Page 76

Regaining control

Iryen

“So, what now?” I whispered as I pulled back just enough to meet Adrian’s gaze.

My lips still tingled from his kisses, but my worries crushed the moment’s tenderness.

“How do we make this work? You’re from Nyssaion, and I’m from Aetheria.

How can we build a future together?” My voice cracked, betraying the storm of uncertainty I’d tried so hard to suppress.

These thoughts had haunted me since my grandmother’s words—the possibility of a future with Adrian, the hybrid who was my mate, my equal, and yet so different from the life I knew. Could I truly make him my king? Could I trust this fragile hope amidst the chaos that surrounded us?

Adrian held my gaze, his hazel eyes brimming with warmth, the golden flecks within them shimmering like embers of an eternal fire.

“It’ll take time,” he began, his voice steady and sure.

“But I can make it work. I’ll build a home on the island and run the company from afar.

My sister can take over the day-to-day, and if something needs my attention…

” He leaned in slightly, his tone softening, as if to reassure me.

“I can swim there, love. You know how fast I am. ”

He teased, and for a moment, the tension in my chest eased.

“I can live here, with you,” he said, his words a lifeline to my drowning thoughts.

“Be what you need me to be.” He hesitated, his gaze searching for mine.

“If that’s what you want. If not, we’ll figure it out. We’ll find a way, even if it means—”

“It’s what I want.” The words burst from me, raw and unfiltered, cutting off his rambling. My hands trembled as I cupped his face, pulling him closer, needing him to understand. “That’s all I want. You by my side. As my king.”

The weight of my declaration settled between us, and I felt a surge of resolve wash over me. I could see the love in his eyes, the unwavering commitment, and it steadied the turmoil in my heart.

Making him my king was not just a choice, but a necessity. Adrian was my mate, the man who had risked everything to protect me, who had fought for me without hesitation. He wasn’t born into my world, but he belonged in it, because he belonged with me.

And I would fight for him, for us. Whatever it took.

“What do you want to do about the council?” Adrian asked, his eyes narrowing as they searched mine, their warmth edged with concern. “No doubt they’ll fight against the idea of a hybrid as your mate, let alone their king.”

“They’ll have no choice but to abide by my rule,” I said firmly, my voice laced with conviction.

“Under my parents’ reign, Thalor practically ruled the council.

The same during my grandmother’s time. But you killed him.

With him gone, the members who supported the bastard won’t dare to oppose me. Soon, I’ll replace them entirely.”

Adrian tilted his head, his gaze sharpening, as if weighing my words. “Sienna mentioned you’ve got the majority with you now. Who’s on your side?”

I nodded, grateful for the support I could count on, even as I recognized the battles ahead.

“I have three of the six council members firmly aligned with me,” I began, my tone steady as I explained.

“General Kai, Elora’s father, has always been loyal to my family.

Then there’s Lady Thalia, Sienna’s mother, and Lady Mira, who served as my parents’ trusted advisor.

They’ll stand with me, and by extension, they’ll stand with us. ”

Adrian’s jaw relaxed slightly, but I could see the questions still lingering in his mind. I reached for his hand, threading my fingers through his, grounding myself in the steadiness of his presence.

“We’ll face them together.” I added, my voice soft but resolute. “No one will take you from me, Adrian. Not the council, not anyone.”

He exhaled sharply, his shoulders taut as if he carried the weight of a kingdom on them. His jaw tightened again, and his gaze dropped momentarily before meeting mine, those hazel eyes shadowed with doubt.

“I know they won’t,” he murmured, his voice low, as though trying to convince himself. “But I can’t help worrying that my actions might complicate things for you. Your ascension to the throne, your duty to Aetheria and its people… what if I’ve made it harder for you?”

His unease pierced through me like a ripple in the tide, but I refused to let it take root. Placing a steady hand on his cheek, I guided his gaze to mine.

“Adrian,” I chastised, my voice firm yet gentle, “my duty to Aetheria isn’t just about ruling with wisdom or deciding in a council room. It’s about protecting our people, our kingdom. And that includes finding a powerful male who will stand beside me against any threat. That male is you.”

He blinked, as if startled by the confidence in my words, but I pressed on, unwilling to let his doubts fester.

“You defended me,” I said, my tone unwavering, “defended the crown. You complicated nothing. If anything, you made my path easier.”

His expression softened, but the furrow in his brow remained, a testament to his lingering worry. I sighed, cupping his face with both hands now, pulling him closer so he could feel the truth in my words.

