27. Dax
Chapter twenty-seven
Fury carries me forward. I can see nothing else through the fire in my eyes. The inferno that lives within me spills over like molten lava. What I witnessed through Ambriel’s vision cannot be what it seemed. Still, the vision is burned into my mind. The man pressing his hand to her back. “Good, my queen.” His voice purring into my wife’s ear and brushing his face against hers.
A growl erupts from my chest in time with the fire of my element. Flames billow from my arms as I release the energy brewing within. My shadows quickly follow as they wrap around me, blocking out the light of the moon. I’ve been flying for hours. Aimless in my destination, only knowing I need to be anywhere else.
When the shadows finally allow me to see, I realize where I am as I’m met with the glistening surface of the lake. I’m moving so fast I have to land in a run. My wings drag me to a stop at the lake’s edge, and I fall onto my ass in the sandy water bank, resting my arms on my knees. I drop my head on my forearms where they cross, and I breathe in quick, short breaths.
“Why is this happening? What did I do to earn this fate?” My voice is distant, but the pounding of my heart is unyielding. Something breaks or perhaps snaps into place as I sit here asking the gods why they’ve cursed me to this life. Slowly, I lift my head. The anger within me halts with a chill settling over my soul as I realize it’s time I made good on a promise.
I am Dax Fornax-Ravendene. The only shadow-wielding Fae in the kingdom for generations, and I am mated and bonded to the Moon Raven queen. It’s time that the kingdom knows what has been happening. It’s time we rise up and fight. I will not sit back and play catch-up with Soren any longer.
In a blink, I am again standing. My wings draped at my back, and as though fate had sensed my decision, a breeze picks up, causing ripples in the otherwise still lake surface. The chilled air flits through my feathers and sends a chill down my spine.
I cast my glare out over the dark water. “ Fuck fate. ” I grind the words with my teeth, then press into the sandy beach with the toes of my boots, before looking up to the clouds and taking to the sky.
I skip going to the infirmary, where I’m sure everyone is tending to Cano. That is, if he’s not dead. I couldn’t care less. One less thing I have to deal with if he is. Ravendene is quiet. The townspeople rush back into their houses and shops, doors and windows shutting with vigor, as I storm through the center of town and into the Inquisition center. Shadows snake out from my hands, wrapping around my forearms, and bleed from my wings like a cloud of smoke. The sense of fear from the Fae around me makes my hackles rise with my anger. People are talking once again about my unpredictable outbursts, no doubt. With a growl, I yank open the door and storm inside.
As I walk down the hall with rooms on either side, I think about the time I met Raelle and how much things have changed since the day fate brought her into my life. Fate can get fucked if it thinks I won’t do anything in my power to get her back.
I take the stairs up to the library two at a time, and when I enter through the double doors, I’m met with several eyes staring back at me. I blink, zeroing in on the man sitting on my fucking desk. Guess he didn’t die…what a shame. Slamming the door behind me, I stalk past all the silent Fae in the room, ignoring their open gawking, and shift my wings back before I sit at the desk. My shadow magic blanketing around me like a cloak.
“Get the fuck . Off. My. Desk,” I growl at Cano’s back. Slowly he stands and then turns back to face me, but I don’t pay him any more attention. Pulling parchment from my drawers, I begin writing out a notice.
“Dax, we need to talk—”
“No. We don’t.” I cut Trent off before he can continue whatever smoke he is determined to blow out of his ass. “I am announcing my claim to the kingdom officially,” I say, placing one hand up to stop whatever rebuttal that I see about to come from my brother or Maki and rub my other down my face. “With the announcement—the queen’s abduction. I will call for all willing Fae to come join us in efforts to bring her home and rid Aldramani of the vile waste that is Soren Croix.” My eyes train back on Cano to warn him that he can be included in that. “We will set up a sanctuary for the Fae who are not willing or able to fight or useful in a battle setting, but I made a promise to my queen, and today I’ll make right on that. I will bring the realm to its knees for her, and if I have to burn it all down in the process, I will provide the flame with my own hand.”
“When do we start?” A voice echoes. To my surprise, it’s Cano who speaks. Everyone in the room must share that shock because all eyes move from me to the man who once was my best friend. The man who once sat in this desk and was lord of Ravendene. A man who once mattered.
