52. Dax
Chapter fifty-two
If I could carry Raelle away and never look back, I would. If I could cut away a small pocket of the world and bring only those I love so I could protect them and keep them happy, I’d do it.
For now, it seems that one night alone will have to be enough.
“Do you ever dream about the future?” Her voice is like music to my ears. I can’t help but smile as I trail my fingers through the valley between her breasts, down to her navel, and back up again. We barely slept through the night, too busy drinking each other in.
“I can honestly say I never thought much about the future until you.” Saying the words aloud makes me realize just how sad that is. How does a fully grown, ascended Fae not think of the future? When your outlook on your life is bleak, looking ahead can seem futile…
“And now?” She asks, locking my hand in place with hers over her heart. My eyes fix on our joined hands as I think about what to say. A long moment passes, and though she says nothing, I can feel the pounding rhythm of her heart under my hand as she waits for my words.
“Now, I have everything to look forward to,” I say as I lean down, placing a chaste kiss on her lips. “We will have everything you desire. When this is over, we will build the life we want. Together .”
“I like the sound of that.” She lifts her hand, cupping my jaw and guiding my lips to meet hers once again.
“Dax?” A voice comes from the other side of the tent that was pitched for Raelle and me, and I still.
“Who is that?” Raelle whispers, and I shake my head.
“Get dressed.” I tell her before removing myself from our too-temporary pocket of peace and peeking through the flap, the bright morning light blinding me with its onslaught.
“Something is happening; I think you guys need to see this,” Trent says, taking a step back and pointing toward the caves.
“We will be right there. Don't let anyone go into the caves.” After a dip of his chin, I drop the fabric door of the tent and turn back to face my queen.
“Is everything ok?” She asks. Her forehead wrinkled with unease.
“Trent says something is happening at the caves. I guess at least we got our one night.” I pull her into my arms and tip her head back so I can taste her lips just once more before everything gets thrown into chaos again. “I love you,”
“Dax—”
“We don’t know that the future we talked about will be long and full of life or short and filled with pain and chaos. I won’t go running into another unknown battle without telling you this… You have changed my life so irrevocably. You have to know, but my love for you could withstand any test the fates would place on us, as long as we face them together.” I wrap my arm around her waist and pull her closer to me.
“Well, let’s go show the gods what happens when bonds are fueled with love and forged with the fire it creates.” Wrapping her arms around my middle, she lays her ear over my heart, and I hold onto her for a moment that feels too short before she leans back to look into my eyes. “I love you, husband, in life and death, in peace and chaos. Whatever fate gives us, we will face it together.”
Fate has chosen chaos.
Even though it’s late morning, the sun is now hiding behind a blanket of clouds, and the ice-cold air bites at our skin. We’ve barely reached halfway to the caves when the ground begins to vibrate, but the feeling is not caused by magic. Not like the rumble when Raelle and I were in the caves and the earth moved to allow us to see the pathway within the mountain…
“It’s soldiers… A lot of them.” Trent shouts as he runs forward and ushers us to follow him up a rock face that has been used as a lookout point. “They just came into view. Maki says that they will reach our outer ranks within a few hours at minimum.”
“And is there something happening in the caves?” Raelle asks, looking over the people that are starting to spill out of the tents. Clouds that cover the sun blow away on a gust of wind, and the bright light that breaks through the trees illuminates our queen like a beacon. All of the Fae look up to where we stand, seeking answers. Answers we don’t have right now.
“Osiris is checking it out. Ordered Bracarva to stay out of sight until she is needed.” Trent responds, rubbing the back of his neck.
“What are you not saying?” I demand. I know my brother, and I can see the tension in him; something more has happened.
“Ambriel has been in and out of visions all night. She won’t let me come near her. I—I’m worried about her.” Trent licks his lips and looks down at his feet. “I don’t know what to do for her.”
“Trent, you are a good man. Just be there for her in whatever way she needs. We are all going to get through this.” Raelle says, placing her hand on his shoulder and then looking out over the now crowded plane of land below us.
