17. Vexxion
17
VEXXION
S omething had happened today, and I hadn’t shared it with Tempest when we spoke.
I’d spent the morning feeding my father power rather than letting him suck it from another group of Nullens. Lieges were bringing them in droves, loading them in carts and flitting them to the deep network of caves below the castle where they could be held until they were brought to the king’s suite. He was storing so much power, I hoped he’d explode. No one had studied how much energy we could gather. We used our power and then waited for it to replenish on its own. We didn’t force more inside our bodies.
Once he’d drained Brenna, he’d be eager to act. He hadn’t yet figured out that her power wouldn’t be enough, and I doubted Riftflame would be coerced into handing over their core before the wedding.
Once lunch was concluded and Ivenrail took Brenna to the throne room to stand judgment on a few cases, I reached out to Drask.
Seek.
Ah, yes. Leave it to my fury to work with the dragons.
After flitting to the aerie, I paused in the entrance and stared down the hall, noting a stable hand standing outside Glim’s pen. The gate was cracked open.
If I didn’t know that my fury was inside that pen caring for my dragon, I’d think nothing of it—and if the fae male wasn’t holding a forearm-length knife in his right hand.
He wasn’t a high lord, or I’d recognize him, but many fae were arriving for the wedding.
I flitted over to stand behind him with my threads poised to strike. They coiled around my legs, eager to play.
“Are you examining the gate?” I asked pleasantly.
The dark-haired male whirled around and pressed his lean back against the wall, gaping up at me. He wore a deep brown tunic. Lighter brown pants. Shoes, not boots. He wasn’t here to ride even if Glim was available.
“I . . . I . . .” he blubbered. “I’m not doing anything, my high lord.”
“ Controller .”
His breath jerked in and out of his lungs, and he croaked, “Controller. I’m working.”
“You have a dagger in your hand. Not the tool I’d choose to work with inside an aerie, but I’m not well versed in the art of such things.”
He stared down at the knife. “Oh, um, yes.”
“A woman is working inside this pen with my dragon. ”
His eyes widened. “I wasn’t going to do anything to her. I was only going to—” He jerked the blade toward my belly, but I snatched it from his grip and flung it down the hall. It landed in the sand with a soft thud.
I snapped my arm out, placing it around his shoulders, hauling him away from the stall. “Walk with me.”
“Oh, I, um . . .” He stumbled beside me. “I’m sorry. I’m sorry! You startled me. I, uh, have something I need to do. I can’t take a walk with you.”
“I didn’t ask you to walk with me,” I said pleasantly. “It was a command.”
He spun away from me, his arm wrenching up toward my throat.
I deflected his blow with a snap of my forearm, twisting to latch onto his wrist. Pressing him against the wall, I lifted him with my threads and tightened my grip on his wrist until bones collapsed beneath his skin.
He spit in my face. “Let me go. They won’t be happy to hear you’re interfering.”
“Interfering with what?” My gaze slid to Glim’s pen. “That’s my dragon. Were you planning to take flight?”
“You don’t know what you’re dealing with,” he snarled with false bravado. The fear in his eyes gave him away.
“ My woman is working with my dragon inside that stall. Surely you weren’t planning to cause her harm with your puny blade.”
“Release me, and I won’t tell them you interfered.”
Truly, you’d think my stellar reputation would’ve been enough to keep anyone from trying something like this. “We’ll discuss this while we walk.”
I released my threads only enough to allow him to drop to the ground, then tightened them again, pinning him to my side as I flitted to the mountain peak above the aerie. While he remained bound by my threads, I took in the gorgeous view. It truly was spectacular with the broad, lush valley below, the mountains beyond, and the blue sky arcing overhead. Not a single cloud around to mar the lovely surface. Too bad a dark pall hung over the entire area.
If my fury and I were successful, it would fade, replaced with something my people would one day welcome. Some of them, that is. The rest could be persuaded, or, like this fae male, they would discover that they must take a walk with me. I’d leave it up to them.
“Who sent you?” I asked, hauling him up and perching his toes on the edge of the jagged cliff.
Arms spiraling, he gaped at the long drop behind him before wrenching his head back around to shoot me a glare. “They’re watching.”
“I’m sure they are, yet I’ll note that they’re not coming to your assistance at this time.”
His swallow took a long time to go down.
