Page 24 of Queen of the Crimson Throne (Queen of Blood and Stardust #2)

24

LENNOX

The smells of Arcadia wrapped around me as the city came into focus around us. Luce had come this morning to Cel Nox to transport us to Arcadia with her, depositing us in the outskirts of the city.

It had been years since I had been to the capital city of the Mystic Court, the summer Before was the last time. I loved my time spent in Arcadia, the days spent exploring the palace walls and the city within, learning more about my witch heritage. This place held so many memories.

But I had never been here without my mother.

This was her home.

This is where she grew up.

Everything reminded me of her. The thick forest surrounding the palace was where we spent our days learning and practicing witch magic. We would spend our entire day in the woods, packing a picnic lunch so we wouldn’t have to return to the palace. We spent countless days browsing the shops in the city proper, leaving when our arms were full of packages of items we could only find in the Mystic Court. The temple, the palace, everything reminded me of her. It would be even worse inside the palace. Memories of time spent with her and Nol within the walls were sure to assault me, along with the various pictures and paintings of her throughout the dwelling.

I could do this, couldn’t I?

Kara fell into step next to me, taking my hand in hers and giving it a gentle squeeze. Things might still be tense between us, but even so, we’d lean on each other here.

When I looked over at my sister there were tears in her eyes.

“I—” She took a moment to collect her thoughts. “I can feel her everywhere.”

I closed my eyes and gave my senses over to my surroundings. I felt nothing at first, but after a moment—I gasped. I felt her—the slight tingle at the base of my neck felt like delicate fingertips in a gentle caress. The smell of my mother surrounded me.

My mother—she was here. I opened my eyes, blinking back tears of my own now.

I am always with you, my Sitara.

“Kara.” I gasped. “Did you?—”

“Yes,” she breathed. “I—she’s here.”

“Lennox, Kara are you okay?” Luce’s voice was tentative.

I focused my eyes, blinking back tears. “Yeah.” I choked back a sob. “Yeah, I’m okay.” I shuttered as the sensation of my mother’s magic filled me. I looked over at my sister.

Kara smiled. “It’s good to be back in Arcadia.”

“My mother is expecting us.” Luce led us through the palace gates.

Luka had yet to say a word to me since Luce arrived this morning to take us to Arcadia. How much time did he need?

“My mother and Nico are having lunch .” There was a sarcastic lilt to Luce’s tone as she spoke.

“You left Nico alone with Caterina?” I huffed a laugh. “Brave choice.”

“ I had little choice in the matter. It appears she has taken an interest in the wolf, and you know Nico.” She lifted a shoulder. I did know Nico and I knew my aunt—either we’d find the two of them bloody and bruised or chatting up as best friends.

Turns out it was the latter. When we arrived at Caterina’s office, the Witch Queen and Nico were lounging like old friends, laughing as they sipped from half-empty glasses.

“Mama.” Luciana interrupted. “We’re here.”

“My dears.” Caterina set her glass on the table before she stood, holding her arms wide. “Come here, it has been way too long.”

I didn’t resist as she enveloped me and Kara in her embrace. I breathed in her warm cinnamon scent as I wrapped my arms around her. When she finally let go she stood back, keeping one of our hands in each of hers, her eyes turning glassy as she looked between the two of us.

“You remind me so much of her. I see her—I can feel her in you.”

I could see our mother in Caterina too. Although they were only half-sisters, only sharing their mother, they still held similarities. Caterina’s skin was several shades darker than my mother’s, but they had the same dark hair they shared with their mother. The biggest difference between my mother and Caterina was their eyes. Kara and I might have gotten our light hair from our father, but our green eyes came from our mother.

“Whew.” Caterina released our hands and took a deep breath, wiping the slight wetness from the corner of her eyes. “We will have time for a proper reunion later—this is not the proper way to welcome guests into my court.”

She turned towards Luka and Declan. “I hope you both excuse my state—it has been a long time since I have seen my nieces and I was not expecting to react this way.” She shook her head, her coiled curls bounced as she did.

“I am Caterina Abrose, Queen of the Mystic Court.” Declan and Luka bowed slightly as Caterina continued, “Now which one of you is the lucky broad engaged to my dear niece Lennox?”

