for what had happened to him. What he had lost.

What had happened to both of us because of the actions of those who should have loved us unconditionally.

Blood can always hurt you deepest.

* * *

By the time I’d showered and changed, Priscilla had been waiting for me in my room. I jumped, surprised to see her waiting on my bed, and she laughed happily.

“Here, have a drink,” she insisted, pouring one of the lavender wines for me and handing it over.

I grabbed it with a smile, taking a sip. After my conversation with Titan earlier, I could certainly use it. “I’m glad you’re here. I feel like I haven’t had time to see anyone but Calix in weeks!”

She laughed, pushing my shoulder lightly, “Don’t even pretend you’re not happy to be spending time with him.”

“Oh, I am,” I admitted with a sly smile. “You would be, too, if you were me.”

She shook her head, but proceeded to grill me on everything that had happened. I gave her all the new gossip, including about the two phoenix princes who’d joined us.

“I bet they’ll be fucking before the war is over,” I told her with a smirk.

She doubled over in laughter, but a knock on the door sounded, and Delia showed herself in. “Happy to have you back, Asteria.”

She smiled warmly, but I could see she was here for a reason, with the way she was twirling her rings around her fingers. A tell she had whenever she had to shift into professional lady’s maid mode.

“Happy to be back.” I smiled widely. “What’s going on?”

She sighed, tilting her head at me, clearly exasperated that I could see right through her: “Calix and Eryx just arrived back with Nithe. They want your input on a plan.”

I turned to Priscilla dramatically, “My work is never done.”

She laughed, rolling her eyes at me as I bounced off the bed.

“Oh, before I forget. Ilta mentioned needing you for a dress fitting,” Priscilla said, before giving me a kiss on the cheek and bounding out the door.

“A dress fitting?” I raised a brow at Delia, hoping she’d know, but she shook her head, shrugging.

She helped me dress, putting on a shorter purple and iridescent silver dress that crossed over my front and draped fabric down each side. It was gorgeous and dramatic, and I realized I really loved getting to try all these different dresses. As much as I loved my armor, getting to wear pretty dresses was just as great when it was my choice.

Having this control over my life was amazing. Now, I just needed to gain control over the rest of it. My fighting and magic were coming along nicely, but my emotions were still a mess most of the time. Dragon or not, I couldn’t let that happen when chaos was what threatened this world.

I couldn’t be just as chaotic and still bring balance. Everyone was counting on me, and the thought of failing was… I shuddered. It couldn’t happen.

I made my way to the war room and walked right to Calix’s side. His arm automatically opened and brought me into him. It was so hard to be around him and not touch him in some way. I wondered if that would ever lessen or if it would always be that way.

“Asteria, you remember Nithe.” Calix indicated the man across the table, and I narrowed my eyes for a second, looking him over. But as I saw the pink eyes, I suddenly put it together, my own eyes going wide and a slight blush taking over my cheeks to my mortification.

Nithe smirked slightly, but he forced it down quickly, clearing his throat, and I was sure Calix was glaring him into submission above my head.

“Right. Hi,” I greeted him lamely. Eryx pressed his lips together to hide his smile, so I glared at him from where he was standing around the table.

“Nithe just returned from Dusk,” Calix explained, and launched into an explanation of what Nithe had seen. My face grew stormier the longer I listened, and I tried to fight down my rage as best I could. I could still feel smoke in my throat, and starlight bounced around my fingertips. They joined the shadows on Calix’s, so I supposed I wasn’t alone in that.

“I plan to send Nithe back into Dusk, to help the humans rising against Cyrus,” Calix said, and I perked up. “This is why I wanted you here to help plan this out. If we can help them rise up, we can hopefully help some escape, which will also help to begin dismantling Cyrus’s reign and operations.”

I nodded eagerly, but bit my lip in thought. “Can we afford to send some people into the other kingdoms, too?”

“For what purpose?” Calix asked, brows furrowing as he looked down at me.

“Because all of the humans need to be in on this,” I explained, beginning to move pieces on the map. “If the humans of only one kingdom rebel, then only one kingdom will be affected. We need all of Celesterra to rise up. All of the humans.”