“Who?” I leaned near him and whispered. “You can tell me. I won’t share the name with anyone else.”
“I can’t,” he groaned. “They’ll—” His words cut off. Someone cut them off, that is. His eyes blazed and bloody spit surged up his throat to bubble down across his chin. He’d been poisoned or magically tainted in some way. He’d soon die, either from this or from me.
I shot some of my threads into the sky, spying, but I didn’t find anyone in the nearby woods or the broad ledge-covered area around the peak.
His hands rose to wrap around his throat, and he gurgled.
“Tell me who sent you, and I’ll make your death as pleasant as possible,” I said. All I needed was a name.
His eyes rolled back in his head.
A subtle sound behind me sent me spinning, but I found no one there.
The male was torn from my grip . . .
. . . and he fell.
I snapped my threads toward him, determined to grab onto him. I’d torture him to get that name. A gust of magical wind snatched him up and flung him against the cliff. As he dropped, what was left of him smacked against the jagged cliffside until he finally impacted with the ground.
I flitted from one location to another until I’d studied the mountain peak from all angles, but I didn’t find anyone to question or kill. Without a name, I couldn’t protect my fury, and rage ignited through me at the thought.
Where is she? I asked Drask. He’d left her to hunt, though he’d soared around above the castle first, watching until she went in through the back entrance.
He didn’t know where she was now.
A flit to the suite showed me she hadn’t arrived there yet. I jumped to the servant’s hall on the first level and found her standing in front of a painting mounted on the wall, her head tilted as she studied it.
Another flit, and I stood behind her, taking in the way her leathers stroked her delicious curves, the way her thick braid hung down her spine like the finest blade, and the way she nibbled on her lower lip—something I longed to do myself.
My heart surged as if the entire sea leaped along with me. Every breath she took commanded mine to follow; every smile was a sun thawing my winter-weary soul. She was both the anchor grounding me and the storm that tore me from the safe shore. I loved her beyond words, fiercely. A simple look from her could pierce my defenses as if they were nothing but air. Every speck of me yearned to exist solely for her happiness. I shuddered with feelings so potent they verged on pain.
I could stand here forever just watching her, basking in her presence. To think I’d nearly lost her, that I might still lose her.
Could this plan work? I hated that I had doubts. My fury would see this through. Even if doing so might destroy her.
When I placed my hands on her shoulders, she jumped and whirled around, the tip of the blade I’d given her gouging my throat.
“Lovely to see you, too, Fury,” I said with a smile as I pinched the tip and dragged it to the side—not drawing blood, though I’d gladly give it if I thought it would please her.
I encircled her with threads and used them to lift her, pressing her against the wall beside the painting. Then I could cage her with my palms on either side of her shoulders and nudge her legs apart to step between them.
I nibbled along her jawline. “I missed you. ”
Her fingers latched onto my upper arms. “You saw me not long ago.”
I adored how she melted into my embrace. How she loved me in a way no one else ever had or ever would.
Because it would be unwise to kiss her here, even with my threads surrounding us, I released her, gently lowering her to the wooden floor.
She turned back to the painting. “It’s sad.”
“What in particular?”
“That they’re trapped here. Someone told me they were.”
“Who?”
“One of the stable hands.” She gestured to the marscapoles who had started to creep out from the woods. “Why does the king do this? What’s the point?” She kept her voice low, but anyone could be listening.
He does it because he can. Because he takes pleasure in hurting others. Because he can sip from their power if he feels the need.
Even tiny creatures like this? she said. They look sweet. Innocent.
Marscapoles are anything but innocent. They can be vicious.
That’s still not enough reason for the king to do something like this to them. You’re saying he’s trapped them here to serve as snacks?
An apt description.
Can I free them?
Only a beast master can release them from the king’s spell, I said.
Where can we find one?
Not here. During her Awakening, I’d sensed she had the potential, but it took years of training for anyone to achieve the level of master .
I feel bad for them. The dragons in the front door. The creatures he’s torturing in his living area. They’re all over the castle, aren’t they?
Yes.
Her gaze turned to the picture where the marscapoles tiptoed through the grass to the place where they must’ve initially been placed. They could move a short distance away, but they’d be compelled to return within moments.
Even someone as powerful as you can’t free them? she said.
Ivenrail stole the core of Weldsbane’s power. I only wield a fraction of it now. The knowledge burned through me today as sharply as it had when he sucked it up after murdering my mother.