I finish scrawling out the missives and fold the parchment before sealing them with a press of my shadows and the heat of my flames, embossing the new seal of the kingdom. A dark-horned moon with a raven perched at its center. I’m silent as I look down at the seal. I’m not sure if its pride or determination that fills me seeing it, but my chest swells, and I lift the letters in my hand, offering them to the guard that has come to stand at my side.
“It’s already begun.” My eyes lift without my chin, and I watch them roam the room through narrowed slits. No one says anything.
Good.
I don’t want to take on the role of a destructive king, but if anyone understood the level of desperation I feel about getting Raelle back, they would understand the lengths I would go. Nothing will stand between me and my mate after this.
“Have these delivered to each territory leader that is not in this room. And this one, be sure it is delivered to Soren.” I order the guard.
“ Personally , Pascal,” Maki adds as he steps forward. “Loema will be the first to respond to this summons. We are with you, Cousin. It’s time this kingdom once again has a King and Queen on the throne, and I am proud to be behind this movement.” He takes a knee, and Pascal follows suit as his first in command.
“I claim no territory, but you will have me at your side.” Alaric smirks. “Whether you want me there or not.” He drops to one knee as well.
“I’ve lost nearly everything, you included. I’m not going to lose her either. I’m here for you, Dax. For Raelle and Aldramani.” Trent kneels, Ambriel smiles and nods before kneeling at his side.
“You need to remember that we were your friends before you were king.” A low voice from the back of the room says. When I find the source, I narrow my eyes on her. I have yet to have a conversation with Kait about what happened when I was serving Cano a much-needed beating. She stands, sauntering through the sea of bodies in the packed library. She comes to a stop at Cano’s side. “Something that I was reminded of recently.” She says while keeping her eyes at him.. “If war is what you want, I will fight, so long as you cap your anger and think with your head, Dax. You are more now. You are king.”
Her words cause me to swallow hard. Each guard in the room looks around at each other, and in unison, they drop to their knees, saying, “My King.” My spine straightens, shoulders squaring, when I look back to the center of the room, and my gaze meets a pair of dark eyes. Cano balls his ink-dipped fists at his sides. An internal debate is clear on his face as he and I stare at one another. Both of our jaws tick with so many words passing between us, none of which are spoken out loud.
He takes a step forward, and Kait’s hand snaps out, wrapping around his wrist. His eyes round in shock as he looks down at it, then back up to her. Sadness washes over Kait’s scarred face, but she doesn’t look away from Cano until he turns back to me. His brows dip and he yanks free of Kait’s grip taking another step forward, bringing us eye to eye. The air in the room is heavy as everyone holds their breath for what is to come.
Cano brings his arm out in offering, palm up, between us. I look down at it. “You always did have one hell of a right hook, brother. Kait is right; it’s something I lost sight of, and I think it’s about time I own up to my mistakes.” The stifling heat in the room seems to get hotter the longer that Cano, and I stand there and I deliberate my next move.
They are right, but everything that Cano and his father have done has ruined the lives of so many. He should be locked in a dungeon and rotting away for everything. Then, just as I think it, a memory flits through my mind.
“Gods! What happened to you?” I say, rushing to Cano’s side. He jerks upright, pulling the tunic back down to cover his black and blue ribs. My eyes are wide as I reach out to yank it back up, but he stands backing away from me.
“It’s nothing, ok… just a bruise.” My brows dip as I look at my best friend, his eyes bloodshot, lip split with dried blood.
“Cano…it doesn’t look like nothing. There wasn’t even training today… what happened?” This isn’t the first time that Cano has shown up with some bruises on him, especially on days when training was canceled.
“I said it was nothing. Mind your own business, Dax.” He says pushing past me with a grunt.
“You are my best friend. It is my business! I will always have your back.”
“Fae like me don’t have friends. We have enemies. We are a raging fire of chaos, and people who get too close get burned by the flames.”
I come back to the present and clap my hand in his, pulling him into my chest and speaking into his ear for only him. “You were right, we do have enemies.” I lean back to look him in the eyes as I say it. “We are a raging fire of chaos, and people who get too close burn in the flames. Are you ready to light the fire?” Something flickers in his eyes as he remembers the reference.
“Let’s burn him alive.” He growls, stepping back, and he and Kait both drop to their knees. “My King.” They say it together, and I cast my gaze out the open balcony doors and to the setting sun.
“King,” I say, and they all rise ready to fight.