I turned to face Calix, my eyes wide and pleading. I knew—knew deep inside my heart and soul—that this was the right move.

“We can’t do it for them, Calix. They need to grasp freedom for themselves. We send people to stir up rebellion in the kingdoms who are against us, then make sure the humans in the kingdoms allied with us know change is coming, and they should fight with us. We can change everything! Humans need to fight to free themselves, though. Even if the Fae lead the charge, they need to be involved. Otherwise, it’s just more of the same—the Fae telling them how it’s going to be and controlling their lives.”

Silence followed in the wake of my impromptu speech. But I felt passionately about this, and as Calix examined me, I let him feel every bit of it. He slowly nodded, and I felt a weight lift off my shoulders.

“We can make that happen,” Calix agreed, smiling softly. I smiled brightly back at him, leaning in to kiss him, showing him how grateful I truly was.

I knew his own passion for freeing humans originally came from the bond, but it meant everything to me that he took that and ran with it. The idea that I inspired the first Fae king to turn against slavery left me feeling bright and warm inside.

We spent hours hashing out tactics for Nithe to use. How to stir the humans to rebel, how to help them escape, how we were going to handle an influx of free humans was even hashed out. Notices would go out across all our allied territories, calling for volunteers to lend aid in the matter. We’d make sure no one would go homeless or hungry.

But first, we needed to ensure their freedom. That was the key to all of it. But I knew with the horrifying acts Cyrus was committing, we could finally get the remaining humans to see the truth. The false comfort they’d felt couldn’t last forever. The time for being content with this half-measure peace was over.

Even if I was still personally straining to feel the truth of my freedom. As long as Cyrus lived, I wasn’t sure I could feel it.

But that was something to deal with later.

“Do you happen to know why Ilta is searching me out for a dress fitting?” I asked Calix, my brow cocked.

He smiled slyly, pulling me into him. “I do, as it happens.”

He leaned into me, biting my lip slightly.

“Care to fill me in?” I teased, nipping him back.

He chuckled, his smile devastating as he looked down at me with so much emotion in his eyes, the Aurora shining brilliantly in his purple orbs. “Eryx pointed out that the people of Night need to officially be introduced to you. As my mate. And as the future queen.”

My heart seemed to stop beating for a moment, only to start again at double speed.

“Right,” I croaked out, cringing.

“You’re going to be perfect, my réalta.” He reassured me, rubbing my back. “They are just curious.”

“Yes, they are!” Ilta sing-songed as she breezed over to us, and I rolled my eyes.

Where in Tartarus did she even come from?

“And we need to plan this party very quickly, so let’s get to it, you two!” Baach exclaimed, waving his hands dramatically at us, his red hair flying around his shoulders.

I looked up at Calix helplessly, but he shrugged, just as helpless to do anything. So we let them pull us separate ways, even if both ways led to party planning of some sort.

“Aren’t there more important things to be focusing on than this?” I complained to Ilta, who narrowed her eyes at me.

“Don’t underestimate the power of the people’s love, Asteria,” she admonished. “If the people of Night meet and love you, you’ll have much more power than if they don’t know or understand where you fit in here. They’ve waited centuries for Calix’s prophesied queen, and then two decades impatiently waiting once his mark appeared. They knew his mate would be the queen they’d all been waiting for, after all.”

She paused and looked me dead in the eye, her usual playful attitude fading as she looked at me seriously. She pushed a lock of dark hair behind my ear before putting a hand on my cheek, ensuring I listened. “They will love you, Asteria. And you can use that love. Use it to rule Night, to rule Day, to free the humans, to fight Cyrus.”

I tilted my head to the side as I considered her words, and how I could use that love to help. I still didn’t understand why they’d love me. I was no one, not really. An accident of birth didn’t make someone worth following.

I told Ilta as much, and she sighed sadly.

“You’re right. An accident of birth is no reason to follow a person.” She smiled then, confusing me. “So, go show them who you are. Show them why you are worth following, and I guarantee you, they will .”