A sheepish smile pulled itself across Luka’s face. “That would be me.” He held out a hand to Caterina. “Luka Rossi. It is a pleasure to meet you.” Luka brought Caterina’s hand to his mouth, kissing the back of it before releasing it.

“You’ve got yourself a charmer I see,” she said smiling.

“You don’t know the half of it,” I mumbled, causing Caterina to raise a brow.

“Don’t think I won’t make you dive into that more later.” I knew with certainty Caterina would hold true to that promise.

She turned her attention to Declan. “And who are you? What an exquisite creature with wings like I’ve never seen. If I wasn’t involved, I might pay you more attention.”

“Mama,” Luce scolded.

Caterina smiled and shrugged a shoulder. “What? I’m only kidding, Lulita . Lighten up.”

Declan didn’t say anything, his same stony expression remained as Kara giggled beside him.

“Declan Hale, Captain of the Blood Court Royal Guard,” Luka introduced the harpy.

“Hale?” Caterina questioned. “As in the same Captain Hale of the Twilight Court Royal Guard?”

Declan stiffened, his face pinching. “That would be my father.”

Caterina sighed deeply, and her smile softened. “I thought so, you look so much like your mother.”

“You knew my mother?” Declan stumbled.

“I did.” She looked at us all, then back at him. “Later, dear, the two of us should talk, but not now.”

Declan swallowed, his wings rustling behind him..

“So now that we’re all acquainted, why don’t you all have a seat?” Caterina clapped her hands, the sound clearing the tension radiating in the room. “Pour yourself a drink and we can talk. I don’t see the point in delaying this any longer.” She took her seat behind her desk.

“Luciana has filled me in on what has led you here. And indeed, I was working with Braham and Nol to find Astria’s journals.” I knew this was likely—but still, the confirmation rocked me. And by the looks of everyone else in the room, the confirmation shook them too.

“Your brother and father initiated the search. They only came to me in the last few months before their—deaths.” Caterina closed her eyes and took a breath before continuing.

“Your father had always been obsessed with history. One of the summers you spent here he found an ancient text detailing a time when vampires tried to reverse the effects of vampirism. In their failure, they created monsters—uncontrollable monsters that were half vampire half beast, Dhampirs they were called.

“After years of failed trials, they concluded what they needed to make the transformation successful was Astria’s original spell. It was unclear how they came to that conclusion, but regardless they ran with it. They scoured the continent for Astria’s spellbook. And that is where their history ended. We assumed they never found the spell, considering vampires still exist. Your father took an interest in this—leading him to discover Astria had kept journals during that time. This sparked the idea that if he could find the journals and if they did contain the key to reversing—or curing—vampirism he could use it as a bargaining chip with the Blood Court.”

“What do you mean a bargaining chip? What did he want from the Blood Court?” Luka asked.

“It was my impression all he wanted was for the tensions to be eased between the Star and Blood Court. To ease the tensions between the Blood Court and all of Lethenia. Maybe he had alternative motives, but that’s what he told me. And I know Braham—I believed his intentions were true.”

“Did he ever find the journals?” I pressed.

Caterina shook her head. “Not that I know of.”

“Wait,” Luce interjected. “How did you get involved in all this?”

“I caught him snooping in the archives for the journals.” She smiled softly. “Braham was a terrible liar. It took little convincing for him to tell me what he was looking for. He had gotten so far as to convince himself the journals were somewhere in the Blood Court—he believed they were in the possession of the family of the original vampires.”

“You mean the family of Astria’s former lover?” Luce interjected.

Caterina nodded. “That’s when he enlisted Nol to help him.”

“Nol wasn’t helping him the entire time?” It was Kara who asked the question this time.

“Not at first, your father wanted to involve as few people in his quest as possible. But you know Nol, his love for knowledge knew no bounds. Your father would have been stupid not to ask for his help. And Braham needed a way to get into the Blood Court without raising suspicions.”

The air in my lungs froze. “That’s why he proposed the arranged marriage.”

Caterina’s face was solemn. “We didn’t know if Nol would have to marry her—it depended on how long it took to locate the book. But Nol was willing.” I thought it was strange Nol agreed to an arranged marriage without fight. I had figured he felt it was his duty as heir—but it was so much more than that.

He and my father—and Goddess knows who else were playing a game. Unaware of the consequences it would have when they failed to complete it.

