10. Chapter 10
W e were expected—or at least that’s the impression I got as we breezed past deferential guards and officials, not one asking us to wait or offer a reason for our presence.
We arrived at a small, ornate door, and Orm pushed it open without knocking. I didn’t know if he knew we had permission or assumed that no one would dare to stop him.
The sight that greeted us drew a gasp from my lips as I gazed at row upon row of books and scrolls. It was the palace library. At its centre stood Reynard, bent over a map of the Lowland Kingdoms. Several tomes lay scattered around him, their titles hinting at being about the Necromancer’s War or magical defences.
Up close, Reynard Erenhart was even more formidable than the bloodstained warrior I’d seen before. Even dressed for comfort, he radiated authority and control, a wild bear of a man so similar to Orm. But his eyes lacked the warmth of Ormond’s and seemed as if they were assessing one’s worth even when focused elsewhere.
I found myself squirming uncomfortably, but then the new king looked up and smiled. The transformation was startling. It was as if I stood before an entirely different person.
‘Lady Annika,’ he said warmly, gesturing to a chair. ‘Please, sit down, little sister, and tell me how you tamed my cold-hearted brother. Orm’s lack of romantic success had me thinking he was saving himself for his dragon.’
‘We’re here to discuss plans, not my past love life,’ Orm barked, his cheeks reddening under his brother’s teasing.
‘I didn’t tame him. I just love the wild beast as much as I love the man,’ I said, smiling at Alaric, who’d found some wine and was offering me a goblet. He stood behind me with a hand resting on my shoulder, and I promptly covered it with mine just in case he needed my touch to silence the Lich King’s voice.
Reynard chuckled before his tone shifted. ‘Well, then. If you’ve come to plan, then let’s plan. But first, I need to know everything about your kidnapping. Annika, what happened the night you were taken?’
As we settled into nearby chairs, I recounted the events in detail: the lanara poisoned dart, Ihrain’s involvement, and finally, the revelation I had saved for last.
‘What do you think about the chancellor and his lapdog Ihrain, Your Majesty?’ I asked, noticing his wince at the title.
‘They’re power-hungry fools that think arranging a deal with the Lich King gives them an advantage,’ he said with vehemence. ‘The chancellor thought acting as king would secure his hold, and I’d wager your abduction was his final move to usurp the crown. Damned idiot—his ambition nearly destroyed the kingdom.’
‘You’re wrong. He didn’t want to be king.’ My voice cut through the tension. ‘Both the chancellor and Ihrain are agents of the Lich King. They came to Dagome from the Barren Lands, and they aren’t the only ones. His people are everywhere.’
‘What?’ Reynard jerked from his chair and started pacing the room. ‘How? The Barrier—’
‘The Barrier is fading,’ I said, my voice steady. ‘And even at full strength, it only stops those with foul magic. It was made that way to allow dragon riders to pass, but it means that any human, or even a mage of the High and Primal Orders, can pass.’
He slammed his hands on the table, the sound reverberating through the library. ‘Damn it! I was supposed to be defending this kingdom—the Lord fucking Marshall, and I’ve been following the orders of the enemy’s dog this entire time.’
Orm approached his brother, his voice low but firm. ‘We all were. It doesn’t make you less of a leader. What matters now is that this kingdom needs you more than ever, my king.’
Reynard’s shoulders sagged. ‘Our rebellion wasn’t supposed to end with me as king. I’m a general. I will see this country through the war to come, but that’s all. There isn’t a drop of royal blood in our family tree. The crown isn’t mine to take, and judging by the unrest, the court and town agree.’
‘Royal blood? What difference does your parentage make when you’re the best person for the job?’ Orm insisted. ‘If you don’t accept the title, there will be civil war as the nobles scramble for power. And while we’re busy tearing ourselves apart, the Lich King will laugh himself hoarse all the way to enslaving us all. You will be king because you’re the only one who can drag this kingdom out from the hole it’s fallen into and stop that undead bastard from destroying our home.’
Reynard shook his head, a bitter smile tugging at his lips. ‘Fuck, Orm. Not holding your punches, huh?’
‘Someone has to make you see sense,’ Orm replied with a shrug. ‘I know it’s a thankless task, but I know of no better man to do it. I’m sorry, Rey.’
The brothers exchanged a look of weary understanding. Acting on instinct, I stepped forward, placing a hand on each of their shoulders.
‘We’ll stand with you,’ I said softly. ‘Against all enemies. We are—’
My words cut off as a wave of magic surged through me, stealing my breath. I dropped to my knees, instinctively reaching for my Anchors, trying to ground myself with their strength, but nothing helped.
When I caught sight of my arm, it took a moment to realise my skin was glowing, a crimson hue surrounded by a strange haziness. However, the fear I felt from seeing it disappeared as an immense wave of aether poured into my body.
‘Annika!’ Orm groaned, his hand pressed to his chest. I heard the pain-ravaged roar of a dragon, then an echoing crash which focused my mind through the torment.
‘ Vahin! ’ I screamed in my mind, only calming slightly when reassuring thoughts—albeit tinged with Vahin’s own struggles with the torrent of power—flowed through our bond.