He took more than your mother’s life.
Much too easily. I struggled to hold on to what was rightfully mine, but at such a young age, I wasn’t powerful enough to claim the core power as my own. Under other circumstances, an elder would’ve guided me in how to slowly absorb my court’s power. He’s hunted down and killed all the elders, so there will be no one instructing me even if I ever reached the point that I could grab onto the reins and slow the mythical beast’s fall.
Can we take the power back from him?
I’d stolen all I dared take. She’d help me regain the rest. That was my plan I’d put into place when I felt her presence at the fortress. Two games had begun that day. In one, I was her shield; in the other, the master. She would always play the high lady. There may be a way.
Then we’ll find it.
I loved how certain she sounded. She’d need to hold onto that strength of will if she was going to survive what was coming. The storm that had gathered at sea loomed over the city, ready to wreak havoc on this world.
And she’d control it all.
This is why he wants the rest of Lydel and Riftflame, she said.
Once he controls each court’s core, he thinks he’ll be able to conquer the world.
Will he?
Not if we stop him.
The marscapoles had started twisting again, their bodies writhing in endless torture. There wasn’t time to train her to—
I frowned, a hum rumbling in my throat.
Tempest looked up at me. I can tell you’re thinking.
I’m always thinking, I said with pretend insult.
Share.
I whispered the spell into the delicious shell of her ear. It took me a very long time to find this spell, and I still couldn’t get it to work. My guilt and sorrow were carved into my soul. Try it. Perhaps you can help me fix this.
Try the spell on what? Her eyebrows lifted as she looked around. I don’t know much about magic yet, but I do know that it’s never wise to fling spells around. I don’t want to scorch your crooked nose.
My nose is perfect just as it is.
It’s slightly off-center. Decent enough, but crooked.
It was broken. More than once. And that was all I was going to say about it, because the last thing I wanted was to see her smile fade and the sparkle leave her pretty eyes. I steered her closer to the marscapoles. Try the release spell. It might free them .
How did you learn this spell?
I know many spells. She wasn’t the only one who hated seeing creatures like this trapped. But the spell had not worked for me.
I’m not a beast master. Longing came through in her voice.
When I awakened you, I tasted that magic within you. And so many others. If only I could tell her about them. Revealing too much could unbalance everything. I shared what I could while doing my best to guide her in the right direction. I’d shelter her with my body and heart for as long as I could. Try.
She stiffened her spine and stared at the painting; her face knitting with concentration while she drew power and mumbled the spell.
The creatures kept writhing.
Nodding sharply, she redoubled her effort, casting magic once more. Again. Over and over until I lost count of how many times she’d tried. Her power churned through the air, but it lacked direction.
Eventually, I held my hand up between her and the painting. No more.
I have to keep trying. If you think I can do this, then I can.
I don’t need to believe in you, Fury. You need to believe in yourself. I may not always be able to stand beside you.
She turned, frowning as she gazed up at me. What aren’t you telling me?
I tell you all I can. And too much in this instance.
Where am I going?
I evaded her too-sharp gaze. What makes you think you’re going anywhere ?
She caught my chin with the tip of her finger and guided my eyes back to hers. If not me, then where are you going?
I’ll remain with you to see this through.
Vexxion, I named you well.
Bastard? I loved that I could state this, and we’d both see it as a joke. Only with this woman could I be myself. Only with her did I have even a shred of beauty.
She poked my chest. You’re precious. Patient. Infinitely lovable.
Amazing. Sexy. Leaning close, I sucked in her delicious scent and nibbled on her earlobe. You’re forgetting all my best attributes.
You’re infuriating at times.
I thought I was vexing.
That too. Her lips curled up. I’ll try again, and then we’re flitting to our suite. I have to clean up before I return to help Brenna prepare for the evening meal with the king, but I’ll bathe quickly. There’s this man I know. As we’ve recently noted, he’s quite vexing. But I’m going to take him to my bed before I help Brenna.
That’s my bed, I purred.
Prove it.
Oh, I will. Would I ever.
She stared at the picture for a long while before pinching her eyes closed. This time, I felt her power rise within her, cresting, overflowing in a way it hadn’t before. It poured out of her as she mouthed the spell.
The marscapoles stopped moving, staring at her.
Her breath caught.
Then they started writhing once more.