I stood from my chair as I tried to wrap my head around the information she had given us, pacing around the room as I spoke, “So you’re telling me I got wrapped up in this entire disaster—this entire mess of an arranged marriage even though it was all a sham in the first place? Nol never intended on marrying into the Blood Court, but because he was murdered I lost the one choice I had left because of a scheme my dead father and brother were cooking up.”

I couldn’t get air into my lungs.

“Lennox.” Caterina’s voice was soft. It reminded me too much of my mother.

Too much, this was all too much.

“I need—” I gasped. “I can’t—” I bolted from the room, ignoring the voices calling out after me. The walls were a blur around me as I tried to make sense of my surroundings.

I knew this palace, but right now I couldn’t figure out where I was. I needed—I needed space. I needed to be alone.

I ran through the great hall, ignoring the looks of the staff as I ran. I burst through the doors, gulping in the chilled air as it seized my lungs.

I tried and failed to calm my breathing as I made my way through the garden. It wasn’t much of a garden anymore, only a few late fall plants remained, the rest had all withered away for the winter.

Finally, I made it to the deserted patch at the far west side of the garden—the part that had hosted an array of witch herbs and plants growing up. By the looks of it, it still held those same contents, the plants spelled to continue growing even during the winter months.

When I spotted the old wooden bench, my legs threatened to give out from underneath me. I choked back a sob as I collapsed onto the bench.

My mother’s bench.

The sight of her name carved into the wood next to her sisters and my grandmothers, sealed with magic to preserve them, calmed my breathing slightly. My name, along with Kara, Nol, and Luce’s were etched into the wood at the bottom. Our script large and sloppy. We hadn't wanted to wait until we were older to carve our names in.

I sat on the bench, not bothering to use my magic to warm me as the air chilled my bones .

I stared at the patch of witch plants. I recited each one in my head, row by row, only looking up when I heard footsteps on the stones.

I expected my aunt or Kara to be the one to follow me, but I shouldn’t have been surprised to find Luka appearing from the path.

Relief flickered across his features at his discovery of me, but he remained silent as he sat beside me on the bench.

I continued my mental noting of the plants as we sat side by side. I could feel his gaze boring into me but I ignored him.

His hand moved to the space between us, brushing with my own only for him to immediately pull it back.

He scooted closer, eliminating the gap between us, and put his arm around my shoulders. A complaint was posed on my tongue, but it was momentarily halted by the warm tingling sensation cruising through my body—heating my veins.

Luka’s fire scorched its way through me, warming the pointed tips of my ears to my toes frozen in my boots.

“Thank you.” Only then did I dare to turn my head towards him. He gave me a slight smile before turning his attention back towards the plants I had been surveying.

“Will you tell me about them?” He dipped his head towards the plants. “They’re not any I recognize, I assume they’re witch plants.”

“They are.” I proceeded to tell him the names and uses of all of the plants I could remember and he indulged me. He asked questions and gave comments as he continued to warm my body.

When I had finally described all of the plants to him I fell silent.

“Does it make me a terrible person that I’m mad at a dead person?”

“No,” he answered immediately. “I think we spend more time feeling mad at the people we lost than we realize.”

“I—” I took a deep breath. “I hate that my current situation is an outcome of a scheme I wasn’t even a part of. When it was a simple clear-cut deal between the two courts it made sense. My brother was set to partake in an arranged marriage, and one of us had to take his place. I understood it. I didn’t like it, but I understood it. That’s politics. But this? This mess? This I don’t understand.” I threw my hands up defeated. “And why didn’t they tell me? Why did it all have to be a secret? I’m—I’m so mad at them. Nol especially. This isn’t like him to scheme like this.”

“Maybe he truly believed the journal held that much power.”

“Maybe.” I sighed. “I hate that we both got brought into this mess with no say in it.”

“I could have had a say in this.” His voice was soft. “I could have passed off the prospect of marrying you to Lorenzo. If you think about it, I’m playing the same role your brother was.”

I mulled over his words. Was he? Luka had come in knowing he might have to marry me if he couldn’t find the book—but his and Nol’s circumstances were different.

“No, you’re not in the same position. Nol would have married Larissa if it came down to him not finding the book in time. You—you are fighting tooth and nail to ensure we don’t have to get married.”

Silence stretched between us again before I broke it.