My Anchors couldn’t withstand the aether filling my body, and I didn’t know how to stop it.
‘What’s going on?! Someone call the royal mage!’ Reynard barked to the guards, trying to make himself heard over the sudden tolling of every bell in the capital.
‘No one touches her!’ Alaric commanded, dropping to my side. ‘Annika, look at me.’
‘Don’t,’ I choked out, my body spasming. ‘Don’t touch me.’
‘Trust me, Domina,’ he urged. ‘Let the aether flow.’
‘It’ll kill you,’ I stammered, tears streaking my face. ‘You’re not my Anchor.’
The tidal wave of power that had started this was gone yet my body still blazed with the energy left behind. I didn’t know why. But I was a conduit, not made to contain the aether, and my attempts to dissipate the magic were killing my Anchors.
‘Domina, I’m used to pain, and I can burn off this power using a spell I would normally reserve for the battlefield. Please, Ani, let me help,’ he begged, gently stroking my sweat-streaked cheek.
I nodded, biting my lip as Alaric opened his vein, using a quill from Reynard’s desk to draw a complex sigil on the floor. ‘Now, give me your hand,’ he instructed.
I grimaced, reaching out to him without hesitation. We both winced as lightning jumped between us when our hands touched, yet I refused to let go, trusting Alaric with all our lives.
As soon as he placed his free hand in the centre of the sigil, the aether roared through me, the vortex of power pouring into Alaric. He muttered an incantation, and green light erupted, bathing the room and beyond. As the magic subsided, I collapsed against him, trembling but alive.
Reynard stumbled backwards, at the same time seeming to grow taller and stronger, until he looked at my fae with a giddy smile and asked, ‘Gods, what was that?’
Voices in the corridor grew louder, followed by laughter and joyful shouts as the spell spread outwards.
‘The Last Breath,’ Alaric said, his tone weary but relieved. ‘During battle or as a last resort, a fae healer can sacrifice their life force to create a curative spell that spreads out like a wave, healing those around them. The more powerful the healer, the further it reaches before it burns through the life of the fae. I simply used Annika’s excess power to fuel it. Judging by its effects, everyone in the palace—and probably a few streets beyond—just had their ailments healed.’
Ormond came to sit beside me, and I took advantage of his closeness to lean on him, painfully aware that although I had two Anchors, neither was a mage who could help in moments like this.
‘What just happened, love? Why are the bells tolling?’ Orm asked, brushing strands of hair from my forehead.
Since taking from the keystone to collapse the mountain so long ago, my magic was attuned to it. In the last burst of power, I felt a pulse—a shattering wave I knew could only mean one thing. ‘The Barrier has fallen,’ I replied, my voice heavy with grim certainty.
The silence that followed was suffocating, almost tangible. All three men stared at me, their expressions a mix of disbelief and desperation, as if silently hoping I’d tell them it was some cruel joke. But I couldn’t.
‘Are you certain?’ Reynard finally asked.
He looked defeated. We had run out of time, and the man now bore the unbearable weight of leading us into the Second Necromancer’s War against the Lich King. I could see in his eyes how much he hated it.
‘Ormond, you and Vahin will fly to the border to confirm this,’ Reynard ordered.
Orm’s jaw tightened, his eyes narrowing. ‘Annika’s trial is tomorrow. I can’t—’
‘Orm, I’m not asking. If you go now, you can be back before the trial. All I need is confirmation of the Barrier’s status,’ Reynard asserted before turning to me. ‘Ani, tell me what else you know. Anything you can remember, anything you overheard while captive, may be of value.’
I licked my dry lips, and Reynard passed me a pitcher of water. After taking a sip, I answered, ‘Not much. I know there are some human and Moroi settlements in the Barren Lands beyond the reach of the dragons. That’s where both the chancellor’s family and Ihrain are from, though I don’t know exactly where. The Barren Lands aren’t as barren as we thought, and the monsters we’ve encountered are meant to prevent riders from venturing too far.’
Orm frowned. ‘How far away are these settlements?’
‘I don’t know.’ I shrugged. ‘But they’re likely too distant for a dragon to reach without a conduit mage.’
Reynard tapped his finger against the table, deep in thought. ‘Anything else?’ he prompted, pacing the room.
‘The portal ...’ The three of them looked at me expectantly, and I sighed. ‘Ihrain—or another of Cahyon’s servants—discovered how to create a portal to the Barren Lands. The bastard nearly dragged me through one.’
‘Fuck!’ Reynard cursed, his frustration boiling over. ‘What can I do to stop those?’
I could only shake my head. ‘If the university mages agree, we could sweep the palace and city for sigils. Ihrain must have used one to evade capture. I don’t have time to search myself with the trial tomorrow, so we’ll need help.’
‘Yes ... the trial.’ Reynard sighed, rubbing his neck. ‘I wish that situation could have been quietly swept under the rug, but we need the dark fae army. Their ambassador visited me earlier to request the use of our arena. He, too, said something about portals, but his explanation only seemed to concern your trial, not Ihrain. His eagerness to showcase your ordeal seemed, well, unhealthy, but I couldn’t refuse him.’
