30. Trent
Chapter thirty
Being able to witness Dax ascend into his place of power like this is nothing short of amazing. I know my parents would be proud of him for finally accepting and using his rare magic so openly. In the days since those of us in the library took a knee for him, so too has the rest of Ravendene. Messengers from Lesa have also sent responses that they lay their swords at Dax’s feet.
Three territories have now accepted Dax and Raelle as the rulers. The rumor of the Moon Raven rising had already reached most ears in the kingdom. Right now, though, all of that is on hold while I get ready to meet my future in-laws.
With things as tense as they have been since I’ve met Ambriel, something as ‘normal’ as meeting the parents of your girlfriend, or in my case, my god-chosen mate…should feel like a breeze, but I feel like I’m choking. I’ve never done anything like this before.
“Stop fidgeting,” Ambriel laughs and pulls my attention over my shoulder in the mirror. She’s standing behind me, her hand on her popped-out hip.
“I—am not fidgeting.” I rebuke, but continue to straighten my tunic and tuck stray hairs behind my ears. Turning around, I take two long steps and pull her into me, dragging my hand up her back until it cradles the back of her head. “You make me a better man every day that I am in your presence, and we have been through storms, but anything that comes next… it’s just rain.”
She pushes up on her tiptoes and wraps her hands around my neck, pulling my hair from its leather band, laughing as my hair falls into my face and dusts my shoulders. Her fingers rake through the dark brown locks. “This isn’t battle. You don’t need your hair pulled back. Be yourself. They are going to love you, just like I do.” Her cheeks pink, which is something I don’t think I will ever get used to—the softness that she speaks with me at times is a stark contrast to her usual brutality.
“How could they not?” I smirk, winking at her and earning a smack to the chest. A deep bellied laugh erupts from me, and I squeeze her tight as she tries to get away, burying my face into the crook of her neck as I growl, “I love you, too.”
The real reason I’m nervous isn’t because I’m meeting her parents. It’s the conversation I wish to have with them. A knock at the door pulls my attention away from my mate, though, and she flits away as I make my way to pull it open.
“I was hoping you might need a drink,” Alaric asks.
“He does not!” Ambriel yells from the bathing chamber, and I laugh, nodding and taking a flask from my chest pocket in my leathers. Alaric smiles widely with his eyebrows up. When the door yanks open and Ambriel peeks her head out, eyes narrowed, I laugh again.
“What?” I ask, hiding the flask behind my back.
“I can literally read your mind.” Ambriel says without hiding her amusement.
“Well, that’s inconvenient. Can we turn that off somehow?” I ask with a grin. She shakes her head at my question, and Alaric’s bellowing laugh echoes through the room.
“Good luck, brother, and congratulations on the bond…” He rolls his lips, barely suppressing his smile and snatching the flask from behind my back. “I’ll take this so you don’t find yourself under the wrath of an Ambrose woman. Believe me, you don’t want it. I have a feeling I will be getting enough of that for the both of us tonight.” He sighs, and I take a deep breath, give him a tight-lipped smile, and clap my hand down on his shoulder.
“I don’t know, Alaric, if I had the chance to see my family who I believed died walk through the door again, I don’t think I would greet them with anything other than open arms. Usually, we only get one chance at life; you, however, get two. Use it for good.” He claps his hand over mine.
“I’ll drink for you. I’m going to go see if I can find Kait,” He responds, his grin returning.
“Tell her I need to talk to her. I haven’t had a chance to tell her about the bond with everything that’s going on, and I’d like her to hear it from me.” I worry about Kait. Something has been off with her since we were taken by Cano, especially since Melani’s passing. It’s overdue I have a conversation with my best friend. Dax too, actually.
Alaric nods before dipping back into the hall and leaving me once again in front of the mirror alone to stare back at myself. I lift my chin, take a deep breath, and puff out my chest. In this lighting, this clothing, chin raised high, I look like my father more. The same high cheeks, defined jaw, and wide shoulders, but my long hair will always set me apart. I run my fingers through the stands and check my weapons one more time.
“You know, I hope you don’t have use for those during a meal with my father,” Ambriel says, running a hand up my spine. I lean into her touch.
“I sure hope not, but I would be a stupid man not to be prepared,” I say, turning around to wrap her in my arms. “You know we have time—”
“Trent Fornax-Ravendene, don’t you dare finish that sentence. It’s been ages since I’ve seen my parents, and they are just downstairs waiting for us.” She slaps my chest playfully as she says it, but the sparkle in her eye tells me that she likes the idea of spending a little more time wrapped around me. “No. I see the look on your face matches your salacious thoughts. Get. Going.” She pushes at me, and I can’t help but chuckle.
Keeping my arm wrapped around her shoulders, I turn us to look in the mirror together and say, “We are going to make the cutest fucking babies.”
“You are insufferable.”