“You’ve already proven yourself, love. To me, to this kingdom. And if anyone dares to question it, they’ll answer me.”

The corners of his mouth twitched, almost forming a smile, but the storm in his eyes hadn’t fully dissipated.

“You really believe that?” he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

“I don’t just believe it,” I said, my conviction unshakable. “I know it. You’re not just by my side. You are my side . My partner, my strength. Together, we can handle anything they throw at us.”

For a moment, he didn’t speak, simply searching my face, as if trying to find cracks in my facade. But there were none. There couldn’t be. Not when I’d seen the lengths he would go to protect me. Not when I felt, in my very soul, that he was exactly what this kingdom, and I, needed.

A soft knock echoed through the room, interrupting our conversation.

“Yes, enter,” I called, my voice steady despite the lingering tension.

“Sorry for interrupting, my Queen.” Ronan stepped in, his usually confident posture weighed down by something heavy and unseen. Behind him, Sienna and Kieran followed silently.

Sienna’s disapproving glance darted toward him, a silent chastisement for disrupting us. I could see it in the way her lips pressed into a thin line. She knew how much I disliked interruptions, but it was Ronan. He never sought me out without good reason.

“It’s fine. We finished anyway,” I said, though a pang of frustration coiled in my chest. I needed this time with Adrian, time I hadn’t had in weeks. But I also had a kingdom to rule, and Ronan wouldn’t interrupt for anything trivial. “What do you need, Ronan? ”

He hesitated, his steel-gray eyes shadowed with something that made my heart ache—a rare vulnerability. He moved closer, the faint luminescent patterns on his tail dimmer than usual, as if even his light had grown weary. When he kneeled beside the bed, I knew something was wrong.

“First, Your Highness,” he began, his voice rough and low, as though each word was a struggle, “I want to ask your forgiveness… for chaining you.” His head dipped, and his guilt seemed to radiate from him.

Adrian stiffened beside me, his muscles coiling like a predator ready to strike. His fury erupted in an instant, his voice thunderous.

“You did what ?”

Ronan flinched but didn’t lift his head, his hands clenched into fists at his sides.

I turned to Adrian, placing a calming hand on his arm, though his body remained taut beneath my touch.

“I ordered him to do it,” I muttered, my voice laced with as much calm as I could muster.

Adrian’s gaze snapped to mine, his hazel eyes blazing with anger and disbelief.

“You ordered him?”

“Yes,” I confirmed, gently tracing soothing circles on his arm. “It was necessary.”

Ronan’s voice broke the silence, his words raw and sincere.

“I wouldn’t have done it if there had been any other way. But Elora’s life was on the line, and…”

His voice faltered, and for a moment, he seemed utterly lost, his usual unshakable confidence replaced by something brittle and broken.

I turned my attention back to Ronan, my heart aching for him.

“Ronan,” I hissed, my tone firm but compassionate, “you don’t need my forgiveness. You’ve always had my back, always done what was necessary, even when it was impossible. I don’t blame you for a second.”

Ronan’s shoulders sagged, but the guilt didn’t leave his eyes. He looked up at me, the steel in his gaze softened by something that looked painfully like regret.

Adrian, however, wasn’t so easily placated.

“You think that excuses it?” he snapped, his voice like a crack of lightning. His anger flared, raw and palpable, filling the room like a storm brewing just beneath the surface.

“Adrian,” I said, my voice firmer now, my hand squeezing his arm in an unspoken plea for restraint. “He did what I asked him to do. What I needed him to do. This isn’t something to blame.”

Adrian’s jaw clenched, his fury still simmering, but he said nothing, his gaze darting between me and Ronan.

“I would do it again,” Ronan said, his voice steady now, though it carried the weight of his guilt. “If it meant saving her life, I would do it a thousand times over. But that doesn’t mean I don’t regret it.”

The room was thick with unspoken emotions; the tension pressing down like the deep ocean’s weight. I reached out, touching Ronan’s shoulder briefly.

“You have always been loyal, Ronan. And for that, I will forever be grateful.”

He nodded once, his lips pressing into a thin line, before rising to his feet. The flicker of sorrow in his eyes lingered as he stepped back.

Adrian’s anger didn’t fade, but his hand moved to mine, gripping it tightly. It was his way of grounding himself, of trying to accept what he couldn’t control. And for now, it would have to be enough.