Page 9
Lucian
Present
When I returned to King Zareth’s tower with the others after the meeting with Shalafi’s mayor and the officials of the mage school and university, it took every bit of my will to search for Kerainne.
She’d left the field so abruptly that I was worried.
Especially after the King announced the astounding news that Nik and Delgarias had found their long lost daughter.
Tiana had been found by one of the mage school instructors twenty-four years ago, still in the time-stasis container that kept her an infant until it was opened.
She’d been raised in the school and was a student at the university when King Zareth’s former apprentice and nemesis, Rayven Niltsiar, had chosen her to be his apprentice.
She’d then become his mate as well, to Zareth’s consternation.
I wondered how Nik and Delgarias felt about the matter.
They were still with their daughter and may not even come back tonight.
Food and drinks were summoned for us. I looked at Kerainne’s empty seat and was debating as to whether or not I should seek her out when Xochitl caught my gaze and shook her head.
“She’s upstairs, asleep. Isis already checked on her.” The Siamese cat, now back to normal cat-size, looked at me, appearing somehow smug.
I nodded in sympathy. “She expended a lot of energy both in combat and in healing. She was magnificent. And then to have to see him …” My fists clenched at my sides in fury. “I wish I was capable of killing him. He’s taken so much from us and—”
“Don’t you dare make this all about you ,” Xochitl hissed.
I held up my hands defensively. “I wasn’t intending to.”
Although that had been my first reaction after the attack on Medicia. And some of that sentiment remained, much as I was working on quashing it out.
Before Xochitl could reply, Nik and Delgarias appeared, accompanied by their daughter.
Tiana really was a perfect blend of her parents’ features.
She had her mother’s metallic copper hair and petite form, her father’s pointed ears, and strange faelin eyes, ice blue shot with jagged lines of darker blue like lightning.
Power radiated from her almost as strong and unnerving as Xochitl’s.
Delgarias spoke first. “Tiana will be staying here with us for now.”
Even though this was Zareth’s tower and he was the king, he didn’t seem to mind the Keeper of the Prophecy’s declaration. “Does this mean her…affiliation with Rayven Niltsiar is over?”
Tiana glared at him in fury, but Nik made a hushing gesture at her and answered. “No. They’re true-bonded mates. However, Del wants him to court her like a gentleman and we both want to spend some time with her before we have our own wedding next month.”
Zareth made a disgusted sound. “So I’ll be seeing him nearly every day?”
The vampires who hadn’t gone back to Earth laughed quietly with their human brides.
Delgarias gave him an oddly paternal look. “It’s about time you two settle your differences.”
They retired to their guest rooms and I prepared to follow suit. My armor was heavy and uncomfortable.
“Prince Lucian,” Zareth said softly, “May we speak a moment?”
“Of course.” Though the king was courteous, he was somehow awkward.
He reached out and took my hand. His fingers, long like Delgarias’s, curled around my fingers, making me remember that, like Tiana, Zareth Amotken was also half-faelin.
He whispered an incantation. The room blurred and the floor beneath me vanished a moment, then was solid again as he transported us to his laboratory at the top of the tower.
He gestured to a chair in front of his massive desk full of arcane objects and rare crystals.
When he sat, resplendent in the black velvet robes of a high sorcerer and his long black and silver faelin hair framing his face, those lightning-struck dark eyes staring at me, he suddenly looked every inch a ruler.
Even then, I was relieved his queen hadn’t joined him.
He summoned two glasses of wine. I sipped it out of politeness, then delight at its sweetness. Far too many wines were sour to me.
“First, I wish to thank you for your help in tonight’s battle.
There will be many more, I’m afraid, and I’d be grateful for your aid in those, if you so choose.
” He steepled those long faelin fingers and coughed awkwardly before sipping his wine and meeting my gaze again.
“However, there is the matter of your…ah accommodations as a diplomatic guest. With Tiana, Xochitl’s band, and other allies taking up all my guest chambers, I find I’m running out of room.
” He took another deep drink before continuing.
“And there’s the matter of Queen Kerainne. ”
“And that is?” I pressed, somewhat reckless.
“Your presence causes her discomfort.” His voice was stern. “I own other properties in the village. I can provide a house for you.”
My stomach sank. The last thing I wanted to do was be further away from Kerainne. My mind darted frantically to find an excuse to remain. “But I do wish to aid you in this war. I need to be close so I may attend your meetings and councils.”
Zareth’s stern expression softened. For a moment, something like pity or sympathy flashed in his faelin eyes.
“I am aware of that. You will be able to visit frequently. Just be aware that if Queen Kerainne doesn’t want you here, you’ll have to return to your house.