“Incredible.” I wink, and she groans, leaving me to trail behind her laughing.
Dax stands on the balcony, looking out over Ravendene with his arms crossed. I know he’s miserable not having Raelle here and not knowing if she’s truly okay. Having only been bonded for a short amount of time, I know I would be a mess if I were in his position.
I come to a stop at his side and mirror his posture. “Brother,”
“If you have come to try to make light of this situation I’m in, Trent, please don’t. None of this is easy.” Dax interrupts before I can finish. My brows drop with momentary disappointment, and I roll my lips, pressing my shoulders back more.
“I know I make jokes a lot, and I run my mouth and stick my opinion in places where maybe it’s not needed… but I came here to tell you Ambriel and Alaric’s parents have arrived and are waiting in the dining hall. I was hoping my brother would be there for me this one time for a big moment in my life.” He turns to face me at those words.
“I should have thought about that. You’re telling them about the mating bond?” He asks, and I shake my head. His brows drop with confusion, and I smile at him.
“I’m going to ask Ambriel to be my wife.” I swallow, holding my breath, as I watch the pain cast shadows over his eyes. It’s hard to say the rest, but I can’t let his pain cloud the happiness Ambriel and I feel having been newly bonded. Even if it was in the midst of chaos and on the brink of war. I pull my sleeve back to reveal the mating bond marks and his lips part before his eyes snap to meet mine. “Ambriel and I are mates, and I’ve never felt the push of fate more than I have with this decision.” I say with a shrug, giving a small smile. Dax’s face morphs at that moment. No longer pain-filled, but pride. Almost how I imagine my father would have took the news.
“Perhaps good things do come to Ravendene men. I’m so happy for you, Trent. You deserve it.” His words bring a chill but also a warmth to spread through me together, and it makes me shiver. He grips my shoulder, bringing me into his chest, and I wrap my arms around him too.
“I’m glad you’re back. We will get Raelle back, too.” I say before we break the embrace and look into each other’s faces.
“Oh, I guarantee it.” He growls, casting his gaze back over the ledge of the balcony. Past the people of Ravendene and the Soule mountains. I know he’s envisioning the castle of Demetrey, and I know he’s right. I’ve never seen my brother have this much calmness about him. It can’t be good for anyone who stands in his path to victory. With everything that’s been happening, his calm is only building the wrath that is to come. It can only mean one thing. The storm is going to be catastrophic.
Wiping my sweaty palms down my thighs, I stand in front of the doors of the dining room. Sounds of laughter and happy greetings are on the other side, but I stand rooted in place with the heavy wood between me and my future. The bond mark on my arm seems to burn with my anticipation, and I push my sleeve back to look at it.
It’s not for lack of excitement, but more so my own feelings of unworthiness. I’ve barely grown into a man and still have yet to find my true place in this world, and I would be naive to believe that finding that place is going to be an easy road. I know just as anyone else that a war is coming. I don’t want this for Ambriel, but I also know that she is a fighter like her mother. I would be doing her an injustice to not believe in her ability to fight alongside us, but I would be lying if I said I wasn’t worried about our future. Not just ours though, but the kingdom as a whole.
“You will make for a great husband and mate, Trent.” The voice I hear from behind me instantly brings a flood of emotions to me, and I turn to meet the scarred face that’s been missing in all of this. “You deserve such a blessing from the gods. I’m glad that you and Dax found mates in this life.” Although she’s smiling, I hear the edge to her voice. The stiffness in her shoulders.
“Kait,” I step forward to embrace her, but she steps back.
“I came back, but this will be my last fight in Aldramani. I’m going to search for answers about my lineage. Miles left some journals in his room that had information about where I possibly descended from, and I want to know more. I need to. I’m glad that you will be taken care of, even if I’m not particularly fond of her…” Her smile is soft, almost pained and it hurts me to see her like this, on the edge of breaking. Feeling alone. I wanted to be the one to tell her.
“I’m sorry I didn’t get to tell you myself. I wanted to tell you.” I say, lifting my hand to reach for her before dropping it again. “You will always have a home here, Kait. You are our family. You know that.” Silence eats at the space between us, and when I can’t take it anymore, I step forward again. This time she allows me to come closer, and I wrap her in my arms.
“You have always been more than a best friend to me. You’ve been like the older sister I never wanted.” I smile as I rest my head on top of hers, and she laughs quietly into my chest. “But the gods knew I needed you. We all needed you.” When she pushes away from me, her blue eyes glisten with moisture, sparkling like the lake on the clearest summer day, but she brushes away the evidence of her sorrow with the back of her hand.
“I love you too, you goof.” She smiles, but I know it’s forced, even as she punches me in the chest lightly. “Let’s pull the splinter and get this show on the road, huh?”
“Yeah,” I laugh. “That’s a horrible analogy, but sure, let’s do it.”