27. Chapter 27
Chapter twenty-seven
P rince Rythlayn finally accepted my request for an audience after dinner the next evening. I was going in blind, but if he was innocent, he wouldn’t hesitate to give me what I asked for. I had committed the eighteen titles of the missing books to memory. That was all the ammo I had, and it would have to be enough.
I made my way to Gen’s room, stopping to knock for the first time ever. Atalee came to the door as I heard Gen yelling in the background. I stepped in quickly, making my way to her bedroom. She wore a black feathered gown that hugged her desirable little body perfectly. Her hair swept up and away from her elegant neck. Otar stood on the other side of the room, on the receiving end of her wrath. She had a knife in her hand and held out her gashed wrist towards him. I gestured for Atalee to leave.
“You stubborn creature! You need to eat. I demand you eat,” she yelled, walking towards him.
I could tell Otar was fighting her command with everything he had, but he was faltering. “No, no, no! I am fine. I eat. I eat,” he said, curling himself into a corner .
“You haven’t eaten since I resurrected you. You need to feed. I can’t lose you. I need you to eat,” she said, kneeling beside him, shoving her arm to his mouth.
“Princess,” I said quickly.
She snapped her head to me, standing in discomfort at the sight of me. “You knocked,” she stated.
I nodded, moving slowly towards them. “If the creature says he doesn’t need to eat, he doesn’t need to eat,” I replied.
“How do you know what he needs? He hasn’t fed in days,” she said.
“Does he look ill or weak to you?” I pointed out.
She looked at him, examining his form as he hid his face from her. “No, but that doesn’t change the fact that he needs to feed.”
I exhaled, not sure how she would react to me being his new food source. “He has eaten. I’ve been allowing him to feed on me when he needs to,” I said, readying myself for her wrath.
Her gaze whipped to Otar in anger. “And you didn’t tell me?” she said with aggression.
“No need to tell. All is well,” he said defensively.
She took a breath and then a step back. “Leave now, Otar,” she snapped.
“But, but—” he said.
“Now!” He disappeared. She turned back to me, walking slowly with the dagger still in her hand. “Why are you feeding him? Are you trying to gain control of him? Because I assure you that is not how the bond works. He can feed off anyone and no one will be able to control him but me.”
“That is not my intent. I don’t want the creature. I just thought that allowing him to feed on you would trigger uncomfortable memories of other experiences. I just wanted to give you time to heal. That’s all, I promise,” I said calmly.
The tip of the dagger appeared at my throat as she bared her teeth. “Stop assuming you know what I need and want. I told you what I needed from you, and yet here you are, still interfering. You have one job to do, which you have yet to complete. Find the one who commands the demons. After that, I don’t want to see your face unless I absolutely have to. Am I clear, Ambassador Lyklor?”
I nodded as a knock came at the door. Tryverse Feynar appeared.
“Your escorting services will no longer be necessary,” she said, lowering the dagger from my throat. “Do not return to my rooms unless you have completed your task, or I call for you.” She tossed the knife into the wall and headed past me towards Feynar.
I turned as she took his arm in hers. I was losing her more and more with each passing day. I had to figure out who the traitor was, so I could focus on her. If I waited much longer, he was going to take my place. He was going to take my light.
After dinner, I met with Prince Rythlayn in his private chambers. I memorized everything in his room. He had a massive collection of books that rivaled my own. His chambers were neat and orderly to the point of compulsion. During my time serving the king, I had never known the prince to act in his own interests. He had always been loyal to his brother. He seemed to genuinely love him.
“Prince Rythlayn, thank you so much for accepting my request for an audience. I am sure you are busy with the preparations for the tournament and ceremony,” I said.
He took off his jacket and turned towards me with a smile. “Erendrial, please, you can call me Ryth. The day is over, and I am done with formalities. What can I offer you to drink?”
“Whiskey, if you have it.”
“Of course,” he said, going to his wet bar. He poured a glass and handed it to me, then sat across from me. “Now, what can I do for you?”
“I have spoken with the king about the rift. Since we don’t know where it opens or how Alaric controls it, I thought it wise to understand how rifts are created. If I can understand them, I can hopefully find a way to track its movements, or even a way to prevent them from opening altogether,” I said, testing the waters.
His eyes remained on his glass as he trailed his finger along the rim. “How can I help?” he said kindly.
“I went to the library to research the topic, but the resources were missing from the keeper’s collection. The king suggested that I speak with you. He said you were very knowledgeable on the subject; that it used to be a focus of yours.”