I will not see her hurt even more. She is like a mother to me. ”
I nodded in surrender. At least I’d have some chances to see her. And, if the fates were kind, I’d be able to arrange for there to be more. “The last thing I wish is to hurt her.”
The sorcerer king relaxed and finished his wine. “You may stay for the rest of the night, of course. Then, tomorrow I will take you to your house. It’s very roomy and has a large garden space. You may do what you wish with it so long as it’s still hospitable when the time comes for you to leave.”
“Very well, Your Highness.” I finished my wine before I rose and bowed.
Zareth transported me down to the level where my soon to be former room was, then vanished as he doubtless returned to his queen.
I struggled my way out of armor I’d barely needed, now understanding why the knights in Wurrakia had squires to help them in and out of these steel contraptions.
Once free, I availed myself of a hot shower and changed into a soft tunic and trousers woven from Delcine wool.
Though I was exhausted from the battle, sleep was impossible. Not after this day. So I went downstairs, hoping there was more of that sweet wine in the kitchen.
I heard voices in the parlor and recognized two heavily accented ones as the vampire twins, Razvan and Radu.
When I’d first met the vampires, I was repulsed, as they were creations of Mephistopheles.
But after tonight, seeing them so fiercely fighting their creator, my revulsion was replaced with admiration and curiosity.
I didn’t find the wine Zareth had provided, but the refrigerator held bottles of something labeled “hard cider.” I loved apple cider, so I grabbed one and cracked it open with the bottle opener magnet on the fridge door, then headed to the parlor to join my strange new allies.
I wanted everyone who frequently came to Zareth’s tower to like me.
Then perhaps I could tag along with them.
Razvan Nicolae was the first to notice me. He set aside the pipe he was loading and waved. “Ah, it’s the luminite prince.”
His twin, Radu, spoke with an even thicker accent. “Your swordsmanship was impeccable the few times you used it.”
“Yes,” Razvan said. “Though Nikkita is better. However, your fire magic is as good, if not better than our queen. But do not tell her I said that, and I will not tell her about your drinking her hard cider.”
“I didn’t know it was hers.” I shifted awkwardly, wondering what to do. “I’d put it back, but…”
“It would go flat.” Razvan beckoned me with an impatient gesture. “Sit. Drink. She has plenty, and it is easy to procure more for her.”
I sat. And I drank. The cider tasted amazing. Crisp and tart like a green apple, but also sweet. There was that telltale bite that promised intoxication, and I didn’t care. After all I’d seen and experienced in that battle, I wanted to get drunk.
After that first sip, Radu gave me an odd look. “May I bite you?”
I nearly choked on my second sip. “I beg your pardon?”
Razvan smacked his twin on the back of his head.
“Radu has the ability to taste food and drink from someone he’s fed from.
However, he’s recently awakened from many centuries of hibernating and has yet to recover his manners.
” He turned to his brother. “Your wife can get this cider tomorrow. I’m honestly surprised she hasn’t tried it.
” Then his black eyes shifted back to me and a sinister smile curved his harsh, angular lips.
“However, it would be interesting to try pure luminite blood. Our queen is only half luminite, and Silas gained more power when he accidentally fed from her.”
“One of you drank Xochitl’s blood?” I found that I very much disliked that notion.
“On accident,” Razvan repeated. “She was shielding so well that he couldn’t sense his Mark on her. Silas and Zareth settled the matter and all was forgiven. But now Silas can fly. You’ll have to have him tell the whole story sometime. He went back to Earth to be with his wife and child.”
Again, he eyed me with discomforting speculation.
“I don’t want anyone to drink my blood,” I said firmly and began to rise from my seat.
“Please stay, Lucian,” Razvan insisted. “As per the treaty with the King of Aisthanesthai, we are not to drink from anyone without their consent. If we disobey this decree, we’ll be exiled, or possibly killed. I swear your veins are safe.”
Table of Contents
- Page 1
- Page 2
- Page 3
- Page 4
- Page 5
- Page 6
- Page 7
- Page 8
- Page 9 (Reading here)
- Page 10
- Page 11
- Page 12
- Page 13
- Page 14
- Page 15
- Page 16
- Page 17
- Page 18
- Page 19
- Page 20
- Page 21
- Page 22
- Page 23
- Page 24
- Page 25
- Page 26
- Page 27
- Page 28
- Page 29
- Page 30
- Page 31
- Page 32
- Page 33
- Page 34
- Page 35
- Page 36
- Page 37
- Page 38
- Page 39
- Page 40
- Page 41
- Page 42
- Page 43
- Page 44
- Page 45
- Page 46
- Page 47
- Page 48
- Page 49
- Page 50
- Page 51
- Page 52
- Page 53
- Page 54
- Page 55
- Page 56
- Page 57