‘Did he say anything else?’ Orm asked, but Reynard shook his head.
‘Only that the empress and her court will attend to bear witness. I didn’t argue it as more witnesses make it harder for her to back out of our deal.’
‘You what ? What kind of plan requires Annika to become a spectacle?’ Ormond’s voice was so frigid that even Reynard flinched.
‘The kind that wins a war, brother. We need allies, and the Lowland Kingdom’s banner is no longer enough to call them to arms. With the Barrier gone, I don’t have time for white-glove diplomacy to convince the fae and dwarves to accept my lead. I need this to pull them to our side. I needed to show them what our conduit mage can do.’
‘The threat of slavery isn’t enough for them? What else do they want?’ Orm was fuming, but Reynard shook his head.
‘Clearly not, since my letters went unanswered. Only the dark fae showed interest, and I suspect that was likely due to Valaram’s influence. If they didn’t listen to an out-of-favour Lord Marshal, maybe they’ll listen to the king who’s just enlisted the dark fae army.’
Orm still didn’t look convinced, but I placed a hand on his cheek, forcing him to meet my gaze. ‘Take Vahin and check the border. I’ll be fine. You can’t be selfish, not right now. If you return in time for the trial, I’ll be grateful. If not, I’ll see you after I win.’
‘I’m not leaving you,’ he said hoarsely. ‘I can’t.’
‘Yes, you can, and you will,’ I insisted gently. ‘Because the man I love would never abandon his people.’
Orm’s hands gripped my neck as he pulled me close, searching my face for something—anything—that would let him resist. Finally, he surrendered, wrapping me in his arms.
‘Why, Nivale?’ he whispered into my hair. ‘Why is it always us who face these trials, who sacrifice the most?’
‘Because someone has to,’ I murmured. ‘If life were fair, my Anchors wouldn’t have died, Ari wouldn’t be suffering, and you wouldn’t have spent your childhood beaten and broken like a rabid dog. Fate is a cruel mistress, but perhaps it’s those sacrifices that brought us together. Just like us, steel is also folded and hammered to become stronger; we have to endure because if the strongest refuse, the weakest will break. We have so much, Ormond. Even if life is hard now, we have been given the power, skill, and opportunity to make it better for others.’
Orm exhaled deeply, his resolve hardening.
‘Fine, but just to scout,’ he conceded, turning towards Reynard. ‘And I’ll be your commander after the trial, but tomorrow, I will be with Annika. They’re risking their lives, Rey. Don’t ask me to stay away.’
‘Thank you,’ I said, kissing his cheek as Reynard uttered a silent thank you as well.
‘I’ll help, too,’ Alaric said suddenly, drawing our attention. ‘If we survive, I’ll be cleared of the empress’ charges and, by the Dark Mother’s will, bound only to Annika.’ I smiled, as that was precisely the outcome I wanted.
‘When you march to battle,’ he continued, ‘I will come with you. The Lich King wants me because I can control his monsters, and though I’m not Anchored, I have power enough to make a difference.’
‘Are you certain?’ I asked, my voice catching. ‘You can come as a healer—you just showed us what you could do. Why use the magic that’s caused you so much pain?’
‘Because my necromancy surpasses even my father’s,’ Alaric said firmly. ‘If you insist on saving my life, I’ll be embracing it as the Dark Mother intended.’
‘She didn’t intend for you to be a weapon.’ I turned to Ormond to seek his help but was surprised to find him nodding with a knowing smile.
‘Thank you. I’m sure my brother will accept your generous offer. Our lady will understand that some choices are yours and yours alone,’ he said, avoiding my eyes, and I huffed my frustration.
‘I understand. I just ... Is this how you both feel when I decide to do something stupid and refuse to listen to reason?’
Despite the grim situation, all three men burst out laughing before Reynard approached Ari and extended his hand. ‘Orm is right. I gratefully accept it, and I promise not to abuse your offer, even if I have to use it ... Welcome to the family.’
Reynard’s calm acceptance lit up Alaric’s eyes as he shook his hand. ‘Thank you, Rey.’
‘Rey?’ the king asked, a genuine smile gracing his face. ‘Only Orm calls me that, but I like it coming from you.’ He chuckled, the weight of his responsibilities briefly lifting. ‘Now, you’ll have to forgive me. I need to send my brother off and, for a change, be a king. Those bells tolling means the palace will likely soon be overrun with people demanding answers.’ Turning, he said, ‘Come, Ormond. We have much to discuss before you leave for the border.’
I stepped closer to Orm, placing my hands gently on his shoulders. ‘Be careful, and don’t worry about us. Just scout the area and return as soon as you can.’
He buried his face in my hair, inhaling deeply, as though trying to memorize the scent. ‘Wait for me, troublemaker,’ he murmured, kissing my forehead. ‘I’ll be back by noon. Don’t fight without me, or I swear I’ll lock you in Vahin’s lair.’
I couldn’t help but smile. ‘I may even allow it, Lord Commander. Now, the sooner you fly, the sooner you’ll come back to me.’