“We thought we had more time to rest and prepare…but it seems that the war has arrived. You know what needs to be done. We fight for Aldramani and the kingdom we wish to thrive. We fight to protect those who can’t protect themselves. We fight for freedom from evil and for love.” She says, addressing the gathering crowd. Her eyes meet mine, and I nod, urging her on. I see the reverence in the people’s faces as they take in their queen now accepting her place fully as their leader, and my heart swells at being able to witness it.
“If there is anything that I’ve learned in this life, it’s that family doesn’t mean the blood that runs through your veins but the love you carry in your hearts. It’s more than just knowing, but actively choosing what is hard and doing it because it’s right.” Her gaze tracks to Cano as she speaks, who has stopped right before the rock we stand on. He swallows and then looks down, kicking dirt with the toe of his boot and shoving his hands into the pockets of his leathers.
“It’s accepting that things that may not have made sense at the time were leading you to a path you were meant to take.” Her eyes look up to meet Alaric’s, where he stands stoically at Ambriel’s side, and he accepts her words with a nod.
“Be there for each other, and let’s rise as one!” With that, she casts her magic in a show of power. Shadows twine around her arms as a gust of wind blows out from her like a tornado, not to cause damage but to bring awe. Her glowing white moon magic pools like a globe of light. In her other hand, crackling fire erupts with a plume of smoke. I’ve never seen a Fae wield so many magics at once and so effortlessly, and it is clear by the echoing gasps let out through the crowd that they haven’t either.
“Let’s show Soren Croix that the gods chose Aldramani’s heir and your queen chooses you!” The sky lights with a flash of lightning, and the dark clouds filter the sky ominously just as Raelle extinguishes her magic and turns to face me. All of her features darkening as the clouds once again shadow the land.
“Let’s get the stones and rebuild this kingdom into what it’s meant to be. Soren wanted a remaking; now he has one.” Her words are quieter. Meant for just those of us who stand close to her side. Taking her hand, I guide her down the rock face and toward the caves. Trent, Maki, Kait, and Cano follow close behind silently, awaiting what their orders are going to be. We stop just before the entrance.
“We don’t know what is going to happen once we walk into the mountain in search of this chamber. It’s up to you to lead the regime and the people to victory until we are able to join the fight.” I say, making sure to look into each of their eyes to make sure they understand how important each of their roles is.
“Bracarva has orders to intervene if needed. If my father shows up to fight with Soren… use your magic to get him away from the dragons. The dragons won’t be a problem if he is out of the way. They would be with me if it weren’t for him being our king.” Osiris steps to my side, and those around eye him with cautious respect. Without hesitation, Osiris turns to face Raelle and me. Dropping to one knee, he offers a blade on the palms of his hands.
“Though I am not yet king, the title will be mine by blood. I offer you my blade in this fight, a king’s bond, and in doing so, good faith that we will bring peace to our kingdoms, together .” His eyes lock with mine, and I am in such shock of the situation that I don’t do anything but stare at him kneeled before me. It’s the nudge that Raelle gives me that breaks the trance that I’m in, and before the whole regime, I accept his oath and give him mine in return.
“Rise, and together, with a king’s bond, two kingdoms bind with blood.” As I look down to take the dagger that lay across his palms, my eyes flick back up to meet his, then immediately to Raelle. Her green eyes are vibrant, glowing with admiration and wet with tears as she watches me remove Meraki from his hands.
Using the sharp edge, I slice through the flesh of my hand and let the blood pool. Osiris takes the blade back and does the same before handing Meraki back to Raelle, who accepts the blade zealously.
“Thank you,” she says under her breath, eyeing the dagger with steadfast admiration.
The moment that Osiris places his hand in mine, the air around us begins to shift. The ground we stand on vibrates with the same magical energy as before, but our grips are firm as the magic burns within our veins.
The blood that binds snakes out of the joined palms of our right hands, where they are clasped. The deep red, vine-like lines twine around our wrists and create the design that will mark our skin forever. The magic sparks and cracks, and when it clears, what’s left behind is the king’s bond. It’s as unique as the magic that creates it. The magic itself is what determines the design, and no two are ever the same.
Osiris, Raelle, and I all look down the underside of our right forearms. There, a scepter of fire connected with a sharp blade illuminated with flames and a crescent moon wrapped in shadows along the axis is now visible. The perfect balance between kings and their magic, and the center of the bond is the moon.