He gave a soft smile as he folded his hands in front of his chest. “Erendrial, I have focused on much during my long life. Though I like to think myself an expert in most matters, that was a long time ago, and I am not sure what help I can give,” he said, playing humble, acting like he didn’t remember. Innocently ignorant.
“Any information you can recall would be useful,” I said.
He turned his attention to the ceiling, acting like he was trying to remember. “The only thing I can recall is that in order to open the rift, you need to sacrifice both creatures of light and dark magic. I found that part interesting, but how you get the thing to open or how you control where, I can’t remember. It was over eight hundred years ago when I dabbled in that subject. I will check with some resources I have, to see if they possess any of the texts you seek.”
I paused, trying to mask the spinning wheels in my head. I stood, finishing my drink. “Thank you, Ryth. Even that small bit will help. Your knowledge, as always, is invaluable.”
He laughed, standing to his feet as he patted me on the back. “ No need for flattery. I am too old for that,” he said, leading me to the door. “If there is anything else, my door is always open to you. I admit I do enjoy that mind of yours. I always thought it a waste that you were born lower class. If you were the son of a high lord, you would have made an excellent candidate to be king.”
“Now you flatter me, Prince Rythlayn. I am humbled by your opinion of me.”
“Let’s just say I can see why both my daughter and niece took a liking to you,” he whispered. He was trying to bait me. To get a rise out of me by bringing up my personal life. I wasn’t going to play his game.
“Two very intelligent and talented females. I am honored to serve your family.”
He smiled, opening the door for me. “Good night, Erendrial.”
“Your Highness,” I said, bowing to him. I left certain he was hiding something. Why else try to rattle my feathers by mentioning his daughter and Gen? He knew more about the rifts than he led me to believe. He was clever and crafty, but he wasn’t me.
The next day, negotiations began between the ambassadors of the light court, the nymphs, and the fairies. We would be locked in a room until we could come to an arrangement. Yay, me.
“There is no reason to limit the air above your lands. We have done nothing to earn your distrust,” said the fairy ambassador Telvi.
“Taking our goods, destroying our lands, and eating our people would suggest otherwise,” yelled Haeza, the nymph ambassador.
“Alright, alright. We have heard from both of you enough for one day,” I said. “Ambassador Levos, did the guards your kingdom sent to the nymph’s lands witness any fairies landing in their territory?”
“They reported seeing them flying overhead just as two nymphs went missing,” replied Levos.
“But did they actually see the fairies interacting with the nymphs?” I asked.
“No,” Levos said with exhaustion.
“Did your guards see any fairies traveling with nymphs in their arms?” I asked.
“No,” Levos said with hesitation.
“So, how do you suggest the fairies stole the nymphs if no one saw them land and your own guards didn’t see them carrying bodies? Did they just magically disappear?” I asked. “Ambassador Telvi, does your race now possess the ability to magically teleport things out of an area?” I asked.
Telvi laughed. “No, Ambassador Lyklor. Misting remains your court’s magic trick,” she replied.
I turned back to Levos and Haeza. “Then what right had your court to go into the fairies’ lands and hives and enact revenge for a crime you have no proof they committed?” I demanded.
Levos calmed himself. “The evidence pointed to the fairies. They were the only ones in the area when the events occurred,” replied Levos.
“Is it not possible that someone could have been framing the fairies? Over the past thousand years, our court has built a strong relationship with their race. We know that nymphs are not their first choice as food. Why would they risk breaking their treaty with the nymphs, along with enduring your wrath, for a treat they don’t enjoy?” I asked.
Telvi smiled as the other two sat quietly.
“I will consider your silence to mean that you see my point,” I continued. “Now, as for the treaty. The only thing that the fairies are asking is that you allow them to fly over the nymph territory. They will not touch down or make contact with their people. The air will only be used for travel. In return, King Phasis and Queen Pyra have offered to pay two hundred pounds in gold a month. That’s twenty-four hundred pounds a year for access to the sky. A very generous offer, if I do say so.” A moment of silence passed.
“The fairies must promise that no harm will come to our race,” demanded Haeza.
“You have our word,” said Telvi humbly. “On that note, Ambassador Atros. We would like you to return the six members of our court that you are holding hostage.”
Levos sat up straight with a confused expression. “We are not holding anyone from your court captive. We attacked your hive as a warning, but we never took anyone hostage,” he explained.