“I don’t know if I ever told you, but I forgive you for keeping that secret from me. I did a long time ago,” I said softly. “And I don’t blame you for any of this—and my outburst in there had nothing to do with you but everything to do with our circumstances.”

Luka sighed deeply. “Sometimes I feel like we’re pawns in a game much bigger than ourselves—that we have no control over our lives. That every choice is dictated by some higher power.”

“It does feel that way doesn’t it?”

“If only we could find a way out from under them,” he said softly .

“If only.”

His hand brushed over mine and I let him intertwine our fingers. I had missed the feeling of his rough palms against my own.

“I’m still broken.” The words came out more choked than I intended.

“I know.” All the words he left unsaid—all the words he had spoken to me before reverberated in my mind.

I will take all of you. Even the parts you think are too damaged.

I know you think you’re broken beyond repair, but I don’t think that.

I told myself I wouldn’t let fear get in the way of my happiness—but this, this wasn’t fear. This was something else altogether.

I had let Luka in once and it almost ended me. I couldn’t risk that again.

I could not do that again.

I would either enter into a platonic marriage with Luka or remain alone for the rest of my life if that’s what it took to protect my people.

To protect myself.

No matter what I felt for Luka, I had to keep it to myself.

But friends, maybe we could be friends again.

I had missed him. I had missed his quiet comfort. The way he pushed me. I missed his soft smiles and the feeling of his hand in mine.

If I couldn’t have him as my lover, I could have him as my friend. Right?

Luka and I remained in the garden a while longer. Our hands intertwined as we stared out at the frozen garden until even with Luka’s fire warming me the chill seeped in.

Reluctantly, we headed back inside. I knew I needed to continue the conversation we had started with Caterina, but I didn’t know if I was ready for that.

“Lennox.” Caterina stood, concern clear on her face when we reentered the study. The males were gone, only Kara and Luce remained.

“Are you okay?”

“No.” There was no use in lying.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to upset you.” I let her pull me in for a hug.

“It’s not your fault my father and Nol left me in this mess.”

She pulled back from our hug, taking my hands in hers. “Still, you’ve had enough upset in your life, I hate to add to it.”

I gave her a weak smile. “Can I share with you the rest?” She looked towards Luce and Kara. “We’ve been waiting for you.”

“Might as well get it over with.” I sat in the chair, noticing Luka still stood awkwardly in the doorway.

“You can stay,” Caterina said. “If it’s okay with Lennox.”

“Stay, please.”

Luka gave her a tight smile.“Thank you. I can fill in Declan and Nico later if that’s okay.”

Caterina dipped her chin. “Okay, where did we leave off?”

“My father and brother were scheming to find Astria’s journals, tying my brother to an arranged marriage so he could get access to the Blood Court.”

“Right.” Caterina breathed.

Luka huffed a breath and I looked at him out of the corner of my eye—he only shook his head.

“Nol had only visited the Blood Court a couple of times—never enough that he could get any leads on who the original family was. He was trying to find ancient texts that might give any information to them, but there were none in the libraries he had access to.”

“Luka, do you have any idea who the original family was?” I turned toward him .

He shook his head. “We learned the history of them, the legend, but it never included names. None that I had learned anyway.” He leaned forward, wringing his hands through his hair. “That’s strange, isn’t it? I never realized but it’s strange it never included their names. There are family archives, located in an isolated wing in the palace in Cel Nox. I wonder if there would be any information in there.”

“Can you get us in there?” Luce asked.

“I can get in there, I don’t know if the magic has anything against non-family visitors, but it’s worth a shot. If anything I can find books and bring them out for all of us to read.”

“Is there anything else we need to know?” Kara asked.

“I don’t think so. That’s as far as they had gotten.” I chewed on the information she had given us. It was more than we had gained in our months of searching. Although I hated what it revealed, I was glad we at least had more to go off of than empty words.

Caterina sighed. “There is one more thing. Luce told me about the prophecy Hecate revealed to you. I for one wasn’t surprised a prophecy would strike someone in our bloodline. It was only a matter of time.”

“What do you mean it was only a matter of time?” Luce questioned, echoing my thoughts.

“This can’t leave this room.” She looked directly at Luka. “You understand that.”

“Yes,” We all echoed.

“Our family are descendants of Hecate.”