I pulled away from the table at the news.
“Then where did our six fairies go?” asked Telvi. “We’ve scoured the lands. There is no trace of them.”
“I am sorry, but we are not responsible for their disappearance,” replied Levos.
“Ambassador Haeza,” I said, leaning forward. “How many nymphs are missing?”
“Six as well,” she said.
Six nymphs, six fairies. Six members of light magic and six members of dark magic. The ingredients that you would need in order to trigger a rift opening.
“We will continue to look for the members of your races and assist any way we can,” I said, trying to divert attention from the missing humanoids. “Now that we have an agreement, I presume you would all like to return to your own courts.” The treaty was signed, and my job was done.
Levos stayed behind after the other two had left. He stood in silence, watching as I collected my papers. “Can I help you with something, Levos?”
“I would like to ask permission to stay in Doonak for the tournament and Genevieve’s wedding,” he stated.
“Is this at the request of your queen?”
“She is my friend, Erendrial. I care about her. I want to be here for her through this,” he said, dropping his formal tone.
I turned my focus towards him. “If she agrees to it, then yes, you may stay,” I replied.
He nodded. Vena appeared in the doorway, and he turned to her with a warm smile. She scrunched her shoulders as her face lit up.
I snickered. “Is Gen the only reason you wish to stay?”
He turned back to me defensively. “She is the main reason, yes.”
“Enjoy your time in the dark court, Levos. Don’t get too comfortable,” I said, walking past them.
By the time my duties were done, it was late, but I wanted to inform Gen of what I had discovered about the rift. I went to her room where the two guards informed me she was sleeping. She would want me to wake her for this. Maybe Otar knew something about the rifts, or we could use the information to trigger one of her visions.
The king had granted me access to her chambers whenever I needed it. I didn’t know how long that privilege was going to last, but I was still allowed into her rooms.
I pushed the door open and walked silently inside. I slid the pocket doors back to find her curled up in the arms of Tryverse Feynar. They lay fully clothed on top of the comforter. Her head resting on his chest as she curled her body against his. His arms were wrapped around her torso and his head rested on top of her curly hair.
I swallowed hard at the sight. He was holding her. Something I had never done. Something I refused to do when I had had the chance. I heard her exhale while she slept peacefully against him. He ran his fingers along her spine in a comforting and intimate manner. Why him? When had this developed? This didn’t make sense.
I stepped back, closing the doors in front of me and exiting her rooms. I leaned against the wall in the hall, unable to breathe. Come on Eren, get a hold of yourself . I forced myself back up and continued to my room. It killed me to not know how deep their relationship went. I had to know what I was up against.
“Otar!” I yelled as I got to my room. The little prick owed me. “Otar!”
“What, what? I was just about to catch myself a harpy. This better be important,” he said, sitting on my bed.
“Tryverse Feynar. What is the nature of his relationship with Genevieve?” I demanded, still trying to catch my breath from the anger raging through me.
Otar smiled and laughed as his head tilted from side to side. “You saw, did you?” he said hatefully.
“Just tell me,” I yelled. My vision grew spotty as I felt my body heating.
Otar slid off the bed and made his way in front of me. “He does for her what you could not. He gives her happiness. He takes away the pain.”
“How?” Images of their naked bodies tortured me. “Are they … intimate?”
Otar laughed again. “Oh, stupid male. Who cares? She is happy. Stop being so selfish. You should thank the young male. She is sleeping and eating, thanks to him.”
“I know we don’t care for each other. But please, just tell me,” I begged the creature through my teeth.
He huffed. “I have not felt that type of happiness from her. She doesn’t allow me in the room when he is there. She does not smell of sex after he leaves. All I know is she is getting better. She is happy, which makes me … calmer.”
I rested my hands on the chair in front of me as my temper began to subside. “You may go,” I said.
He appeared in front of me, studying my face.
“What?”
“You will not harm the male, will you?” he asked.
Everything inside of me screamed yes. I had already thought of a thousand ways to kill him on the walk to my room. I wanted to cut off his hands just for touching her. I gritted my teeth together, trying to think reasonably.
“If he brings her comfort, no,” I barely was able to say.
“Good.”
“But the moment he stops making her happy, he is fair game,” I snarled.
Otar laughed as he clapped his hands together. “Exactly how I felt about you; but she still says I can’t kill you. Don’t worry, that day will come,” he said, disappearing into the air.
I threw the chair into the wall, breaking it into pieces.